Ongoing Programmes

Promoting Innovative Mechanisms for Implementing Farmers’ Rights through Fair Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing Regime in Nepal

SAWTEE and LI-BIRD have been implementing this three-year national programme in Nepal since January 2008. The overall objective of the programme is to develop innovative mechanisms for implementing farmers’ rights to fair access to and benefit sharing from the use of genetic resources and associated knowledge. The programme aims to assess the appropriateness of policy and legal instruments to implement farmers’ rights relevant to access and benefit sharing (ABS); strengthen multi-stakeholder arrangements for the effective implementation of farmers’ rights and an ABS regime; identify and strengthen institutional arrangements appropriate for farming communities to manage functions related to securing farmers’ rights and enforcing an ABS regime, and sustainable management of their genetic resources;  and support innovative practices for implementing farmers’ rights and ABS mechanisms, and for promoting conservation of biodiversity for livelihood security. The programme is supported by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.