Lok Sabha Question No. 3397 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-06
Subject: Research on Indian Origin Germplasm
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3397 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06/12/2016

## RESEARCH ON INDIAN ORIGIN GERMPLASM

## 3397. SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of central institutes/organizations conducting research in conservation and utilization of Indian origin/developed germplasm;
- (b) whether  there  have  been  cases  of  Indian-origin/developed  germplasm  data being  diverted  for  profits  of  certain  companies  in  India  or  abroad  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (c) the  safeguards/steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  protect  the  Indian-origin Germplasm  from  getting  into  the  hands  of  MNCs/Private  commercial  entities illegally?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h

(SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

- (a) Bureaux under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), viz ., National Bureau  of  Plant  Genetic  Resources  (NBPGR),  New  Delhi;  National  Bureau  of Animal  Genetic  Resources  (NBAGR),  Karnal,  Haryana;  National  Bureau  of  Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR),  Lucknow,  Uttar Pradesh; National Bureau of Agriculturally  Important  Microorganisms  (NBAIM),  Mau,  Uttar  Pradesh  and National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR), Bengaluru, Karnataka are collecting diverse germplasm of Indian origin of crops, animals, fish, microbes and insects in collaboration with ICAR institutes and State Agricultural Universities for conservation. These Bureaux and national active germplasm sites are operating as Gene Banks in different states and act as a germplasm custodian.  The available indigenous/ developed germplasm in the gene banks is regularly characterized and evaluated at these Bureaux and specific institutes. The identified accessions (donor resource)  are  provided  to  specific  breeders  for  utilizing  in  the  breeding  /  research programmes.

(b) Prior to implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1993, the data on origin/developed germplasm were freely available. Since then, the data-base  of  germplasm  is  exchanged  following  the  extant  national  guidelines  for safeguarding germplasm, and sharing of germplasm & data.

(c) To  safeguard  the  Indian  origin  germplasm,  Government  of  India  (GOI),  in compliance with international treaties, established  National  Biodiversity  Authority (NBA) to govern the regulations of access to the Indian germplasm by non-Indian persons or entities. The Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA), GOI, protect the traditional crop varieties including farmers' varieties and  extant  notified  varieties.  Further,  Bureaux  have  developed  Material  Transfer Agreement (MTA) and Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA) in consultation with NBA for accessing biological resources for commercial utilization by Government organizations/entities.

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