FAO says gene data for thousands of rice varieties will be included in international treaty

Newly developed chili pepper crops can withstand hot weather, sandy soil and water shortages. Photo by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

China News Service, October 8 - According to a message on the United Nations website on the 7th, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization stated in a news release on the 7th that the genome sequences of more than 3,000 different rice varieties will be included in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, enabling the world to share the genetic information of these different rice varieties. This move is crucial for cultivating and developing more crop varieties and ensuring future food security.

At present, countries and different organizations around the world are working to deposit genetic material in seed banks, but the lack of source channels for obtaining genetic resource data makes it difficult for researchers and plant breeders to understand information such as the genetic resources contained in different categories of seeds stored in seed banks.

With rapid population growth, climate change is causing more and more impacts on agricultural production, such as drought, floods and pests. To meet growing food demand and ensure food security, it is necessary to develop different crop types that are more efficient, cause less environmental damage and can withstand various climate conditions.

Shakeel Bhatti, Secretary of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which is overseen by the FAO, pointed out that the genetic information on more than 3,000 rice varieties provided by the International Rice Research Institute being included in the Treaty is very important for ensuring future food security and has given a boost to global efforts to understand all relevant crop genetic resources.

The sixth session of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, a one-week meeting that opened on the 5th of this month, will discuss the establishment of a globally unified global information system on plant genetic resources to improve the current multilateral system. The system will be developed and overseen by the FAO and will include information on how to obtain genetic material and seed samples from existing gene banks.

The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was reviewed and adopted by the 31st session of the FAO Conference on November 3, 2001, and officially entered into force on June 29, 2004. As of now, the treaty has 136 contracting parties. The treaty establishes an international legal framework for the global conservation of and access to crop diversity. By establishing a global system for access to plant genetic resources, it ensures that users and providers of genetic material can share and sustainably use plant genetic resources.