Negotiating the Seed Treaty

The International Seed Treaty came into force in 2004 was the culmination of over 20 years of negotiation. The need for a treaty arose out of a growing awareness that crucial plant genetic resources are being irretrievably lost. This book describes the complex process by which a wide range of parties worked to shape the negotiations and conclude the resulting Treaty. With a focus on how the diverse array of actors were able to work together in new ways despite their radically differing interests, this study provides vital lessons for governments, international agencies and NGOs on successful international treaty negotiation. Negotiating the Seed Treaty will be of interest to all readers concerned with international agricultural policy, genetic resource diversity and multilateral policy process.