ASI-01

Organization title: Bioversity International
Field Location: New Delhi, India
Policy Location: New Delhi, India and Rome, Italy

DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION

Bioversity International is an international agricultural research institute within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Its mission is to undertake, encourage and support research and other activities on the use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity, especially genetic resources, to create more productive, resilient and sustainable harvests. Bioversity aims to promote the greater well being of people, especially poor people in developing countries, by helping them to achieve food security, improve their health and nutrition, boost their incomes and conserve the natural resources on which they depend. Bioversity works with a range of partners throughout the world to maximize its impacts, develop capacity and to ensure that all stakeholders’ voices are heard. For more information about Bioversity International, go to www.bioversityinternational.org.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Thousands of land races and wild relatives of crops, which have provided the source of genes for breeding improved cultivars, have been collected and conserved in genebanks. Yet little information is available about the use of these collections or the extent to which their genetic diversity has been used to increase crop production. This implies a considerable unrealized potential in plant genetic resources for increasing food security. The premise of this work program is to assist farmers in increasing the diversity on their farms by tapping into the rich genetic diversity held in genebanks. International initiatives and legal instruments such as the Global Crop Diversity Trust, the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources and the Treaty recognize the importance of ensuring that farmers have access to ex situ-conserved materials. There is a need to analyze what constraints farmers face in accessing genebank materials (traditional varieties, landraces and improved varieties) and determine how best to address them.

The overall goal of this fellowship is provide insight into the benefits farmers can obtain from using genetic diversity in their fields, and to propose policy guidelines for improving farmers’ access to genebank collections in order to increase the diversity in farming systems.

FIELD PLACEMENT

The Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellow will collaborate with Bioversity’s partner organizations to carry out participatory research with farmers and genebanks in order to understand the trends in use of ex situ-conserved diversity on farms, the benefits this diversity confers, and the constraints to farmers’ use of it in their fields. The fellow will analyze farmers’ needs for genebank materials and determine how to facilitate smallholder farmers’ access to germplasm conserved in genebanks. The work will be aimed enhancing farmers’ access to germplasm that can help them to adapt to changing climactic conditions (Jarvis et al. 2008), with a focus on minor crops of importance to resource-poor farmers in India.

The objectives of the field placement are:

• To develop an understanding of farmers’ use and access to diversity, and how this has changed over time;
• To analyze the constraints that impede access to genetic diversity that could be used to improve agricultural production and enhance livelihoods; and
• To identify mechanisms for strengthening the links between farmers and genetic resource collections, including the national collection of India and managed by NBPGR and the collection held by ICRISAT.

POLICY PLACEMENT

Using the findings of the fieldwork and the review of the legal and institutional frameworks, the fellow will determine how current legal and institutional frameworks affect the availability of genetic diversity to small farmers. The fellow will then propose policies that can help farmers to overcome existing obstacles and facilitate the flow of genetic resources from genebanks to farmers. This work will focus on legal measures developed in line with implementation of the Treaty.

The objective of the policy placement is to explore legal and policy measures that will support farmers in gaining increased access to genetic diversity conserved ex situ.

Possible tasks include:

• Analyzing and reporting findings related to PGRFA use pathways, including farmers’ use of genebank materials conserved ex situ;
• Identifying gaps and barriers in the legal and institutional policies using data from an analysis conducted during the field placement;
• Developing policy briefs and journal articles proposing policy measures that support small farmers’ access to genetic diversity; and
• Connecting the fellowship work to national efforts aimed at implementing the Treaty in India, and providing data and support to national partners involved in implementing the Treaty.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Minimum educational qualifications: A Masters or PhD degree in Agriculture, Biological Sciences or Environmental Policy (preferably with a focus on plant genetic resources or agricultural policy).

Previous experience desired: Work experience in tropical or developing countries in participatory survey methods, plant genetic resources or natural resource management. Previous travel or work experience in South Asia would be desirable.

Computer skills desired: MS Word, Excel, Outlook. Database, statistical and policy analysis skills would be useful.

Language skills desired: English considered essential. Knowledge of Hindi or Urdu would be advantageous.

Personal qualities: The position requires excellent interpersonal skills, including a high level of respect for diverse ethnicities, cultures and religions.

Other requirements: Ability to work independently.