Development Fund

The Development Fund (DF) is an independent Norwegian non-governmental organization supporting development programs through its local partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America since 1978. DF believes that the fight against hunger and poverty should be based on conservation and development of genetic resources for food and Agriculture. DF’s global program on agricultural biodiversity support farmers and local institutions to build their capacities in participatory plant breeding and research. DF is also supporting establishment of community seed banks for better access to genetic resources for breeding purposes. The DF work to raise public awareness on agricultural biodiversity, international and national regulations governing agricultural biodiversity and lobby national governments to promote development of genetic resources for better food security. Regarding regulations, DF is working on patents and plant variety protection (PVP) both in Norway and in the south through its networks for improved public participation in decision making. DF is actively participating in debates and contributing to public hearings in Norway to improve PVP and patent law. As part of Norwegian delegation, DF is actively participating in the meetings of UPOV bodies and the governing body of FAO's plant Treaty. The DF is an active founding member of the coalition “no-patents­on-seeds” a network of NGOs and Farmers Organizations working on issues related to intellectual property rights on genetic resources for food and agriculture. The DF has published several newspaper articles and working documents in Norwegian on issues like PVP, UPOV, Patents on plants and animal and the FAO plant treaty.