Access to Plant Genetic Resources: Policy Vista

Abstract

Plant genetic resources (PGR) is the term used to refer to any plant material containing functional units of heredity
of actual or potential value (UNEP 1992). PGR include cultivated varieties (extant and obsolete), landraces,
wild and weedy crop-related species and all other potential sources such as breeder’s lines, populations
and mutants. PGR are, thus, the raw material of crop improvement – traditional or molecular plant breeding
or genome editing. There is global interdependence on PGR as no nation is self suffi cient (Table 1). Hence,
sharing/exchange of PGR is of paramount importance in securing sustainable food, fi bre, fuel, nutrition, health,
livelihood, environmental security, etc