Funding

Conservation of plant genetic resources (PGR) requires sustained funding. Generally, PGR collections are maintained in institutions in the public sector. However, countries often find it difficult to allocate sufficient funding to undertake the activities necessary to conserve and sustainably use their PGR. The CBD Article 20 stresses the importance of increased funding from Developed Countries to the diversity rich countries to enable them to undertake necessary measures to conserve and use biodiversity. A financial mechanism is also to be established CBD Article 21, as well as strengthening existing financial mechanisms. The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) is looked on.

There are a number of possible ways that could be considered to enhance funding for these important activities:

Public Awareness campaign may be undertaken, informing aimed at of policy makers and administrators in the concerned Ministries about the critical importance of PGR to the country, and the need for secure funding.
Activities that increase the use of collections through characterization and evaluation and improvement will increase the immediate benefits from PGR and result in realization of the need for long-term conservation to insure future benefits
Collaborative arrangements developed between germplasm curators, breeders, private seed companies, farmers’ groups and other organizations to collaboratively evaluate, use and conserve parts of the collections. Each organization may fund part of these collaborative activities. Alternatively collaborative funding proposals may be prepared by the collaborating organizations requesting different donors to undertake funding.
Proposals should be prepared to government, international or private funding agencies prepared to undertake conservation activities. Before preparing the proposal, the requirements of the donor should be carefully considered so that the proposal stands the best chance of being funded.
There are a large number of donor organizations that may fund PGR and Biodiversity related activities in countries in the region. Some of these may welcome a well-prepared proposal, endorsed at the National level, for undertaking a specific project related to PGR. Agencies that may be interested include:

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

The Ford Foundation

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Japan International Cooperation Agency

Asian Development Bank

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

Australian Agency for International Development (Aus Aid)

Department for International Development, UK

International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

Swedish Agency for Development Cooperation (SIDA)

Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC)