Box 2.4:- Convention on Biological Diversity and agro-biodiversity

The Convention's agricultural biodiversity work programme focuses on assessing the status and trends of the world's agricultural biodiversity and their underlying causes. It also pays attention at identifying and promoting adaptive management practices, technologies, policies and incentives. In addition, it promotes conservation and use of genetic resources that are of actual or potential value for food and agriculture.

The work programme focuses on various technical aspects of new technologies, such as Genetic Use of Restriction Technologies (GURT), and the potential implications of these technologies on agricultural biodiversity, bio-security, farming, and the economy. It also has cross-cutting initiatives within the agricultural work programme such as the international initiative for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Pollinators, and an international initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Soil Biodiversity. The programme of work also studies the impacts of trade liberalisation on agricultural biodiversity.

The work programme identifies policy issues that governments can consider when addressing such matters while considering various ways and means to improve the capacity of stakeholders and promote the mainstreaming and integration in sectoral and cross-sectoral plans and programmes at all levels.

SOURCE UNEP, Convention on Biological Diversity, Nairobi, 2004