Factors affecting conservation, adoption and use of local and introduced genetic varieties , including perceptions of risks and benefits, as well as trade-offs. The study should include the affects of socio-economic and gender factors. Additionally, direct and indirect costs and benefits of introduced genetic varieties to farms, farm households and individual household members need to be assessed. The relations between induced change in PGR management and existing local systems of management and use of biodiversity. These debates and their outcomes cannot be considered as gender neutral.
Women probably constitute the largest group of farmers who have developed agro-biodiversity.
However, due to gender bias they will almost certainly be the last to have their rights recognized and to benefit from related development or compensation schemes. The structural causes of the current exclusion of gender issues from international discussions on IPR and biotechnology may have to do with the structural position of women. While in principle women are the main biodiversity managers, they are mainly located in subsistence sectors and hence are only indirectly affected by discussions around IPR and biotechnology that are focused primarily on commercial agriculture. However, the downstream effects of these policies may seriously affect women as small-scale farmers, as local plant breeders and conservationist, and as household managers. KN Wageningen, the Netherlands.