POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR THE MULTILATRAL SYSTEM OF ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING

**Slide 1: Title Slide**

**(Title):** Sowing the Seeds of Collaboration: The Multilateral System of Access and Benefit Sharing

**(Subtitle):** Securing Global Food for the Future

**(Visual Suggestion):** A high-quality image showing diverse crops (like wheat, rice, maize) in a field, with hands exchanging seeds, symbolizing cooperation.

**(Presenter Info):**
[Your Name/Organization Name]
[Date]

---

**Slide 2: Agenda**

**(Title):** What We Will Cover Today

* **The Challenge:** Why do we need a global system for crop genetics?
* **What is the MLS?** Defining the Multilateral System and its core principles.
* **The Crop Pool:** Which crops are covered under Annex I?
* **Roles & Responsibilities:** What is expected of participating countries?
* **The Call to Action:** Why a public awareness campaign is essential for global food security.

**(Visual Suggestion):** Simple, clean icons next to each agenda item (e.g., a globe for MLS, a wheat stalk for crops, a handshake for roles, a megaphone for awareness).

---

**Slide 3: What is the Multilateral System (MLS)?**

**(Title):** A Global Gene Pool for Food and Agriculture

The MLS is a cornerstone of the **International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)**, also known as the "Plant Treaty."

* **Purpose:** To facilitate access to a specific list of plant genetic resources for research, breeding, and training for food and agriculture.
* **Mechanism:** It creates a global pool of genetic material that is accessible to all participating countries (Contracting Parties).
* **Principle:** It operates on the basis of **facilitated access** and **fair and equitable benefit-sharing**.

**(Key Instrument):** Access is provided under a single legal contract: the **Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA)**.

**(Visual Suggestion):** A flowchart diagram.
* **Box 1:** Global Pool of Genetic Resources (with crop icons).
* **Arrow labeled "SMTA".**
* **Box 2:** Researchers, Breeders, Farmers (showing people working in labs and fields).
* **Arrow looping back labeled "Benefit Sharing".**

***
**Speaker's Note:** Emphasize that the MLS was created to overcome the complex bilateral negotiations that were slowing down crucial agricultural research. It's a multilateral solution to a multilateral problem.

---

**Slide 4: Crops Covered Under Annex I**

**(Title):** The Foundation of Our Food Supply

The MLS covers **64 of the world's most important crops and forages**, listed in Annex I of the Treaty.

* **Why these crops?** They were chosen based on their importance for food security and global interdependence (countries rely on each other for this genetic diversity).
* **Major Categories Include:**
* **Cereals:** Wheat, Rice, Maize, Barley, Oats
* **Legumes:** Beans, Lentils, Peas, Chickpeas
* **Tubers:** Potato, Cassava, Sweet Potato
* **Fruits:** Banana/Plantain, Coconut
* **Forages:** Essential for livestock feed

Thi

1. Of course. Here is a set of PowerPoint presentation slides on the Multilateral System (MLS) of
Access and Benefit Sharing, designed to be clear, informative, and visually engaging.
---
### **PowerPoint Presentation: The Multilateral System (MLS)**
---
**Slide 1: Title Slide**
**(Title):** Sowing the Seeds of Collaboration: The Multilateral System of Access and Benefit
Sharing
**(Subtitle):** Securing Global Food for the Future
**(Visual Suggestion):** A high-quality image showing diverse crops (like wheat, rice, maize) in
a field, with hands exchanging seeds, symbolizing cooperation.
**(Presenter Info):**
[Your Name/Organization Name]
[Date]
---
**Slide 2: Agenda**
**(Title):** What We Will Cover Today
*   **The Challenge:** Why do we need a global system for crop genetics?
*   **What is the MLS?** Defining the Multilateral System and its core principles.
*   **The Crop Pool:** Which crops are covered under Annex I?
*   **Roles & Responsibilities:** What is expected of participating countries?
*   **The Call to Action:** Why a public awareness campaign is essential for global food
security.
**(Visual Suggestion):** Simple, clean icons next to each agenda item (e.g., a globe for MLS, a
wheat stalk for crops, a handshake for roles, a megaphone for awareness).

2. ---
**Slide 3: What is the Multilateral System (MLS)?**
**(Title):** A Global Gene Pool for Food and Agriculture
The MLS is a cornerstone of the **International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (ITPGRFA)**, also known as the "Plant Treaty."
*   **Purpose:** To facilitate access to a specific list of plant genetic resources for research,
breeding, and training for food and agriculture.
*   **Mechanism:** It creates a global pool of genetic material that is accessible to all
participating countries (Contracting Parties).
*   **Principle:** It operates on the basis of **facilitated access** and **fair and equitable
benefit-sharing**.
**(Key Instrument):** Access is provided under a single legal contract: the **Standard Material
Transfer Agreement (SMTA)**.
**(Visual Suggestion):** A flowchart diagram.
*   **Box 1:** Global Pool of Genetic Resources (with crop icons).
*   **Arrow labeled "SMTA".**
*   **Box 2:** Researchers, Breeders, Farmers (showing people working in labs and fields).
*   **Arrow looping back labeled "Benefit Sharing".**
***
**Speaker's Note:** Emphasize that the MLS was created to overcome the complex bilateral
negotiations that were slowing down crucial agricultural research. It's a multilateral solution to
a multilateral problem.
---
**Slide 4: Crops Covered Under Annex I**
**(Title):** The Foundation of Our Food Supply
The MLS covers **64 of the world's most important crops and forages**, listed in Annex I of the

3. Treaty.
*   **Why these crops?** They were chosen based on their importance for food security and
global interdependence (countries rely on each other for this genetic diversity).
*   **Major Categories Include:**
    *   **Cereals:** Wheat, Rice, Maize, Barley, Oats
    *   **Legumes:** Beans, Lentils, Peas, Chickpeas
    *   **Tubers:** Potato, Cassava, Sweet Potato
    *   **Fruits:** Banana/Plantain, Coconut
    *   **Forages:** Essential for livestock feed
This pool represents over **80% of human caloric intake** from plants.
**(Visual Suggestion):** A colorful collage of images or icons representing the key crops
mentioned (a stalk of wheat, a rice paddy, a potato, a bunch of bananas, etc.).
***
**Speaker's Note:** Mention that this is not an exhaustive list of all crops, but a critical mass of
those for which international cooperation is most vital. The system ensures that no single
country can restrict access to the fundamental building blocks of global agriculture.
---
**Slide 5: Roles and Responsibilities of Contracting Parties**
**(Title):** A Shared Commitment to a Common Goal
Countries that join the Plant Treaty (Contracting Parties) have clear obligations to make the MLS
work.
**1. Facilitating Access (The "Give"):**
*   Ensure their national gene banks and public institutions make their Annex I genetic resources
available to the MLS.
*   Use and promote the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA) for all transfers.
*   Provide access on an equal footing to all other Contracting Parties.
**2. Ensuring Compliance & Benefit-Sharing (The "Get" and "Enforce"):**
*   Ensure that recipients of genetic material within their jurisdiction adhere to the terms of the

4. SMTA.
*   Promote the sharing of non-monetary benefits, such as information exchange, technology
transfer, and capacity-building.
*   Ensure that commercial users who develop a final product pay a share of their profits into
the **Benefit-sharing Fund**.
**(Visual Suggestion):** A two-column layout. Left column titled "Facilitating Access" with an
"upload/share" icon. Right column titled "Ensuring Benefit-Sharing" with a "download/receive"
icon and a money/fund icon.
---
**Slide 6: The Benefit-sharing Fund**
**(Title):** Reinvesting in the Future of Farming
Benefits from the commercial use of MLS material are shared through the Benefit-sharing Fund.
*   **Source of Funds:** A mandatory payment (0.77% of sales) from users who commercialize
a product that incorporates material from the MLS and restricts others from using it for further
research and breeding.
*   **Use of Funds:** The fund supports projects in developing countries that focus on:
    *   On-farm conservation and management of crop diversity.
    *   Helping farmers adapt to climate change.
    *   Capacity-building and technology transfer.
**This creates a virtuous cycle:** Access leads to innovation, innovation leads to
commercialization, and commercialization leads to funds that support the very farmers and
communities who conserve genetic diversity.
**(Visual Suggestion):** A circular diagram showing the flow:
1. Access from MLS -> 2. Research & Commercialization -> 3. Payment to Fund -> 4. Projects for
Farmers/Conservation -> 1. (back to strengthening the MLS).
---
**Slide 7: The Necessity of a Public Awareness Campaign**

5. **(Title):** From a Niche Treaty to a Global Movement
The MLS is a powerful tool, but its success depends on participation and understanding.
Currently, there is a significant **awareness gap**.
*   **The Problem:** The MLS is complex and not well-known outside of specialist circles (gene
bank managers, international lawyers).
*   **Consequences of Low Awareness:**
    *   **Underutilization:** Researchers and breeders may not know they have streamlined
access to this vast gene pool.
    *   **Lack of Political Will:** Policymakers may not prioritize funding or national
implementation.
    *   **Missed Opportunities:** Potential for innovation in climate-resilient crops and improved
nutrition is not fully realized.
    *   **Weak Compliance:** Without awareness, enforcing the rules of the SMTA is difficult.
**(Visual Suggestion):** An image of a lightbulb that is only partially lit, with question marks
around it.
***
**Speaker's Note:** Frame this as the critical next step. The legal framework is in place. Now,
we need to socialize it and make it a living, breathing system used by all who can benefit from it.
---
**Slide 8: Objectives of a Public Awareness Campaign**
**(Title):** What Would a Campaign Achieve?
A targeted campaign would connect the MLS to the real-world challenge of feeding a growing
population in a changing climate.
**Key Objectives:**
1.  **Educate Stakeholders:** Inform farmers, breeders, researchers, and students about the
existence and benefits of the MLS.
2.  **Promote Participation:** Encourage more institutions to place their collections in the MLS
and more users to access them.

6. 3.  **Build Political Support:** Demonstrate to policymakers the MLS's vital role in achieving
national and global food security goals (like the SDGs).
4.  **Highlight the Link to Global Challenges:** Clearly connect access to genetic diversity with
solutions for climate change adaptation, pest resistance, and improved nutrition.
**(Visual Suggestion):** Four quadrants, each with an objective and a corresponding icon (e.g.,
a book for "Educate," a "plus" sign for "Promote," a government building for "Build Support," a
leaf/thermometer for "Highlight Link").
---
**Slide 9: Target Audiences & Key Messages**
**(Title):** Tailoring the Message for Maximum Impact
*   **Policymakers & Governments:**
    *   **Message:** "The MLS is your country's insurance policy for a secure food future.
Fulfilling your treaty obligations strengthens global cooperation and your own agricultural
resilience."
*   **Plant Breeders & Researchers:**
    *   **Message:** "Stop wrestling with legal uncertainty. The MLS provides fast, easy, and
legally secure access to the world's most important crop diversity. Innovate faster."
*   **Farmers & Farmer Organizations:**
    *   **Message:** "The future of your farm depends on seeds that can withstand tomorrow's
challenges. The MLS helps breeders develop those seeds, and the Benefit-sharing Fund directly
supports farmers like you."
*   **The General Public & Media:**
    *   **Message:** "Where does our food come from? A global system of sharing is protecting
the diversity of our crops, ensuring that food remains on our plates for generations to come."
**(Visual Suggestion):** Photos of each target audience (a politician at a podium, a scientist in
a lab, a farmer in a field, a family at a dinner table).
---
**Slide 10: Conclusion**
**(Title):** Securing Our Shared Harvest

7. *   The **Multilateral System (MLS)** is a groundbreaking international agreement that
balances access to crop diversity with the fair sharing of benefits.
*   It covers the **most critical crops** for human survival, managed through the SMTA.
*   The success of the system relies on the active **participation and commitment** of all
countries.
*   A **public awareness campaign** is no longer a luxury but a necessity to unlock the full
potential of the MLS for ensuring **global food security for all**.
**(Visual Suggestion):** A powerful, hopeful image of a diverse group of people (farmers,
scientists, children) in a healthy, productive agricultural landscape.
---
**Slide 11: Q&A / Thank You**
**(Title):** Thank You
**(Subtitle):** Questions & Discussion
**(Contact Information):**
[Your Name]
[Your Title/Organization]
[Your Email]
[Your Website/LinkedIn (Optional)]
**(Visual Suggestion):** A simple, clean background with your organization's log