Overview of the international treaty on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture with emphasis on its significance for horticultural crops

After long and complex negotiations, the text of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was adopted by the member states of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on November 3, 2001. This new legally binding international agreement - which will enter into force when ratified by 40 countries - will provide a framework to conserve and provide access to plant genetic resources and related knowledge, technologies, and funding. At the heart of the Treaty is a Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-Sharing, which covers some 80 food and forage crops. The Treaty's main provisions are described. Special emphasis is placed on what may change for users of horticultural genetic resources as the Treaty is implemented. Implications for horticultural crops not presently included in the Multilateral System are also discussed.