Difairsity Fonds – this is how it works

Difairsity is a trust fund run by the Diversitatis Foundation. It receives contributions from the use of genetic resources and spends them on the conservation and sustainable use of genetic diversity. Such endowments serve as benefit sharing between users and providers of genetic resources within the meaning of the Nagoya Protocol.

The installation of the Difairsity Fonds is based on the annex of the Nagoya Protocol, which states under point 1f, that “special fees to be paid to trust funds supporting conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity” are an eligible way of benefit sharing.

The Difairsity Fonds is open to all natural persons, non-profit organizations, state institutions, and commercial entities that utilize genetic material for research and development. The prerequisite is an agreement between the user and the provider of the genetic material that sets endowments to the fund as benefit sharing within the meaning of the Nagoya Protocol.

At present there is one user agreement that engages the Difairsity Fonds as a trust fund, i.e. the Arche Noah model Material Transfer Agreement.

The Difairsity Fonds finances all kinds of conservation and development action in favour of seed and crop diversity worldwide.

The first endowment from the ARCHE NOAH agreement is expected for 2019. On receipt of the endowment, the Difairsity Fonds will start to finance seed saving projects.