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Easy-SMTA: Transferring genetic resources with online contracts

26/10/2012 -

Every day more than 800 transfers of seeds on average are made worldwide for research, training and breeding purposes within the global gene pool of FAO’s International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). Each of these transfers travels under a standard contract negotiated by Member States that can now be concluded online.

The transfer of seeds and other planting material for food and agriculture is of utmost importance to facilitate research and to meet the challenges of fighting against pest diseases, adapting to the changing climate and increasing food production.

Since early September 2012, a new user-friendly information system called EASY-SMTA (http://mls.planttreaty.org), allows users to generate online, and in six languages, the Standard Material Transfer Agreements (SMTA) for the transfer of seeds and forages, without the need of negotiating a new agreement each time a transfer is made.

The System also assists users, in particular the providers of the crop material, to report online on each transaction to a central database, making unnecessary the need to transmit paper copies and reducing considerably the time and the efforts invested on this task.

Just a few days after the launching of the system, a total of 500 000 samples were registered as transferred with the standard contract, thanks also to a series of agreed procedures and automated connections between the central reporting database and national and international genebanks. Among those, we find reports from Germany, Canada and Spain, as well as those of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

"Easy-SMTA is of voluntary use and offers users new practical solutions to improve efficiency, such as the function to conclude contracts online", said Shakeel Bhatti, Secretary of the Governing Body of the International Treaty.

The functions of the system have been designed to respond, mainly, to the needs of small and medium seed providers, and a complete set of documentation and other useful material have also been published.

An operational gene pool
The collections of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) collections hold at least 50 percent of all materials in the Treaty’s gene pool and they also transfer a great number of samples. For example, between August 2008 and November 2009, these centres released 608,664 samples of accessions under standard contracts, and received 41 902. Moreover, 21 countries of the European Region reported that they had issued 2 687 standard contracts, covering 318 001 samples. Several Contracting Parties outside the gene pool have also transferred a large number of seeds and other planting material with the standard contract as an independent policy decision.

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Remarks for Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.
United Nations General Assembly – High-level Event on the Rule of Law
Monday, September 24, 2012
United Nations Headquarters
New York, NY
Mr. President; your Excellencies.  I am honored to represent the United States at this
historic meeting on the rule of law – and I want to thank all of the distinguished leaders gathered
here for bringing your voices, your perspectives, and your commitment to this critical discussion.
History has proven that the establishment and enforcement of the rule of law is essential
– in protecting the security and civil liberties of our citizens; in combating violent crime, public
corruption, and terrorist threats; and in strengthening civil society.  In recent days, we have been
reminded – in the most painful and tragic of ways – of just how vital the rule of law is to
ensuring freedom, opportunity, justice, and peace.
I am here not only to pledge the United States’ commitment to these principles – but and
our support for the United Nations’ robust efforts to strengthen the rule of law worldwide.  And I
want to assure each of you that my colleagues and I are determined to stand with any nation that
strives to ensure integrity, foster innovation, and create opportunities for prosperity and progress;
that cherishes the benefits of a free, fair, and open society; and that seeks to eradicate the corrupt
and abusive activities that can weaken political institutions, threaten the democratic process,
undermine the strength and promise of civil society, and diminish the quality of life for countless
individuals, families, and communities.
From our national systems, to the UN’s work in advancing the goals of international
peace and security; of human rights for all people – including women, LGBT individuals, and
persons with disabilities – and of economic development and job creation – we’ve seen, time and
again, that there is a strong link between fostering democratic values and supporting the rule of
law.  
Particularly in recent years, our commitment to the rule of law has helped to inform,
augment, and re-energize our work in confronting a range of challenges – from fighting crime,
corruption, and terrorism, to promoting global security, good governance, and ensuring equality
and fair opportunity for all.  Today’s meeting underscores the fact that this work must remain at
the center of how our nations approach development, especially in conflict-affected or fragile
states. And it reaffirms – as the World Bank’s recent Global Development Report highlighted –
that, in today’s world, the greatest threat to development and recovery is a weak rule of law.
That’s why the promise we’ve gathered to fulfill – and the pledges we’re here to make –
are, and must continue to be, a top priority.  It’s also why, at the international level, I am proud
to say that the United States will continue to support UN-led efforts to expand access to legal aid,
to more effectively combat drug trafficking and organized crime alongside our international
partners, and to build on UN initiatives in the rule of law sector that are focused on conflict and
post-conflict situations.
Within our own borders – particularly as we approach the 50
th
anniversary of the U.S.
Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the right to counsel for indigent criminal defendants – the
United States also pledges to take steps to improve access to justice for those who cannot afford
representation.  Additionally, we’re focused on launching a new domestic violence prevention 2
initiative, strengthening safety net programs that help increase the availability of legal aid, and
enhancing our focus on protecting the essential rights of women and girls.
In these and our other efforts to strengthen the rule of law and encourage cooperation on
an international scale – from our comprehensive counterterrorism activities, to capacity-building,
prosecutorial training, and regional assistance work – the Department that I am privileged to
lead, and the nation that I am honored to serve, are proud to stand with the leaders in this room.  
Like you, we approach the challenges before us with resolve, humility, and an eagerness to
reinforce old friendships and forge new ones.  And we are eager to join with you in driving this
critical work into the future.
Thank you.