• India has hosted the 9^th Session of Governing Body of the ‘International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture’ (ITPGRFA) from 19-24^th September, 2022 in New Delhi.
• The ITPGRFA was signed during the 31^st session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome in November, 2001.
• The treaty, also known as Seed Treaty, seeks to achieve food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the world’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA), equitable sharing of profits from its use, as well as playing an important role in the recognition of rights of farmers.
• ITPGRFA is a legally binding comprehensive agreement, which entered into force on June 29, 2004 and currently has 149 Contracting Parties, including India.
• Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), Government of India participated in the 8^th session of the Governing Body (GB8) in 2019 at Rome and proposed to host the GB9 in India.
• The GB9 is being held under the theme “Celebrating the Guardians of Crop Diversity: Towards an Inclusive Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework”.
• The theme aims to acknowledge the contribution of the world’s small-holder farmers to the effective management of PGRFA, while providing an opportunity to consider how the Treaty and its community will contribute to the new global biodiversity framework.
• The multilateral system supports agricultural research and development as well as global food security by providing each member access to important food and forage crops.
• Under this system, a global pool of plant genetic resources has been created and made available to all members.
• A total of 64 crops species are included in this pool and these account for as much as 80 per cent of global food required.

UPSC Prelims Model Question

Q. With reference to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), consider the following statements :

1. The ITPGRFA is a legally binding agreement with 149 Contracting Parties, including India.
2. The ITPGRFA was signed during the 31^st session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome.

Which of the statements given above is /are correct?

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

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