This contribution discusses access and benefit sharing within the context of participatory plant breeding. It presents how Chinese farmers and breeders interact in relation to crop improvement and on-farm maintenance of plant genetic resources. Based on more than a decade of action research, a number of institutional changes were accomplished as a result of the interactions between national and provincial breeding institutes, rural development researchers and local maize farmers. Although the respective legislation in China is not yet adequately formulated, access and benefit sharing can still be addressed in contracts and by labelling products of a particular geographic origin.

This document summarises case studies from ten countries through ActionAid’s approach to climate resilient sustainable agriculture, which incorporates agroecology in a human rights framework. Based on these experiences ActionAid recommends to increase investment in agroecology, as part of a comprehensive human rights based approach: Read more

An agro-ecological approach to rural development in the Philippines and China, devloped by Resource Efficient Agricultural Production Canada (REAP-Canada).

Farmers transplant paddy rice to increase the growing period for winter crops and reduce irrigation.

China’s farmers use human manure and urine, also known as “nightsoil”, for fertilizer.

Traditional farmers make an anaerobic compost called “oufei” using canal sediments, legume green manures, crop residues and animal manures as a fertilizer for rice.