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Global Plan of Action 293.
Assessment: The importance of training in achieving
sustainable improvements in plant genetic resources for food
and agriculture conservation and use is widely accepted. At
a time when financial support to many programmes is threatened,
funding for training has become particularly tenuous. Governments
do not always ensure that individuals receiving such training
are appropriately utilized and remunerated. 294.
The dearth of welltrained personnel is evident at virtually
all levels and in all scientific and technical specialities
in many developing countries. Every
subregional meeting in the preparatory process called attention
to this. Both
university programmes and short specialized courses offered
by a variety of institutions, are typically oversubscribed.
There
is a great disparity in the educational and training opportunities
available in the various regions. Moreover,
programmes which combine technical training with exposure
to the many disciplines, including management, policy and
legal fields, associated with plant genetic resources for
food and agriculture, appear not to exist very often. 295.
Longterm objectives: To make available to every
country according to their needs and priorities, training
in all the relevant functions of conservation and utilization,
as well as management and policy. 296.
Intermediate objectives: To develop regional
capacity for advanced training and to establish effective
collaborative arrangements between relevant institutions in
developed and developing countries. 297.
To develop appropriate short courses and educational modules
in subjects identified as priorities regionally. 298.
To foster access to external training for those countries
lacking national capacity. 299.
To encourage institutions to include plant genetic resources
for food and agriculture aspects in related courses and programmes
in biological sciences. 300.
Policy/strategy: Governments should recognize
the appropriateness and importance of education concerning
plant genetic resources for food and agriculture at all levels.
301.
Governments and institutions should commit themselves to providing
training and advanced educational opportunities for existing
staff. 302.
Capacity: As feasible, support should be given
to the development of institutions and/or programmes in each
region, capable of providing advanced education in plant genetic
resources and plant breeding. Support
should also be given to students to complete degree programmes
at these institutions and/or programmes. Collaboration
between developed and developing country academic institutions,
as well as relevant internships, should be encouraged. Educational
programmes should have access to and should use the Internet
for professional communication and data and information acquisition.
303.
As regional institutions are being strengthened, existing
capacity in developed countries should be used and supported,
particularly if it is specifically tailored to the needs of
developing countries. 304.
In addition to current efforts, specialized training courses
should be developed and regularly held for each region in
a number of technical topics as well as in management, policy
and public awareness. 305.
Technology transfer expertise related to the conservation,
characterization and sustainable utilization of plant genetic
resources for food and agriculture should be enhanced, particularly
in developing countries. National
institutions from both developing and developed countries
and international organizations all have a very important
role to play in facilitating this process. 306.
Consideration should be given to developing the courses in
a module form so as to be widely applicable and usable in
different regions, while maintaining a distinctive regional
focus. As
feasible, courses should be offered in the language most appropriate
for the region. 307.
Special consideration should be given to onsite training
for rural women, as they 58 Institutions and Capacity Buildings
play
a significant but sometimes unrecognized role in maintaining
and developing plant genetic resources for food and agriculture
and associated knowledge and traditions. 308.
At the international level, capacity to develop training materials
and offer or coordinate training courses should be enhanced.
309.
Research/technology: Institutions should endeavour
to link training with on going research. 310.
Coordination/Administration: Training courses
should be developed and offered in close collaboration with
regional networks and national programmes. In
addition, advanced programmes should be developed in cooperation
with relevant regional academic consortia or associations.
311.
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