Formal and informal systems in support of farmer management of agro-biodiversity: some policy challenges to consolidate lessons learned

The last decade has seen the emergence of a number of innovative community level initiatives inAsia, Africa and Latin America for agrobiodiversity development and conservation.Traditional knowledge systems form and integral part of many of these programs.However, there is still a considerable lack of awareness of the importance of traditionalagrobiodiversity knowledge systems and of the successes of these new initiatives within formalscience institutions. This paper will address a few issues that will need special attention if thesuccesses of the new programs are to be consolidated and their developments shared in a broaderperspective. The paper argues that further research is needed inter alia on: (a) approaches toencourage enable inter-cultural recognition and acceptance; (b) specific adjustments needed ofnational agricultural policy and national agricultural research systems to become supportive oflocal plant genetic resource management, and (c) different options for protection of traditionalknowledge and of collective systems for conservation and development of biodiversity in awider, non-IPR sense.