Access and Benefit Sharing Regime
considerations seed industry
Anke van den Hurk

Benefit Sharing not without AccessPlant breeding and genetic resources•••••

Varieties of other seed companies
Plant material from own collection
Plants, seeds, etc. from genebanks,
botanical gardens seed collectors
Seeds and plants from local market
Gifts from farmers

90-95%

5-10%

Own collections

Public domaineSpread of plant material over the world• Free exchange over time
• Free exchange over countries• Continuous recombination/intermingling of genes• Material spread over the world– In the wild
– Gene banks– Farmers– Universities– Research institutes– Breeding companies

Duplication

Flow of tomato TSWV resistant germplasm
around the world
Development of specificmarker for SW-5 gene(Tanksley)
Lycopersicon
species (CollectionRick)
1950

1988

1994
Tomato breedingfor TSWV
resistance(Stevens)

1993

Tomato breeding for
TSWV resistance +gene markers(companies)

1999
Tomato breeding for
TSWV resistance +markers (companies)

1950
Expeditions to collect
Lycopersicon species

17-12-1999

1964
Interspecific crossL. peruvainum x L. esculentum
identification of SW-5 gene withresistance to TSWV (Stevens)
NL-UDijMultiple origins - Multilateral structure

Diagram from: http://www.cropscience.org.au/icsc2004/poster/3/4/1/1422_eisemannb.htm

Number of accessions• OECD scheme for certification lists 37000
varieties of crop species from 191 species• Vegetables and ornamentals• Breeding material• Between 10 million and 100 million
samples shipped a year

Wild genetic diversity

Researchcosts

Elite parent lines

Risk of failure

Breeding
process
1-15 years

Value invested in the productsPlant breeding process

Plant breeding and figures••••

25$ billion turnover private sector
2,5$ billion research and development, excluding life science R&D
10% of R&D budget available for testing, development andcollecting of basic germplasm = 250 million US $90% of the R& D budget is necessary for development into varieties
on a commercial level + local testing + variety registration
WildNo information
Some information
on characteristics

Elite parent material

Elite

2,5 million, for around 50 crops = 50.000 per crop
25 million, = 500.000 per crop
250 million, = 5 million per cropSummary

Plant breeding and use genetic resources• Limited use• Wide spread of species/varieties all overthe world• Duplication of materials• Huge number of accessions transported• Maximum of 250 million US$ for highquality material available for 50 crops

Plant breeding and ABS environment• Access reduced• National legislation often does not exist• Obtaining access complicated• Small development projects decreasedsei• Shoppingnap• Increase of legal uncertainty
ommSll ca

Certificate of origin/source legal
provenance• Objective not clear yet/ Focus one sided ontracking system• Identification of the material is complex, if notimpossible• Overlap in material• Pre-CBD material• Volume of certificates• Cost/benefit• Enforcement

Standard Material Transfer Agreement
advantages• Can be used everywhere (limited number ofcrops)• Only one origin; Multilateral System• No time issue• Not based on single accession• Simple and effective• Recognition of the value of breeders’ rights

Considerations for new regime (cntd.)
Bring expectations of stakeholders together• Economic reality of the seed sector andexpectations of the regime may not be in line
• Trust building• Focus on main issues and not on side issues
such as certificate of compliance with nationallaw• Cost-benefit analysis of options for a regime

Considerations for new regime
Obtain information on experiences with ABS• Evaluate implementation of Bonnguidelines• Evaluate development and implementation
national ABS legislation• Evaluate practical experiences (plantbreeding, pharmaceutical industryetc.); both successes and failuresConsiderations for new regime (cntd.)Combine multilateral and bilateral approach• Identify species spread around the world
multilateral approach• Identify species that are unique to aCountry of Origin
multilateral orbilateral approach• Consider usage of genetic resource• Consider crop specific approach

Concluding remarks• Study the possibilities of a multilateral approach for
widely spread species• Recognize the importance of a continuous availability ofgermplasm as a benefit• Define realistic expectations and clear objectives of anABS regime• Base regime on experiences and if possible existing
instruments• Keep focus and don’t frustrate the process with side
issues; introduction of certificate in parallel to ABS
regime will delay the development of the ABS regimeNo Access – No Benefit Sharing
No conservation of biodiversity