Implementation of access and benefit-sharing measures has consequences for classical biological control of weeds

Authors: SILVESTRI, LUCIANA - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET); SOSA, ALEJANDRO - Fuedei; MCKAY, FERNANDO - Fuedei; VITORINO, MARCELO - Universidade Regional De Blumenau(FURB); HILL, MARTIN - Rhodes University; ZACHARIADES, COSTAS - Agricultural Research Council Of South Africa; Hight, Stephen; WEYL, PHILIP - Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International (CABI) - Switzerland; SMITH, DAVID - Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International (CABI); DJEDDOUR, DJAMI - Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International (CABI); MASON, PETER - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada

Submitted to: BioControl
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2019
Publication Date: 12/14/2019
Citation: Silvestri, L., Sosa, A., Mckay, F., Vitorino, M.D., Hill, M., Zachariades, C., Hight, S.D., Weyl, P., Smith, D., Djeddour, D., Mason, P.G. 2019. Implementation of access and benefit-sharing measures has consequences for classical biological control of weeds. Biocontrol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-019-09988-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-019-09988-4

Interpretive Summary: Classical weed biological control (CWBC) utilizes one or more natural enemies (biological control agents) to suppress non-native weed populations which are causing damage to the environment. CWBC results, in part, from introduction of natural enemies to an invasive weed from its area of origin and depends on the principle of cooperative free multilateral access to living organisms in the region where the plant naturally occurs (i.e. is native). However, recent international agreements regulating access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing (ABS) have placed CWBC programs at risk. An international group of scientists, including a scientist from USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Center for Medical Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Tallahassee, Florida, articulated their concerns on how access, exchange, and utilization of weed biological control agents are affected by ABS regulations being implemented by several countries. This review outlines unintended consequences of ABS national regulations that are restrictive to CWBC research and practice. The review also provides a context to understand the importance of biological control as a biodiversity service for agriculture and the environment. This review is offered as a perspective in order to encourage adoption of ABS-related national measures that promote effective and efficient exchange of biological control agents for the development of international programs to control weeds.

Technical Abstract: The Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol establish that genetic resources shall be accessed only upon the existence of prior informed consent of the country that provides those resources and that benefits arising from their utilization shall be shared. Pursuant to both agreements several countries have adopted regulations on access and benefit-sharing. These regulations have created a challenging obstacle to classical weed biological control. This paper reviews the experiences of Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, the United States, Canada and CABI in implementing access and benefit-sharing regulations and the implications these measures have on the effective and efficient access, exchange and utilization of biological control agents. We conclude that policy makers should be made aware of the key role biological control plays for agriculture and the environment and they are encouraged to develop tailored access and benefit-sharing legal frameworks that facilitate biological control research and implementation.