Management, conservation and utilisation of plant genetic diversity in the Caribbean: an appropriate strategy for small countries

摘要

The rich plant biodiversity of the Caribbean is being eroded mainly by anthropogenic activities, natural disasters, and poor management, conservation and utilization of the region's plant genetic resources (PGR). Prior to 1996 the focus on agricultural development using only a few export plantation crops had led to a narrow genetic base in agricultural crops and an underutilisation of a wide range of species. Genetic resources management was, therefore, handled mainly by a few institutions in support of the traditional crop industries with little or no national or regional PGR programmes developed except in Cuba, Guyana, Puerto Rico, the French Territories and the Dominican Republic. However, macro-economic pressures on the export crops beginning around the late 1970s forced governments of the region to begin thinking of crop diversification, biodiversity, conservation and utilization and the development of national and regional programmes. In preparation for the 1996 Leipzig meeting, Caribbean countries began to review their activities in PGR and later embraced the Global Plan of Action. As a consequence, the Caribbean Plant Genetic Resources Network (CAPGERNET) was established in 1998 and has already coordinated the development of national and regional institutional frameworks and programmes of work in 18 countries of the region with collaboration from international organizations including the CGIAR (especially IPGRI) and FAO. CAPGERNET's member countries are presently reviewing their options imposed by internationally binding conventions on PGR management that will hamper the flow of PGR within and into the region in the future. It seems likely that the countries will develop a multilateral system to facilitate access and benefit sharing with appropriate links to international organizations that will assist in ensuring compliance with the relevant conventions. In this paper issues related to PGR management in the Caribbean for the 21st century are reviewed. Essentially, the main issues are: the need for strengthening policy and legal frameworks at the national and regional levels; inventory and information systems development; in situ and ex situ conservation; the inclusion of small farmers and rural communities within a strategy to exploit under-utilised species for agriculture and medicine; training of farmers, technicians and researchers in PGR management; and the mobilization of financial resources in support of national and regional activities.