CGIAR science for biodiversity action at COP17

CGIAR science for biodiversity action at COP17 

The loss of biodiversity is weakening the foundations of food, land, and water systems. As crop diversity narrows and ecosystems deteriorate, farmers face fewer options for adapting to drought, floods, pests and disease. The consequences extend through landscapes, affecting soil health, spring sources, and the livelihoods that depend on them. Addressing these pressures requires countries to connect biodiversity conservation with decisions about food, land, and water systems. 

Conversations around this challenge will be central to the seventeenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17), taking place in Yerevan, Armenia, from 19–30 October 2026. Under the theme Taking Action for Nature, countries will undertake the first global review of progress in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Preparatory discussions have underscored the gaps in finance, capacity, and inclusive governance that must be addressed to accelerate progress towards its 2030 targets. 

CGIAR’s participation, jointly coordinated by CGIAR Genebanks accelerator and Multifunctional Landscapes science program, will bring scientific evidence and practical experience to these discussions. CGIAR’s work contributes to 12 of the framework’s 23 targets, connecting the conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity with restoration, sustainable production and landscape governance. 

Science that connects conservation with use 

Conserving agricultural biodiversity, including crop varieties, livestock breeds and aquatic species and strains, gives farmers, breeders and researchers access to genetic resources that can help them respond to changing conditions. CGIAR genebanks safeguard more than 720,000 accessions, representing over 3,000 plant species. These samples include traditional varieties and wild relatives of crops, held for the international community, and made available for research and crop improvement. 

Keeping these resources safe and useful requires science and infrastructure. Germplasm health testing supports safe exchange, while safety duplication protects collections against loss. Cryopreservation offers long-term conservation for crops such as banana, cassava and potato whose clonal diversity cannot be safeguarded through conventional seed storage alone. Digital tools help users identify material with traits relevant to drought, heat or disease resistance. Together, these capabilities connect genetic conservation with practical use, supporting the framework’s Target 4 on genetic diversity. 

The landscapes in which biodiversity is used and maintained need equal attention. CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes combines spatial evidence with participatory planning to help countries balance conservation, restoration and production priorities. This supports the translation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans into decisions about particular places, with attention to local institutions, rights, and livelihoods. 

For example, participatory rangeland management is being implemented across more than two million hectares in East Africa. Developed by ILRI with partners and advanced through CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes, it helps communities agree how shared resources are managed. Scientific evidence and local knowledge inform decisions about grazing, pasture improvement and water conservation. The approach demonstrates how conservation and production objectives can be considered together through community governance. 

Restoration also depends on selecting appropriate species and tracking what happens after planting. MyFarmTrees, which connects CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes with CGIAR’s climate and digital research, combines science-based selection of native trees, mobile monitoring and verified payments to farmers. It illustrates how ecological knowledge, digital tools and incentives can support locally managed restoration. 

These approaches are relevant to the framework’s targets on spatial planning, restoration and sustainable production. They also underline why progress needs to be assessed through changes in biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services for people, alongside the area covered by an intervention. 

Bringing the evidence into COP17 discussions 

CGIAR’s participation will bring together science on conserving agricultural diversity and sustaining the landscapes where it is used. CGIAR will host the Food & Agriculture Pavilion, creating a space for governments, researchers and development partners to connect biodiversity commitments with practical solutions. 

Pavilion sessions will address priorities central to CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes, including community-led restoration, inclusive governance and resilient production systems. From Global Commitments to Local Action will focus on empowering communities to restore landscapes and biodiversity, while From Cells to Landscapes will explore connections between genetic diversity, living seed systems, landscape resilience and equitable benefits. These discussions connect directly with the programme’s work to translate national commitments into locally grounded action. 

Beyond the Pavilion, CGIAR’s participation programme includes official CBD side events spanning both landscape and genetic-resource priorities. Rio Synergies in Action will examine how integrated land-use planning can connect finance for biodiversity, climate, land and food security. TERRA and the Global Biodiversity Framework will explore agroecology and agroforestry as pathways to implementation, while Genebanks for the Future will focus on international cooperation to conserve crop diversity. 

Across these conversations, CGIAR will engage partners on the evidence, capacities and investment countries need to deliver biodiversity outcomes. For CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes, this means stronger connections between national biodiversity plans and landscape-level implementation, practical monitoring, and finance that supports restoration alongside production and livelihoods. Discussions on genetic resources, digital sequence information and fair benefit-sharing will complement this agenda, helping ensure that agricultural biodiversity remains accessible and that its benefits are shared equitably. 

What CGIAR hopes COP17 will enable 

CGIAR is looking for stronger recognition of agricultural biodiversity and integrated landscape approaches in national implementation. Alongside plant genetic resources, COP17 should give equal visibility to the diversity that underpins animal and aquatic food systems, as well as microorganisms that support ecosystem health and food production. Clearer links between biodiversity strategies and agriculture, climate and water policies would help countries apply research within coherent plans and budgets. 

Sustained investment is equally important. Genebanks, germplasm health systems and national conservation capacity need reliable support, while landscape restoration requires finance that values biodiversity alongside production and livelihoods. CGIAR seeks partnerships that connect this investment with locally grounded governance and meaningful participation by Indigenous Peoples,local communities, women, youth, pastoralists and farmers among others. 

The global review also offers an opportunity to identify evidence gaps and strengthen monitoring. For CGIAR Genebanks and Multifunctional Landscapes, clearer country priorities would help guide research, capacity sharing, and the adaptation of tools to national needs. The value of COP17 will lie in whether its decisions and partnerships enable countries to use science more effectively, sustain investment and demonstrate progress for biodiversity and the people who depend on it. 

Explore CGIAR’s participation at CBD COP17. 

 Author Regina Edward-Uwadiale