The Treaty's truly innovative solution to access and benefit-sharing is its declaration that 64 of our most important crops - crops that together account for 80 percent of all human consumption - will comprise a pool of genetic resources that are accessible to everyone.

   On signing the Treaty, countries agree to make their genetic diversity and related information about the crops stored in their gene banks available to all.

   This gives scientific institutions and private sector plant breeders the opportunity to work with, and potentially to improve, the materials stored in gene banks or even crops growing in fields. By facilitating research, innovation and exchange of information without restrictions, this cuts down on the costly and time consuming need for breeders to negotiate contracts with individual gene banks.

   The Multilateral System sets up opportunities for developed countries with technical know-how to use their laboratories to build on what the farmers in developing countries have accomplished in their fields.

   Know more about other articles included in Part IV of the Treaty:

• Access to plant genetic resources (Art.12)
• Benefit-sharing (Art.13)