Workshop on phytosanitary barriers for genetic resources
24 February 2021 (online)
This workshop and the accompanying preparatory webinars were intended to raise awareness and initiate a discussion between genetic resources managers on how to:
- identify relevant phytosanitary issues
- manage phytosanitary risks
- maintain quality of genetic resource collections
- facilitate safe exchange of genetic material.
The workshop participants collectively identifed potential collaborative actions to increase safety with appropriate and harmonized protocols.
The results of this workshop will be communicated to the regulatory agencies for further cooperation and feed into the developing European Genetic Resources Strategy and domain-specific strategies and their approaches to ensure and improve conservation and sustainable use of GR by 2030.
- Workshop report [PDF]
- The presentations given during the workshop are available from the ECPGR website: link
Main takeaways from the workshop and proposed actions include:
- Current phytosanitary regulations may not be entirely applicable or suitable for genetic resources management, and adequate amendments or exemptions for specific cases should be considered.
- GR networks should foster the dialogue with regulatory agencies, especially the European Commission, representing the interests of their stakeholders and providing feedback where possible.
- GR networks should assist their stakeholders with the interpretation of applicable regulations, potentially creating task forces or helpdesks to help stakeholders interpret and implement regulations
- Similarly, collaboration across domains and with other stakeholder groups globally should be encouraged to share knowledge, create initatives and build capacity.
- Development or updating of voluntary technical guidelines, together with specific protocols and trainings of relevant staff are needed for different domains and crop groups.
- Phytosanitary as well as animal health issues should be reflected in the European Genetic Resources Strategy, and options for joint actions considered in its implementation.
Webinars
The following webinars were held in the context of this workshop:
Yannis Karamitsios (European Commission/DG SANTE) provided an overview of the EU plant health regulation (2016/2031), which came into effect in December 2019 and prescribes measures to prevent the introduction and spread of transboundary regulated pests. While mainly applying to trade in plant and plant products, the regulation includes provisions for scientific research and breeding, which were highlighted. The regulation is subject to amendments and the presentation reflects its current form as on 16 February 2021.
The international potato center (CIP) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) organized a webinar as part of the CGIAR International Year of Plant Health Webinar Series highlighted the importance of germplasm (phytosanitary) health in the prevention of transboundary pest and disease spread, as well as the propagation of clean planting material to be used locally. A panel of experts discussed policy, technical and gender issues, advocating for an effective and efficient global system of conservation and sharing which depends on sound processes for ensuring germplasm health.
Lava Kumar (IITA, Nigeria) provided an overview of the activities of CGIAR genebanks, which conserve and share large amounts of genetic resources worldwide. CGIAR genebanks are implementing Germplasm Health Units (GHU) working together to assist scientists to safely distribute plant germplasm, prevent pest outbreaks, safeguard biodiversity and ensure centers’ compliance with domestic and international procedures (Kumar et al, 2021). He also introduced the GreenPass initiative, which aims at creating a quality assurance system for genebanks to facilitate material exchange.
Fernando Tejerina (MAPA, Spain) – shared experiences from the Animal GR domain, describing how AnGR genebanks function and how their work is affected by national and regional animal health regulations, with multiple elements difficult to apply to the work with endangered breeds. In 2021 a new EU animal health regulation comes into effect, acknowledging the important work of animal genebanks and providing derogations for the exchange of germinal products between genebanks. Practical implementation of this derogation among its members is one of the activities of EUGENA, the European network of animal genebanks.
