Compliance with the rules for exchanging plant genetic resources between countries, set out in the Convention, translates in practical terms into the drafting and signing of an MTA (Material Transfer Agreement) by parties. This document defines, of a common accord, the rights and obligations of the parties concerned by the transfer, especially with regard to the issue of the use of resources and the sharing of benefits and advantages arising from this use. It now seems vital to use an MTA in any exchange of plant material in order to prevent disputes between suppliers and users of genetic resources.
Contrary to the CITES convention, there are no exemptions from the rules of the CBD for the use of plant genetic resources for scientific purposes.
The genetic resources held by a country prior to December 29, 1993 are not subject to the rules of the Convention.
Over and above the CBD and the rules on transfers, any exchange of plant material between countries must comply with the obligations of the International Plant Protection Convention (http://www.ippc.int/IPP/En/default.jsp), especially concerning the phytosanitary certificate that is required for any transfer of plant material. An initial guide was drawn up by the IBPGR, now Biodiversity International (Pearson et al., 1991), but the knowledge acquired over the last 15 years regarding vanilla viruses (see Chapter 7) calls for this guide to be updated.
Conclusion and Prospects
Similar to numerous other plant species, vanilla genetic resources are threatened with extinction or genetic erosion in many areas of origin and diversification. Any in situ initiatives for conserving species must therefore be encouraged, but the creation of ex situ collections is essential for protecting the diversity. This conservation method means resources are more secure, thanks to in vitro or cryopreservation mechanisms, and also makes it easier to promote resources and to acquire scientific data. Indeed, despite many research studies that have been made possible particularly by the widespread use of molecular biology tools, knowledge of vanilla genetics, in terms of the taxonomy of the genus and the properties of different species, is still incomplete. This knowledge gap is even more striking when it comes to usage and customs linked to the vanilla that are grown by local communities in regions where the genetic resources are found.
The creation of a global network of in situ and ex situ collections of genetic resources, based on branches on the three continents (America, Africa, and Asia) that hold most of these resources, could result in considerable progress in terms of the conservation and the scientific and economic improvement of vanilla. The development of increasingly effective genomics, associated with biotechnology techniques, means plant breeding programs can be set up. Exploiting the specific characteristics of wild species, such as resistance to drought in aphyllous vanilla, could provide a means of diversifying vanilla production areas and anticipating future climate change. The creation and development of vanilla plants that are more disease resistant, more productive, and richer in vanillin and other aromatic compounds could improve the living conditions of small-scale growers in vanilla production areas.
To ensure that these research studies and conservation network initiatives are more effective, plant material exchanges between collections and research programs should be facilitated, especially by relaxing the rules of the CBD in line with the existing exemption in the CITES convention.
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