Protected Areas

generation, retribution for environmentalservices. Activities foreseen include:a) identification of and research onfauna and flora species of economicimportance; b) support to demonstrativeprojects aimed at establishing sustainableproduction systems; c) support to themanagement of natural resources ingrasslands of the Amazon region; d)stimulate the establishment of communitysystems for the conservation andsustainable use of agrobiodiversity; e)establishment of territorial units of ruralenvironmental management; f) supportto technological innovation, conservationpractices, use and management ofagrobiodiversity developed by familyproducers, traditional peoples andcommunities; g) development of organicagriculture; h) strengthening andvaluing of territorial initiatives for themanagement and sustainable use ofagrobiodiversity; j) research, promoteaccess and appropriation of technologiesaimed at the sustainable managementof agrobiodiversity with an agroecologicalfocus; k) implementation ofplans for expanding the pro-environmentdevelopment sites at national scale and;l) monitoring the participation of foodproducts from agrobiodiversity in the foodacquisition program.PollinatorsPollination is one of the most relevantenvironmental services for thesustainability of agriculture. Recentstudies show not only its economicvalue, estimated to be of several billiondollars at the global value, but alsothe existence of a global process ofdecreased pollinators resulting especiallyfrom deforestation, the excessive use ofpesticides, and the predatory destructionof nests. A deficit of pollination in severalagro-ecosystems is observed, and thisleads to losses in the productivity andquality of agricultural products.Due to the importance of the matter,the Conference of the Parties of theConvention on Biological Diversityapproved the creation of an InternationalPollinators Initiative (IPI) (Decision V/5) inthe scope of the Thematic Work Programon Agricultural Biological Diversity(instituted by Decision III/11), as well asa Plan of Action for its implementation(Decision VI/5).Several countries have establishedmeasures to promote implementationof the IPI, and the initiatives of NorthAmerica, Europe and Africa arehighlighted. Brazil has been participatingin these international discussions onIPI in the scope of the CBD, and hasorganized three international meetings onIPI.With the objective of promoting theimplementation of IPI in developingcountries, the Food and AgricultureOrganization (FAO) invited Brazil totake part in an international projectentitled Conservation and Managementof Pollinators for Sustainable Agriculturethrough an Ecosystem Approach, withSouth Africa, Kenya, Ghana, India,Pakistan and Nepal. This project includesfour components: a) development ofbasic knowledge; b) extension andpromotion of good practices in benefitof pollinators; c) capacity buildingand promotion of volunteer actions; d)sharing of experiences, disseminationof results and elaboration of publicpolicies. This project counted on apreparatory assistance (PDF-B, whichwas approved in the end of 2003 bythe Global Environment Facility (GEF).The project was approved by the GEF inMay of 2007 to become part of the workprogram. Endorsement by the council andthe signing of the donation agreementare expected to take place in the firstsemester of 2008.12