Outcomes

The project will lead to policies that support sustainable management of fruit species genetic diversity (cultivated and wild resources), participation of farmers and local communities in conservation, and improved capacity of stakeholders to implement legal, scientific, and social aspects of fruit species genetic diversity conservation.

The primary outcomes of the project are:

• Policy options for supporting farmers and local communities to conserve in situ/on-farm local varieties of horticultural crops and wild fruit species are available and used;

  The project will build on analysis of existing legislation and policy in the five project countries carried out during the PDF-B phase. Ways to strengthen legislation and policy in support of conserving horticultural and wild fruit species genetic diversity, including addressing Farmers’ Rights to ensure their participation in the process, will be identified. Specific policy recommendations will be documented, promoted among policy-makers positioned to affect change and their implementation will be initiated at least in one country. A strategy to increase understanding of the importance of conserving genetic diversity among stakeholders will be employed to help ensure that recommendations are acted upon.

• Knowledge and methodologies on in situ/on farm conservation and utilization of horticultural crops and wild fruit species are available, disseminated and used;

  This project component will develop methods and guidelines for analysis, documentation, and management of horticultural crops and wild fruit species. It will focus on crops selected during the PDF-A phase and tested during the PDF-B phase: apricot (Prunus armeniaca), alycha (Prunus cerasifera), grapevine (Vitis sp.), pomegranate (Punica granatum), pear (Pyrus sp.), fig (Ficus carica), almond (Amygdalus communis), sea buckthorn (Hippophae sp.), walnut (Juglans regia), peach (Persica vulgaris), pistachio (Pistacia vera), and apple (Malus sp.). Priority agroecological zones and project sites have been chosen using criteria developed during the PDF-B phase.

• Broad participation and strong partnerships/links among farmers, among farmers and institutions, between farmers, institutions, and the private sector, and among countries are established;

  Activities are designed to overcome existing weaknesses: farmers have not historically been included in the process of documenting and conserving genetic diversity, and links within the scientific community – among natural scientists and between natural and social scientists and economists – have been weak. During the PDF-B phase, the existing structure and linkages, knowledge about participatory approaches, and current roles of stakeholder groups in cultivation and conservation of fruit species were assessed. A system of management committees, communication techniques, and participatory methods has been developed to build effective links within sites, among stakeholders within each participating country, and between countries at the global level.

• Capacity for training and support activities on in situ/on-farm conservation and use of fruit species genetic resources is established.

  The project component will improve the stakeholder skills in their respective roles. Training programmes and manuals will be developed for each of the categories of trainee on the various topics of training. The training programme will be organized within existing regional and national training centre structures. Five regional training programmes will be developed on pomegranate, walnut and molecular markers. During the PDF-B phase, two regional training programmes on apricot and socioeconomic studies were established (also within existing institutions) and used to assess training needs and methods for the full project. National training programmes will supplement regional programmes. They will be established where regional training centres on priority crops do not exist or are difficult to access for a significant number of stakeholders. These will also be established within existing institutions.