CAPFITOGEN - Programme to Strengthen National Plant Genetic Resource Capacities in Latin America

This program is focused on the development of appropriate technologies for countries which are extremely agrobiodiverse but have limited economic resources. Its function is to develop and transfer technology and provide the appropriate training for technical personnel from those Latin American countries signatories to the Treaty. The warm reception given to the tools and methodologies developed under the auspices of the CAPFITOGEN program in 2013, has meant that some countries targeted by the program have organized national workshops on their own initiative, financed by the most interested parties. At the same time, there has been interest from other countries and regions not initially targeted by the program, which have been asking for tools and transfer and training activities. Thus the program CAPFITOGEN is primed to function not only as a generator and facilitator of appropriate technology, but also as a model of transfer in itself. One of its most innovative aspects is the way in which it seeks to involve people who have developed scientific methodologies. They are invited to develop the tools provided by the program based on their methodologies and to carry out the technical training and transfer activities themselves. This model means that the program beneficiaries are guaranteed direct access to the scientists and developers in order to answer queries or discuss cases. At the same time, the scientists themselves benefit directly from the experiences and issues tackled by the technical experts from the national programs, an outcome with a positive impact on future investigations with a more focused application and better suited to meet real needs.