The two day workshop is organised with the objectives to educate the participants about the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), and understand the national seed system in the light of climate change and food security. The workshop will also gauge Bhutan’s progress in the implementation of obligations under ITPGRFA. Bhutan became party to the Treaty in 2003.
The workshop was attended by 27 participants from the National Biodiversity Centre, Department of Agriculture, Policy and Planning Division; RDC-Bajo, Wengkhar, Yusipang and Bhur, and Extension Officers including five farmers’ representatives from Barshong (Sarpang), Adhang and Daga (Wangdue), and Gomdar and Phuentshothang (Samdrupjongkhar). The delegation from SEARICE comprised Ms. Wilhelmina Pelegrina, Executive Director; Ms. Normita Ignacio, Regional Coordinator; Ms. Ingrid Gorre, Policy Officer and Mr. Ricardo Armonia, Technical Officer.
Addressing the workshop, the Program Director of NBC, Dr. Tashi Yangzome Dorji highlighted the importance of agricultural biodiversity conservation and strengthening community seed system to increase resilience to climate change and food security. She said that conserving the broadest possible genetic diversity is a kind of insurance against risk posed by climate change.

Ms. Ingrid R Gorre, Policy Officer, SEARICE making a presentation on ITPGRFA
Ms. Ingrid Gorre, Policy Officer, SEARICE made a presentation on ITPGFRA – educating the participants on the key elements of the Treaty, namely, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR), Farmers’ Rights, and the Multilateral System for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security. The Treaty came into force on 29 June 2004 and currently has 143 Contracting Parties.
The National Biodiversity Centre made a presentation on the contributions made by Biodiversity Use and Conservation in Asia Program (BUCAP) Project in strengthening the community seed system and farmers’ participation in agricultural biodiversity conservation. BUCAP was one of the first projects to initiate community level capacity development on rice and maize seed selection, and storage through the technical support of Regional Agriculture Research and Development Centres. Besides, the project has organised six biodiversity fairs (in six dzongkhags) to educate the local communities on the importance of plant genetic resources conservation for sustainable agriculture development and strengthened farmer to farmer seed exchange.
Later in the afternoon, the workshop participants discussed perspectives on the implementation status of the Article-9 of ITPGRFA – Farmers’ Rights including key issues/ challenges and best practices through group works. The farmer participants stated that government is supportive of the local seed system and has no hindrance to save, use, exchange and sale of seeds. However, they voiced their concerns over loss of traditional varieties with the introduction of new technologies, post harvest problems in seed and grain storage, human-wildlife conflict, and erosion of traditional farming practices and traditional knowledge.

Workshop in progress
The workshop recognised the need to strengthen the informal/community seed system, which currently meets over 90% of the national seed demand, and farmers’ capacity and participation in managing local agro-biodiversity.
The outcome and recommendations of the workshop will be used as key input in designing the next phase of BUCAP Project and where appropriate integrated into the National Paper on Food Security and Climate Change that is being prepared for the Bhutan Climate Summit 2011.