Integration of Conservation Strategies of Plant Genetic ... - Genres

Resolution
(formulated by all participants)
An ´International Symposium on Plant Genetic Resources in Europe´ was held at the Institute for Plant
Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben, Germany, for three days from 6 to 8 December
1993. The Symposium was jointly organised by IPK, the British Council, Köln and the Information
Centre for Genetic Resources (IGR), Bonn.
Some 60 participants from the formal and informal sector of fourteen countries discussed plant genetic
resources activities in Europe and focussed on the relationship between in situ and ex situ conservation.
In three working groups, possibilities of collaboration among genebanks and (1) nature conservation /
biosphere reserves, (2) botanic gardens and other ex situ conservation institutions and (3) on farm
conservation were investigated. At the end, the participants formulated the following resolution:
Resolution
The Symposium emphasizes the importance of the future use of plant genetic resources (PGR) for
human welfare and culture
- recognizing the fact that PGR are an essential element of biodiversity and that their preservation
requires a more integrated approach;
- recognizing the increasing threat to PGR and their further erosion, especially because the evolution
of PGR no longer continues on farm in many parts of the world;
- recognizing the importance of longterm storage as well as the maintenance of evolving populations
in either natural habitats or on farm;
- recognizing the need of PGR for crop germplasm enhancement.
The participants of the Symposium
1. recommend that PGR, according to their importance to humanity, should rank high on the political
priority list, which should be expressed, e.g. in improved coordination between relevant ministries
and their specialized agencies;
2. recommend everyone concerned with PGR to promote greater public awareness (through media,
education, etc.) of the importance of PGR;
3. recommend that mutual understanding and cooperation between all those involved (formal/informal
sectors, national/international, north/south/east/west Europe) are promoted;
4. recommend that terminology and concepts are clarified, such as in situ and on farm conservation;
5. urge authorities to reconsider laws and regulations that albeit unintentionally reduce diversity.
6. in particular, urge authorities to ensure that seed trade regulations take into account the needs of
small scale, traditional and amateur growers and permit them to conserve and utilize PGR;
7. affirm their willingness to cooperate with other groups involved in biodiversity conservation, in
particular by transferring knowledge i.e. in the fields of evaluation of diversity, seed technology,
information handling, plant breeding, etc.:
8. urge authorities and appropriate institutions to encourage and support sustainable/traditional farming
systems as a way of maintaining and increasing the conservation and utilization of biodiversity in
agriculture throughout Europe;
9. stress the need for research activities in existing national genebanks and networks aiming at better
utilization of PGR, along with the increased support for cooperation and joint activities for national
European genebanks, e.g., through the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic
Resources Networks (ECP/GR).