China News Service, Nanning, March 10 (Wang Yi, Wu Ruixue, Luo Xianbin) Deng Chaobing, a first-level inspector of the Ecological Environment Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, said in Nanning on the 9th that the "ABS project" implemented in Guangxi has achieved a series of achievements after six years of implementation. The results passed the final evaluation of domestic and foreign independent experts organized by the United Nations Development Programme in December 2021, and received a "highly satisfactory" evaluation.
On March 9, the Ecology and Environment Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held a regular press conference in March to release the "ABS Project" pilot demonstration results in Guangxi.
Deng Chaobing released the above news at the press conference.
According to reports, the "ABS project" refers to "the establishment and implementation of a national framework project for the access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources and their associated traditional knowledge". An international compliance project jointly implemented by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
The purpose is to establish and implement laws and frameworks for the access and benefit-sharing (ABS) system of genetic resources in China to ensure fair and equitable benefit-sharing for users and holders of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, and to prevent biodiversity and the loss of associated traditional knowledge.
Luo Han Guo seedling base.
Photo courtesy of Guangxi Environmental Protection Publicity and Education Center
As one of the three pilot demonstration provinces (autonomous regions) of the "ABS Project", Guangxi has set up "ABS Project" demonstration sites for golden camellia tea and Luo Han Guo in Fangchenggang City and Guilin City respectively.
In 2016, the project implementation agency was established. After more than 6 years of project implementation, a system for access and benefit sharing of biological genetic resources and related traditional knowledge has been established, and awareness raising, status investigation and benefit sharing of biological genetic resources and related traditional knowledge have been carried out. The negotiation, negotiation and implementation of the agreement, as well as experience summarization and publicity activities, have achieved expected results.
"Golden camellia tea is the only species in the camellia family with golden yellow petals, and is known as the 'Queen of the Tea Family'; Luo Han Guo is one of the first batch of medicinal and edible materials approved by the state, known as the 'fairy fruit'." Guangxi Environment Ning Yun, president of the Academy of Conservation Sciences, said at the press conference that Guangxi has many years of experience in the development and utilization of camellia tea and monk fruit, and more than 95% of the varieties of golden flower tea are mainly distributed in Fangchenggang City; while the production and sales volume of monk fruit in Guilin accounts for the total amount of Chinese monk fruit. The amount is 80%-90%.
After preliminary investigation, Guangxi selected two companies, Guilin Jifusi and Fengrunlai, as the pilot demonstration enterprises for benefit sharing of Luohanguo; four companies, Guirentang, Guoming, Zhonggang Hi-Tech, and Baoshu, were selected as the pilot demonstration enterprises for benefit sharing of golden camellia tea. , Under the guidance of experts, these demonstration enterprises signed more than 10 benefit-sharing agreements with local villages, farmers and cooperatives.
Demonstration enterprises support poverty alleviation through cooperation models such as "company + association or cooperative + base + farmers", provide high-quality seedlings and distribute agricultural materials to cooperative farmers in the form of free gifts or parity and cost prices.
During the period from 2019 to 2021, the Luohanguo demonstration enterprises will give away about 100,000 Luohanguo seedlings for free, and the distributed pesticides and fertilizers are worth about 3 million yuan; the golden flower tea demonstration enterprises will distribute about 80,000 golden flower tea seedlings for free.
This cooperation model enables farmers to increase their annual income by about 20,000 yuan per household, and achieve poverty alleviation and prosperity.
(over)