Minutes of the Inter-regional Cooperation Network Coordinating Group.
6 December 2007, Maccarese, Italy
[PDF file 112KB]

Joint ECPGR-DIVERSEEDS-BIOVERSITY
Inter-regional Workshop on Crop Genetic Resources Networks.
3-5 December 2007, Maccarese, Italy
[PDF file 73KB]

Minutes of the Inter-regional Cooperation Network Coordinating Group.
4–6 April 2005, Ljubljana, Slovenia
[Word file 68KB]

Workplan agreed in December 2007

	Next events		Progress in Phase VI
	Background information		Phase VII

Next events

The Inter-regional Cooperation Network Coordinating Group held its second meeting in Maccarese (Rome), Italy, on 6 December 2007.

A joint ECPGR-DIVERSEEDS-Bioversity Inter-Regional Workshop on Crop Genetic Resources Networks was also held on 3-5 December 2007 in Maccarese (Rome), Italy. One of the objectives was to develop approaches and platforms to facilitate the cooperation among regional PGR networks. Other objectives focused on to clarify the roles and responsibilities of networks vis-à-vis PGR ex situ conservation, to define strategies for network operations and to secure networks' long-term sustainability.
A CDrom containing the summary report and the presentations given during the meeting is available from the ECPGR Secretariat.

Background information

The Inter-regional Cooperation Network was established at the onset of ECPGR Phase VI and became operational in October 1999, with the meeting of a Task Force. Terms of Reference of the Task Force were agreed in this occasion [here]. The Task Force agreed that the main objective of the Network should be to enhance collaboration between ECPGR and other regional PGR crop Networks as well as between their members.

A meeting of the ECPGR Network Coordinating Groups took place in Bonn, Germany, on 29-31 March 2006. See:
Report of the ECPGR Network Coordinating Groups. First Meeting, 29-31 March 2006, Bonn, Germany.
Presentations given during the NCGs meeting

Progress in Phase VI

Regional networks of other regions were approached to explore their interest in inter-regional cooperation. Responses to a questionnaire provided by the African networks GRENEWECA, EAPGREN and SPGRC were most promising, and it was decided to develop cooperation between ECPGR and the Sub-Saharan (SSA) PGR networks.
An overview was made available through the Bioversity-Europe (formerly IPGRI) Web site of potential funding sources for international cooperation in the area of genetic resources.
A workshop on Documentation and Information was held in Cotonou, Benin in 2003 with participants of ECPGR, GRENEWECA and SADC representatives. Members of the SSA networks participated in EPGRIS sub-regional workshops on database development, in Lisbon and Malmö in 2003.
A joint IPGRI/GRENEWECA/EAPGREN/ECPGR workshop on implementation of policies, hosted by EARO, ILRI and IBCR, was organized in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2003. The major outcome of this meeting was a greater awareness on options for the implementation of the International Treaty (IT) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in particular its Bonn Guidelines. A model of steps was also developed.

Phase VII

The Inter-regional Cooperation Network is overseen by a Network Coordinating Group (NCG), composed of members agreed by the Network and combining specific expertise and geographical representation. The NCG formulates proposals for the attention of the ECPGR Steering Committee (SC) on Network priorities and activities, following the planning and prioritizing mechanism established by the SC.
Member countries nominate representatives in the Inter-regional Cooperation Task Force. These people are considered as resource persons that can be mobilized for Network-related activities.

At the onset of Phase VII, the NCG proposed to focus efforts towards international cooperation on two areas of work:
documentation and information systems
policy implementation

The NCG has also proposed the following:
Coverage:
In addition to collaboration with the SSA networks, collaboration with CWANA networks, including the Central Asian and TransCaucasian Network, seems logical, given historical ties and ecological similarities (Mediterranean Basin).
Scope:
The following topics can be identified but need further discussion with other regional networks:
- collaboration on characterization and evaluation of genebank collections qualifying for inclusion in conservation strategies of the Global Crop Diversity Trust; more in particular, on crops of common interest the options for consortium development may be explored;
- capacity building in documentation and information expertise, and support for database development, in particular central databases (regional or crop-wise);
- further collaboration in policy implementation, in particular in the implementation of the International Treaty and the implementation of the concepts for Prior Informed Consent, Mutually Agreed Terms and benefit-sharing mechanisms.

A meeting of the NCG was held on 5 April 2005 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to develop more detailed plans for Phase VII.
For more information, please see the meeting minutes [here].

Contacts

Network Coordinator:
Ms Eva Thörn

Network Coordinating Group members

Inter-regional Cooperation Task Force members

Documents

Network Related Publications

Budget
as of December 06

Workshops 2003 - more information

Meetings & Reports

Network related
Meetings & Reports