1. Introduction of the
Project: concept,
goal, objectives and
outcomes
Bhuwon Sthapit
Bioversity International

2. Outline
• Background rationale
– Tropical fruit tree diversity
– Threats
– Needs
• Project summary
• Objectives
• Conceptual framework of the project
• Outputs
• Expected outcomes/impacts

3. Tropical Fruit Tree
Diversity

4. Rationale: A valuable
resource
Contribution to human well-being
– Nutrition
– Income
– Foreign exchange
– Source of medicines, timber, fuel, fodder
– Ecosystem services (carbon sequestration, soil
formation, nutrient cycling, carbon-rich farming, biotic
regulation, etc.)
Important in Asia
– Asian TFT production = 60% of worldwide production
– Both cultivated and wild
• 55% of Asia’s fruit species are gathered, not cultivated
• Located interdependently in agroforestry systems, orchards,
home gardens

5. Context: Diverse production
systems conserving tropical
genetic resources!
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7.
Natural forest systems-wild species
Buffer zones in protected forests
Community forestry/economic forest
Home gardens
Semi-commercial orchards
Commercial orchards
Field gene banks

6. Rationale: A threatened
resource
 Threats to cultivated species
Monocultures of a few varieties, loss of forest habitats with
pollinator species, market chains poorly organized for many
species or varieties
 Threats to wild species
Habitat loss due to deforestation, climate change, urbanization,
changes in land use patterns, shifting cultivation
 Tropical fruit tree species present challenges
Recalcitrant seeds
Ex situ conservation expensive and fails to
preserve ecosystem conditions
Field genebanks subject to losses through
diseases, pests
Perennial species
Production and availability can vary from year to
year and by location

7. Rationale: Countering
threats
• In situ and on-farm conservation is needed to provide
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necessary complement to ex situ conservation
Demonstration of benefits: In situ conservation possible only
when farmers, national institutions perceive tangible benefits
Need to test and adapt methodologies developed for annual
crop species to TFT perennial species
Because of complex interdependence between TFT in
farms/home gardens and TFT in forests, they must be viewed
and treated as components of larger agro-ecosystems
Documentation and dissemination of traditional knowledge of
TFT production and use is needed
Need for capacity building in production and marketing
processes
Community empowerment should be driving force-precondition!
CBM is a methodology to realize in situ/on-farm conservation
of PGRFA
Need for supportive policy environment

8. Relations between CBM, in situ
conservation and Empowerment
In-situ
Conservation
A
methodology
to realize in
situ
conservation
Poverty
reduction
Pre-condition
Community
Social inclusion
CBM
Empowerment
Empowering community

9. Conceptual Framework of CBM
approach
Creating Local
Knowledge
Varieties
/skills
Poverty
reduction
Participatory
Plant Breeding
(PPB)
CBM
Social inclusion
Improve In-situ
Social
Conservation
customs/practice
s
Farmers
Rules/
empowerment
institutions

10. Project Summary
• Based on Bioversity’s previous work with TFT in
Asia, funded by ADB, UNEP-GEF and other donors
• Project partners India, Indonesia, Malaysia and
Thailand have worked together in previous project
• Regional nature of project maximizes both genetic
and ecosystem diversity and enhances sharing and
learning knowledge from regional partners

11. Target species-globally and
regionally important GR

12. Selection of target
species
Mango, mangosteen, citrus, rambutan
• Native species
• Important for food culture and livelihoods in the 4
countries
• Produced and consumed at national level
• Large, unexploited genetic diversity is present
• There is a threat of genetic erosion
• They have potential as commodity crops for global
market
• The species have high nutritional value
• The species are important for ecosystem services

13. Project Summary
Project aims to provide:
•
An effective long-term basis for maintaining the genetic diversity and
ecosystem functions of both cultivated and wild TFT
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A foundation for development of environmental certification schemes
to promote marketing and mainstreaming of TFT
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Appropriate conservation procedures for TFT species that focus on
management & use of diversity by local farmers, communities &
institutions.
•
Generation and exchange of knowledge between institutions
•
A forum for establishing a regional agenda for TFT
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A community-based management model for safeguarding TFT

14. The project will build on
 Methodologies & practices proven effective
for conservation of crop genetic diversity
 Adapt their use for TFT species, & wild
relatives
 Test their relevance with farmers, local
communities & user groups
 It will consider factors such as
Prevalence TFT in home gardens
Uses of the wild resources &
Underutilization of some due to
market forces

15. It will also look at
 Varieties, genotypes, or
characters unique to
home gardens &
 How to translate such
information into
sustainable livelihood
strategies?

16. Conceptual framework

17. Key Areas of good practices
1. Production and management of tropical fruit tree
genetic resources
2. Linking farmers with markets (commercialization
that support diversity maintenance and livelihood
options)
3. Consolidating roles of communities and local
institutions in management of TFTGR
4. Working modality with diverse communities, local
institutions and policy makers

18. Project approaches
 Build upon and link existing traditional and scientific
knowledge
 Participatory and community based sustainable livelihood
approach is a methodology to realize in situ /on-farm
conservation
 Empowering communities and their local institutions is a
precondition for effective in situ/on-farm conservation
 Developing sustainable incentive mechanisms
 Strong networking and information sharing
 Creating an enabling environment that cultivate local level
partnership

19. Cultivating partnership-3Ms
Partners in Change and
Innovation
Implementing
Institutions
A new role in
institutional &
professional
capacity building
Research
Institutes
Farmers’
Organisations
Development Agencies
NGOs
Extension Services
Policy Bodies
Environmentalist
associations
Agri-business
Consumer
organisations

20. Cultivated and Wild Tropical Fruit Tree
Diversity: Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods,
Food Security and Ecosystem Services
(UNEP/GEF)
Goal
Improved livelihoods and food security of
target beneficiaries through the
conservation and use of tropical fruit tree
genetic resources
Immediate objective
To conserve tropical fruit tree genetic
resources in situ and on farm through
strengthening capacity of farmers, user
groups, local communities and institutions
to sustainably apply good practices and
secure benefits

21. Expected Outcomes
Outcome 1: Diversity of tropical fruit tree genetic
resources is conserved in situ and on-farm through
improved knowledge of its value, use and
sustainable management practices
Diversity conserved
Outcome 2: Rural communities benefit by using
methodologies and good practices for the
management and conservation of tropical fruit tree
species and intra-specific diversity
Stakeholders benefits
Outcome 3: Stakeholders have the capacity and
leadership skills to apply good practices for
managing tropical fruit tree diversity for sustainable
livelihoods, food security and ecosystem health
Communities and local institutions
empowered by enhancing capacity, leadership and
partnership

22. Impact
pathway

23. Outcome mapping
Immediate impact
Potential sites and spp. identified
Assessment of genetic diversity
Valuation of genetic diversity
Market and non-market value identified
Public awareness
Good practices identification
Policy issues (outputs 4 activities 9)
TFTGR
Positive deviation tool
Identification of context
Pilot GP at local levels
Support CBM to scale up
(outputs 5 activities 8)
Diversity conserved
Dev. goal
Improved SL
Fruit cons
Capacity/partnership
strengthened
Intermediary
impact
Training in all aspects at all levels
Create enabling environment for collective actions
Cultivate partnership with local, national and global networks
outputs 5 Activities 6)
Stakeholders benefits
Immediate impact

24. Expected global benefits
 Global benefits
• Conservation of globally-significant TFT diversity and
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its associated knowledge
Set of good practices to sustain conservation and
environmental certification
Network of experts for up scaling beyond project life
Dissemination of information through publications and
web
Demonstration of contributions of TFT to livelihoods,
wellbeing

25. Expected domestic
benefits
 Domestic benefits
• Documentation of local knowledge and linking it with
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scientific knowledge
Increased production and income from TFT
Enhanced capacity to implement good practices
Increased food supply and better nutrition
Increase land area planted to target species

26. Thank you very
much