Mutual learning for the defense, culturally respectful and ethical use of Indigenous biodiversity
Faculty Associate, Horticulture
Thursday, February 3, 12:30-1:30 pm, via Zoom
Hosted by Robert F. and Jean E. Holtz Center
more information | Zoom access
Genetic resources collected in the fields of Indigenous communities has been the raw material out of which biological scientists have developed the crop varieties that are globally traded. The contributions of Indigenous peoples in developing and safeguarding these resources have gone largely unrecognized. Unrecompensed collection and use of their seeds, and their lack of participation in framing the goals of plant genetic resources endeavors have been described as a loss of seed sovereignty. Redressing this inequity has been a goal of the International Treaty On Plant Genetic Resources for Agriculture and the Nagoya Protocol, both of which set rules for establishing fairer arrangements for “access and benefit sharing” of plant genetic resources. Unfortunately, these international arrangements haven’t worked as intended and communities that are rich repositories of crop genetic diversity express a deep distrust to scientists, institutions, and governments of the global North as well as those of their own nations. In this presentation I will describe the creation of a cooperative endeavor involving representatives of four social groups: Indigenous communities from Mexico, Indigenous communities from Wisconsin, scientists from Mexican universities and scientists from the University of Wisconsin. This scientific and social network proposes to co-create a set of guidelines for the fair, transparent, participatory, and mutually respectful use of plant genetic resources.