News Overview

CGIAR INITIATIVES Genebanks Primary Impact Area Environmental health & biodiversity Related Impact Areas

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is an outstanding example of countries coming together to address an issue that affects us all. It provides a vital backup for genebanks which conserve, study and share crop diversity. In simple terms, the vault – run by the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre and the Crop Trust –

GRIN-Global Community Edition (GGCE) is an open-source software platform for managing genebank collections. It enables all genebank staff to conveniently capture and make use of data as they work. The platform offers several benefits: Centralized Data Management: GGCE helps genebanks centralize their data, making it easier to track and manage large collections of plant genetic resources. Improved Access to Genetic

The Germplasm Health Units are CGIAR’s first line of defence against the cross-border spread of pests and diseases through germplasm. On International Plant Health Day, we highlight their vital work and explore their ambitious plans as part of the 2025-2030 Genebanks Accelerator. Food systems are heavily interconnected. On average, nearly 70% of crops consumed or produced in a country originate

This year’s World Food Prize was awarded to two pioneers of crop diversity conservation: Geoff Hawtin and Cary Fowler. Both have been tireless champions of genebanks – including the eleven that are run by CGIAR centers – and they were the driving force behind the creation of the iconic Svalbard Global Seed Vault. They have helped ensure that hundreds of

Digital sequence information (DSI) is changing the way genetic resources are used in agricultural research and development. DSI can contribute to the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and to fair and equitable benefit-sharing. CGIAR is using DSI to create benefits for farmer and consumers in developing countries. For example, CGIAR genebanks use DSI to assess

The International Plant Treaty provides a framework for plant genetic resources for agriculture (PGRFA) to cross borders safely and efficiently. This gives farmers options in a changing climate and helps researchers and breeders to innovate. But there needs to be a balance between providing access to plant materials and sharing benefits from their use with the communities who developed them.

CGIAR INITIATIVES Genebanks Primary Impact Area Climate adaptation & mitigation Related Impact Areas