The Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was formally adopted by 150 countries at the International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources held in Leipzig in 1996. The Conference also adopted the Leipzig Declaration, which focuses on the importance of plant genetic resources for world food security, and commits countries to the implementation of the plan.

The Global Plan of Action (GPA) represents an important contribution to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in the field of food and agriculture and it is one of the supporting elements of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Its main objectives are (i) to ensure the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) as a basis for food security, (ii) to promote sustainable utilization of PGRFA in order to foster development and to reduce hunger and poverty, (iii) to promote a fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of PGRFA, (iv) to assist countries and institutions responsible for conserving and using PGRFA to identify priorities for action, and (v) to strengthen national, regional and international programmes for the conservation and utilization of PGRFA, including education and training. To meet these objectives 20 priority activity areas are included in the GPA organized into four groups: In Situ Conservation and Development, Ex Situ Conservation, Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources, and Institutions and Capacity Building. Lao PDR, through the Agricultural Biodiversity Theme of the Netherlands Partnership Programme, has been implementing the application of a new approach for monitoring the implementation of the Global Plan of Action, which includes the establishment of the National Information Sharing Mechanism on PGRFA.

The Mechanism is based on the participation of stakeholders at national level and seeks to promote information exchange and strengthen stakeholder cooperation, thereby contributing to enhance the capacity of the National Programme for Conservation and Utilisation of Plant Genetic Resources and, thus Agro-biodiversity. The Mechanism includes a computer application to facilitate the management of the information addressed by a list of indicators and a related reporting format for monitoring the implementation of the GPA in the country.

The National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry acted as the Coordinating Institution for the Mechanism in the country. Activities towards its establishment included an initial meeting with different stakeholders held in December 2005 at NAFRI to discuss the overall plan of its establishment and to receive in service training for carrying out the activities. The first stakeholders’ workshop was organized in March 2006 to gain the understanding and commitment of stakeholders in the establishment process and introduce the computer application for sharing information among stakeholders. The second stakeholders’ workshop was held in May 2006 to gain an understanding of the indicators and reporting format for monitoring the GPA implementation and to train stakeholders in the use of the computer application. Following the analysis of the information gathered, a report including an overview of the status of PGRFA activities in Lao PDR is being prepared. The third workshop was organized in ... to review and finalize the draft report on the establishment and strengthening of the National Information Sharing Mechanism on GPA implementation. The workshop also identified information gaps for preparing the Country Report on the State of PGRFA and agreed on solutions to fill in these gaps. The National GPA Information Sharing Mechanism web site was demonstrated.

The mechanism database is available in NAFRI website. The computer application of the Mechanism and its database are also available off-line on CDs.

All the information compiled under the National Information Sharing Mechanism on GPA Implementation, including the final country report, can be accessed in through the Mechanism web site. Other countries’ Mechanism including the Lao Mechanism can be accessed in several languages under the FAO World Information and Early Warning System on Plant Genetic Resources (WIEWS).