Climate change is increasingly affecting everyone around the world: farmers, breeders and consumers. Effects are biotic (new pests and diseases) and abiotic (heat, drought, rain, seasonal changes). A range of strategies is needed to respond to the challenges. Plant breeding has a vital role to play in these strategies; farmers need new plant varieties to adapt to climate change but also to sustainably increase productivity in order to minimize climate change. Plant breeding is a long-term process that requires long-term investment from public institutions and from private companies. Plant breeders need a regulatory environment that promotes innovation and supports the conservation and utilization of genetic resources. The UPOV system enables plant breeders to provide farmers with the varieties they will need to feed the world in the face of climate change.
Formatted Contents Note
Thematic session 1: climate change and its impact on agricultural production Thematic session 2: strategies to address climate change in agriculture Thematic session 3: plant breeding for climate change adaptation and mitigation in agriculture: crop perspectives Thematic session 4: plant breeding for climate change adaptation and mitigation in agriculture: breeding strategies and techniques Thematic session 5: role of plant variety protection in the development of new varieties to mitigate and adapt to climate change