History of Bioversity

How IBPGR became IPGRI became Bioversity

Bioversity was originally established as the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) in 1974.

IBPGR was launched in response to growing awareness of genetic erosion and the rapid loss of crop biodiversity. Its original mission was to coordinate an international plant genetic resources programme.

This included emergency collecting missions as well as building and expanding national, regional and international genebanks. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) acted as the IBPGR secretariat.

In October 1991, IBPGR became the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and in January 1994 IPGRI began independent operation as one of the centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). At the request of the CGIAR, in 1994 IPGRI took over the governance and administration of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP).

The organization’s focus has changed over time. From the emergency conservation of crop genetic resources in genebanks, it moved into research to conserve crop biodiversity through the sustainable use of genetic resources.
Harnessing genetic diversity to reach development goals and the conservation and use of forest genetic resources also became key areas of work.

In 2006, IPGRI and INIBAP became a single organization and subsequently changed their operating name to Bioversity International. The new name reflects an expanded vision of its role in the area of biodiversity research for development.