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Screening the banana biodiversity for drought tolerance: can an in vitro growth model and proteomics be used as a tool to discover tolerant varieties and understand homeostasis

Diversity of the neglected and underutilized crop species of importance in Benin

Annual Report 2011

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Bioversity News

Semantics for Biodiversity – International Workshop

The 1st international workshop on Web Semantics for Biodiversity, held on 27 May in Montpellier, France, will define key challenges identified by the bioinformatics community, discuss solutions and identify opportunities emerging from interactions across plant science and informatics disciplines.

Happy International Day of Biodiversity

Join us on a journey to find out more about work we are doing to promote the use and conservation of agricultural and forest biodiversity. Bioversity International celebrates smallholder farmers who are using and conserving vital biodiversity around the world.

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International conferences and meetings

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Browse by Tag: CGIAR

Happy International Day of Biodiversity

Zooming in on nutrition-sensitive landscapes

At Nutrition-sensitive landscapes, a CIFOR and ICRAF organized side-event at the Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition, Bioversity International's researcher Céline Termote spoke about putting people at the centre of the landscapes approach: "Food is an expression of their culture, we must not forget that," she said. Photo: CIFOR

International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition

The International Conference on Forests, Food Security and Nutrition will take place at FAO in Rome, Italy from 13-15 May, 2013. The Conference aims to increase understanding of the crucial role that forests, trees and agroforestry systems can play in improving the food security and nutrition of rural people, especially in developing countries.

Barbara Vinceti

Title: Scientist, forest genetic resources Duty post: Bioversity HQ, Rome, Italy Barbara Vinceti, an Italian national, joined Bioversity International in January 2002 as an Associate Expert. Initially, she was responsible for planning and the coordination of research activities on conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources in Latin American countries. Then

New lethal coconut disease threatens Papua New Guinea smallholders' livelihoods

In Papua New Guinea, a lethal plant disease called Bogia syndrome is killing coconut palms, other palm species and some banana varieties. With support from Bioversity International and CGIAR, COGENT is mobilizing the fight against this disease and to re-locate the International Coconut Collection.

Strategic Action Plan to strengthen the Plant Genetic Resources in Mesoamerica

Discussions on the Strategic Action Plan for Mesoamerica's Plant Genetic Resources (SAP) featured prominently at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Programa Cooperativo Centroamericano para el Mejoramiento de Cultivos y Animales (PCCMCA), and continues to make headway in the Americas.

Agricultural biodiversity plays key role in food and nutritional security

While over 1 billion people are overweight and obese around the world, an estimated 868 million are undernourished. This paradox is explored in a new book, Diversifying Food and Diets, co-edited by Bioversity International scientist Danny Hunter who is also an Adjunct Lecturer in Botany and Plant Science at NUI Galway.

Symposium on Indicators of Resilience in socio-ecological production landscapes

As part of the International Satoyama Initiative and the UN University Institute of Advanced Studies, Bioversity International recently met with partners to further discuss the use of resilience indicators in socio-ecological production landscapes.

Communities saving maize diversity in Guatemala

The Huehuetenango region, in Western Guatemala, is an important centre of diversification for maize. While farmers here have inherited a wealth of local varieties from previous generations and traditionally maintain them on farm, changing environmental and social conditions are beginning to have a negative impact on local genetic diversity and food security.

Gea Galluzzi

Gea Galluzzi is an Italian national who joined Bioversity International in August 2010 as an Associate Expert. She is based in the Regional Office for the Americas, in Cali, Colombia.

Making ecosystem services count at the 6th Annual ESP Conference

Start gearing up for the Ecosystem Services Partnership Conference in Bali, Indonesia, August 2013. The conference will be a chance for practitioners, policymakers, researchers and others working on ecosystem services to exchange ideas and develop tools for better management and decision-making.

Forest foods should be used in fight against global malnutrition

Gearing up for the International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition Bioversity International scientist Barbara Vinceti speaks about the importance of forest foods in peoples' diets. Photo: CIFOR

Bioversity contributes to post 2015 Millennium Development Goals Consultation

Last week, Bioversity International joined the heads of all the major UN agencies and multilateral lending institutions dealing with poverty, hunger and malnutrition in a High Level Consultation in Madrid, Spain to identify a vision and road map to end hunger and malnutrition sustainably. Photo: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

International Symposium on Agrobiodiversity for Sustainable Development

Bioversity International and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences are organizing the International Symposium on Agrobiodiversity for Sustainable Development. Focusing on the role of agricultural biodiversity in agroecological intensification, the Symposium will take place in Beijing, China from 3 to 4 June, 2013.

Global banana expert workshop with linked e-forum

Banana experts from advanced research institutes and leading banana-producing countries will gather to complete the information on production constraints and research options resulting from a recent survey. The workshop is scheduled for 8-11 April 2013 and will be co-hosted by NARO, Bioversity International and IITA in Kampala, Uganda. Photo: CIRAD

Crowdsourcing Crop Improvement: A Q&A With Jacob van Etten

Can farmers in developing nations use crowdsourcing to improve crop yields and harvest quality? That’s the question that Jacob van Etten, senior scientist at Bioversity International has recently been putting to the test in northern India.

FAO forestry chief to lead UN-wide preps for Expo 2015

Creating sustainable and secure food systems will be high on the agenda for Expo 2015 in Milan, Italy, said Eduardo Rojas-Briales, FAO Assistant Director-General for Forestry, who has been named Commissioner-General for the United Nations’ preparations for the event.

New book links agricultural biodiversity and nutrition

A new book Diversifying Diets: Using Agricultural Biodiversity to Improve Nutrition and Food Security published by Routledge/Earthscan in collaboration with Bioversity International is now available. It explores the current state of knowledge on the role of agricultural biodiversity in improving diets, nutrition and food security.

Celebrate the genetic diversity of trees on the International Day of Forests

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests. The Day will celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Forest scientists at Bioversity International study how to conserve and manage the genetic diversity of trees — the diversity that is the foundation and backbone of any forest.

Climate smart villages in India show early signs of great reform achievements

Bioversity International is part of the successful CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Climate Change (CCAFS) Climate Smart Villages initiative whose key focus is to enhance climate literacy of farmers in developing countries of South Asia and Africa, with little financial investment.

Farmers testing wheat crops for climate change adaptation

Bioversity International is working with several partners in Bihar, India on Seeds4Needs: a series of projects that are trying to give farmers more access to crop varieties and landraces to help them adapt to climate change. Read more in a blog post published on the CCAFS blog.

Jérôme Duminil

Title: Associate scientist, Forest Genetic Resources programme and SAFORGEN network coordinator Duty post: Sub-regional office for Central Africa, Yaoundé, Cameroon By integrating population genetics, phylogeny, phylogeography, ecology and molecular evolution approaches, Jérôme's research activities focused on the evolution of the genetic diversity of tropical African plant species (Free University of Brussels, supervised

Bioversity International’s gender agenda gains momentum

'The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum' is the theme of this year's International Women's Day and it could not be more timely as Bioversity International launches its Gender Research Fellowship Programme. Happy International Women's Day!

Recommendations from custodian farmers

A Custodian Farmer workshop held by Bioversity International and partners in New Delhi, India resulted in a list of recommendations for researchers and policymakers to support and recognize the rights and roles of custodian farmers in the use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity.

Password to a more secure agriculture

Leading up to the Resilience 2014 conference, a workshop on Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems will be held by Bioversity International and CIRAD, the French agricultural research for development centre. In this blog post Fabrice DeClerck from Bioversity International reflects on agricultural biodiversity and resilience.

Bioversity International and Belgian university join efforts to support banana research

Bioversity International has signed an agreement with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven to support the world’s collection of banana and plantain germplasm. Per the agreement signed today, Bioversity will host its Musa germplasm collection at the new premises of KU Leuven, which will maintain the facilities to be called the Bioversity Musa Germplasm Transit Centre.

Bioversity International and Belgian university join efforts to support banana research

Bioversity International signed an agreement yesterday with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven to support the world’s collection of banana and plantain germplasm. As a result, Bioversity will host its Musa germplasm collection at the new premises of KU Leuven.

African leafy vegetables come out of the shade

African leafy vegetables come out from under the shade as part of set of case studies commissioned by the Swiss Development Cooperation for the European Initiative for Agricultural Research for Development (EIARD). Bioversity International's work is part of 18 case studies that showcase the impact of investments in agricultural research for development.

Cordoba Declaration on Promising Crops for the XXI Century

The Cordoba Declaration, which resulted from the International Seminar Crops for the XXI Century, held last December in Cordoba, Spain, calls for more diversity in agricultural and food systems as it is needed if we are to provide healthy and nutritious food to 9 billion people in 2050 in a sustainable way, and enhance the livelihoods of farmers.

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide not only for geneticists

Conservation and management of forest genetic resources deserves our attention. Diversity within tree species is the raw material for trait improvement and adaptation to changing environments. Bioversity International Honorary Research Fellow, David Boshier, explains what is different about this training guide compared to other forestry training materials.

Making the business case for sustainable food

Bruce Cogill, Bioversity International, Jessica Fanzo, Columbia University, and Tim Lang, City University of London, scrutinize the issues around diet, disease and poverty in this joint opinion piece published in the Guardian.

Global Consultation on agricultural biodiversity for sustainable food security

Bioversity International co-organized event Global Consultation on Use and Management of Agrobiodiversity for Sustainable Food Security is taking place in New Delhi, India – bringing together 58 participants from 36 countries to discuss South-South collaboration to facilitate the conservation and use of plant genetic resources.

Custodian farmers hold key to agricultural biodiversity conservation

On February 11 and 12, Bioversity International and partners will hold a workshop: Custodian farmers of agricultural biodiversity: Policy support for their roles in use and conservation. This workshop will bring together global experts on agricultural biodiversity conservation as well as custodian farmers from South and South East Asia.

Semantics for Biodiversity – International Workshop

The role of science in the scramble for natural resources

If we hope to feed the more than nine billion people that are projected to inhabit our planet by 2050, without causing more harm to the environment, science will have to find ways of producing more food using fewer resources. To find out how this might be achieved, read CGIAR CEO Frank Rijsberman's opinion piece in the latest edition of ATSE Focus magazine.

Bioversity International is a member of the CGIAR Consortium.

Bridging the gap between publishing and applying forest genetic research

In 2008, David Boshier and colleagues from Bioversity International started creating free 'off the shelf' materials that would make forest genetic resources training relevant, attractive and accessible, both in language and availability to non-specialists. The team is currently working on the 3rd and 4th training modules Seed supply chain and Forest management.

Malaysia implementing the multilateral system of access & benefit-sharing

A new study examines a number of issues related to Malaysia’s implementation of the multilateral system of access and benefit-sharing created by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture–the first international, legally-binding agreement promoting the sustainable use and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, and the sharing of benefits derived from their use.

Supporting the conservation & use of crop biodiversity

Video inspired by Bioversity International scientists’ ‘heuristic framework’, highlights constraints and solutions to help farmers and researchers conserve and use crop biodiversity. Less than two weeks left to download the paper for free on Taylor & Francis Online, open access till 31 December 2012.

New Routledge book - Crop Genetic Resources as a Global Commons

A new Issues in Agricultural Biodiversity series book from Routledge addresses how the collective pooling and management of shared plant genetic resources for food and agriculture can be supported through laws regulating access to genetic resources and the sharing of benefits arising from their use.

Metrics of sustainable diets and food systems

Metrics of sustainable diets and food systems co-written by Bruce Cogill, Federico Mattei and recent Premio Daniel Carasso award winner Jessica Fanzo, describes a challenging and innovative research agenda implemented by Bioversity International and its partners to describe and measure sustainable diets and food systems.

Agustin B. Molina

Dr Agustin “Gus” B. Molina is a Philippine national who joined Bioversity International in 1998; Gus leads Bioversity International’s banana research efforts in the Asia Pacific region.

Chinese province honors senior scientist for work to combat banana disease

Dr Agustin B. Molina, Senior Scientist and Regional Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific at Bioversity International, was honored with a Guangdong International Friendship Award from Guangdong Province on 27 November for his work and partnership in helping to combat banana disease, an important crop for this region.

Devra I. Jarvis

Devra I. Jarvis, an American national, joined Bioversity International in 1996. Today, 15 years later, Devra is the principal scientist of the Agrobiodiversity and Ecosystem Services group. Her work here has made her an outstanding scientific leader for the cross-disciplinary scientific work needed to advance Bioversity International’s understanding of the assessment, management, use and value of crop biodiversity in the production systems of smallholder farmers.

A model to make more use of crop biodiversity

A collation of experimental evidence offers answers to: How can farmers make better use of crop diversity? Devra Jarvis and colleagues at Bioversity International have created an 'heuristic framework' to help farmers and researchers conserve and use traditional crop varieties - available for free download on Taylor & Francis Online until 31 Dec.

International Seminar on Neglected and Underutilized Species

Bioversity International is a co-organizer of the International Seminar Old and New Crops To Meet The Challenges Of The XXI Century where researchers, farmers’ representatives, policymakers and donors will discuss how neglected and underutilized species can be best mobilized to support the fight against hunger and rural poverty in the world.

Global Timber Tracking Network website launched

The Global Timber Tracking Network (GTTN) brings together the science, scientists, policy makers and stakeholders to promote the integrated use of DNA and stable isotope technologies to ensure legal timber trade and curb illegal and unsustainable logging. GTTN recently launched their website.

Former Bioversity International Senior Nutritionist wins Carasso Foundation prize

Jessica Fanzo, former Senior Nutritionist at Bioversity International, has been recognized for her outstanding work on sustainable food and diets for long-term human health. The prize will be awarded by the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation at a prize ceremony in Madrid today.

Genetic diversity for climate change adaptation

UN Conference on Climate Change (COP18) has begun in Doha, Qatar. Climate change is adversely affecting food security and livelihoods of the people from the poorest regions of the world. The Seeds for Needs initiative's new project in Ethiopia looks at how genetic diversity of durum wheat can provide an effective strategy to adapt to climate change.

Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Project launching website

The Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Project recently launched their website. This project aims to "mainstream biodiversity conservation and sustainable use for improved human nutrition and well-being" into national and global policies and programs. Photo: S.Landersz\Bioversity

Coconut conservationist seeks Pacific Islands for palm preservation

National Public Radio (NPR) interviewed Stephan Weise of Bioversity International and Ronald Bourdeix of CIRAD on their vision for how to preserve a thousand or more genetic varieties of coconut trees.

Forests and agriculture to work together to tackle climate change

In the run up to UN climate summit, CIFOR have issued a media advisory asking Can the world’s forests and farms work together to tackle pressing food security challenges and climate change?

Developing multi-resource forest management plans for the Congo Basin forests

In partnership with CIFOR, Bioversity International's Forest Genetic Resources Programme is leading a project in the Congo Basin to develop sustainable forest management plans to benefit rural communities and the logging concessionaires while avoiding over-exploitation of valuable tree species. Photo by Ollivier Girard for CIFOR.

Conservation + Agriculture = True Food Security

What do you have when you combine conservation and agriculture together? A recipe for success, say the trio of experts - Emile Frison of Bioversity International, Cristián Samper of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Ken Wilson of The Christensen Fund - in this opinion piece published in National Geographic on 7 November.

Cacao: yesterday, today and tomorrow

Climate models, DNA analysis, geographic information systems and genebanks come together to illuminate the past and safeguard the future of the tree that gives us chocolate. Photo: IITA

Sustainable Use of Biodiversity – GCARD2 Side Event Report

Kwesi Atta-Krah, Deputy Director General of Bioversity International reports from the Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2).

Climate Conversations - Can biodiversity cut the risks of crop losses?

AlertNet inquires about sustainable alternatives to preventing crop loss. The use of agricultural biodiversity to minimize the risk of crop pest and disease has been the focus of a 5-year Bioversity International project in China, Ecuador, Morocco and Uganda.

Evert Thomas

Evert Thomas, a native of Belgium, joined the AMS office in April 2011. His main task consists of enhancing the conservation and use of forest genetic resources, among others through the use of spatial diversity analysis. Evert is also contributing to the thematic study on ecological restoration for FAO’s State of the World Forest Genetic Resources.

Kyrgyz conservationists save trees by helping farmers

Today The Washington Times highlights the importance of fruit tree conservation in Kyrgyzstan and the work of Fauna & Flora and Bioversity International. Photo: Bioversity/F. van Oudenhoven

The Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2), 29 October – 1 November 2012

The Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2) has started in Uruguay. GCARD2 will focus on the ways to implement tasks identified in the GCARD RoadMap: 'Foresight, partnerships and capacity development for innovation and impact on smallholder livelihoods'.

High time to stop deliberating and start implementing global conservation decisions

Toby Hodgkin, represented Bioversity International at a number of side events at the UN Conference on Biodiversity (CBD) in Hyderabad, India including a COP 11 side event, that focused on Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects working toward CBD Aichi Targets on agricultural and genetic diversity.

CIFOR Forests News Blog featuring Bioversity International scientists

In light of the closing sessions of the UN Convention on Biodiversity and Tree Diversity Day, CIFOR Forests News Blog spoke to Bioversity International scientists, Phrang Roy and Hugo Lamers, about recognizing the wealth of biodiversity that can be found in indigenous peoples' sacred areas and community biodiversity management. Photo: M. High

Why the world needs sustainable diets, and research about them

With the Convention on Biological Diversity well underway and the Committee on World Food Security meeting progressing this week, the relevance of agricultural biodiversity remains an important topic of discussion with regards to diet and nutrition. Landscapes Blog for People, Food and Nature asked Dr Bruce Cogill, Programme Leader, Nutrition and Marketing of Diversity at Bioversity International to explore the concept of a Sustainable Diet and to share a recent publication.

Improving Nutrition through Local Agrobiodiversity (INULA)

This project in Kenya aims at “improving nutritional health of women and children under two years through increased utilization of local agrobiodiversity”. With the main objective being “to increase the evidence base that agrobiodiversity is linked to dietary diversity and quality”, the project is consistent with the cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition and contributes to the Bioversity Nutrition Strategy as well as CRP4 / A4NH.

Celebrating Tree Diversity Day - an interview with Judy Loo

Judy Loo, Theme Leader for Forest Genetic Resources programme at Bioversity International (featured here talking to COP11 TV), talks about her work on tree conservation, land use pressures and the illegal timber trade, and how she would like to see the CBD implemented.

Celebrating local foods on a global scale

World Food Day is 16 October. In honour of this day, Bioversity International is highlighting a research project that is under way in four corners of the world to improve food and nutrition. Photo: Traditional Sri Lankan meal. Bioversity/S. Landersz

CGIAR centers co-sign Memorandum of Understanding

CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry has agreed to join forces with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity as part of a broader goal to cut the rate of deforestation in half by the end of the decade and to promote sustainable management of farms and forests. Photo: A. Marie

Media Advisory - Hunger Run 2012 and Crescita SMS Campaign Press Conference

Hunger Run 2012 and Crescita SMS Campaign Press Conference: two initiatives to help those affected by drought and poor harvests in Kenya. Roma Capitale and Valentina Vezzali join FAO, IFAD, WFP, Bioversity International and Gruppo Sportivo Bancari Romani to launch event.

Farmers’ knowledge and rights: the policy challenges

Recent changes in CGIAR operations have led to a number of new policy challenges. This was one of the findings of a study that describes how eight members of the CGIAR Consortium, whose research is focused on plant genetic resources, are (re)organizing their conservation and improvement activities in light of climate change adaptation. Photo: D.Mowbray/CIMMYT

Discussing gaps between research on food security, agriculture and nutrition

A new program to help deliver improved nutrition to Africa was recently designed at a workshop in Nairobi on September 10–11. The expert panel, including Bioversity International's Bruce Cogill, defined research priorities for Australian investments in the sphere of food and nutritional security in sub-Saharan Africa. Watch the video for their quick comments.

Linking chilli diversity to markets in Peru

Peru and Bolivia are home to the most diverse concentrations of Capsicum in the world, yet much of this diversity remains neglected and undervalued. To assist market development, Bioversity is coordinating a project to link Capsicum small-scale producers with production, processing and marketing companies that supply local and international markets.

West African scientists get to grips with food systems research

Per Rudebjer, Scientist, Capacity Strengthening at Bioversity International, reports from a hands-on training workshop in Benin.

Waking up: the experience of the Jogimara community seed bank

“For a long time we were asleep, but today we are active in the conservation of plant genetic resources,” said Hariram Khatiwada, the president of the Jogimara community seed bank, that can be found along the main road halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara in Nepal.

Plant breeders respond to climate-related stresses in multiple ways

Bioversity recently undertook an in-depth study of 'Availability of Plant Genetic Resources in Times of Climate and Policy Change for the CGIAR Research Program, CCAFS. Bioversity scientist Ronnie Vernooy, one of the study’s authors, blogs about how CGIAR plant breeders view the challenges and invites your comments.

Açaí: could the wonder fruit also be wonderful for forests?

A joint workshop by Bioversity International and CIFOR at the IUCN World Conservation Congress looked at how demand for açaí's age-defying properties is leading to reforestation in Brazil rainforest, with smallholder forest management tending to be better for biodiversity. Read more on the CIFOR blog.

Can cultivated species get their own Red List?

Stefano Padulosi, a Bioversity senior scientist, (pictured here with Prof. MS Swaminathan at the IUCN World Conservation Congress this week in Korea), looks at the need to develop Red Lists for cultivated species, not just for wild biodiversity. Check out the CCAFS blog for more.

Other ways to use agricultural biodiversity to adapt to climate change

While some scientists are working hard to breed new crop varieties better adapted to the predicted impacts of climate change, others are exploring adaptation options already present in genebanks and farmers’ fields. Find out more on the CCAFS website about 'Seeds for Needs' in Ethiopia, a project managed by Carlo Fadda, a Bioversity Senior Scientist.

Meet our fellows: Marius Ekué

Ackee is a tropical West African fruit tree that plays an important role in rural livelihoods and traditional agroforestry systems in Benin. The research Marius carried out during his fellowship involved collecting information about traditional knowledge and use of the species, its genetic diversity, as well as its market value and landscape needs.

Emile Frison reflects on the first day's events at Rio+20

"Rio+20 is well under way and food security is in focus." Emile Frison, Director General, Bioversity International picks out important themes around food security and sustainability from Day One in his blog post live from Rio+20.

A week of Rio events starts with 4th Agriculture & Rural Development Day

As events start this week for Rio+20, check out our campaign page to see what Bioversity will be doing at Rio, or follow our blog On the Road to Rio or Twitter (#FutureWeWant) for live updates. Today's main event is CGIAR and Embrapa hosted Agriculture and Rural Development Day (#rio4ag)

Tackling the illegal timber trade

Judy Loo, Theme Leader, Bioversity International's Forest Genetic Resources Programme, explains how using DNA and stable isotopes could be used to track logs and help identify species' geographic origin. This is the latest post from our On the Road to Rio campaign blog.

RIO+20 and sustainable agriculture: The International Treaty

In its Call to Action, CGIAR urges for an endorsement of the full implementation of International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Michael Halewood, Head of Bioversity's Policy Unit, explains why this is important for the future of sustainable agriculture in an interview published today on Alertnet.

Payment for Ecosystem Services applied to agricultural systems

New article available co-written by Bioversity senior scientist Fabrice DeClerck focuses on Payment for Ecosystem Services applied to agricultural systems and the ever-growing debate regarding the effectiveness of these programs for changing farmer behavior and enhancing conservation. Photo: N. Walls

CGIAR call to action featured in BBC

Bioversity International is part of the CGIAR call to action for Rio+20, calling for food security and sustainable agriculture to be at the top of the conference agenda. Bioversity is a member of the CGIAR. 15 research organizations have come together to jointly create the call to action, which they will present in June at Rio+20, the world conference on sustainable development.

Why understanding forest genetic resources is vital for future options

Laura Snook Programme Leader, Forest Genetic Resources Conservation and Use, talks about the need to harness the huge genetic diversity of different tree species to face challenges such as climate change and find sustainable ways to use and conserve it for our future. This video is the latest from our Rio+20 campaign blog.

A fork in the road to Rio: Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

The mountainous area around Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is one of the centres of origin for traditional fruit tree varieties such as apple, peach and pomegranate. Meet the farmers who, with support from Bioversity, are helping to put these trees back at the heart of local communities. This is the second in our series of farmer stories for Rio+20.

New timber tracking tools to bolster global fight against illegal logging

The Global Timber Tracking Network, coordinated by Bioversity International as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry, is leading efforts to promote the use of innovative control tools based on the application of DNA and stable isotope research to identify timber species and trace their origins. Photo: Tian Yake

Heading toward a food secure future: On the road to Rio

Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International launches our campaign blog: "I hope you will join us on the Road to Rio+20. Bioversity International is covering ground in the quest for sustainability – what it truly means and takes to deliver a food secure future for the people in the world who need it most".

Taking a serious look at gender issues – starting with ourselves

An independent scoping study of gender in CGIAR Research Programs noted that Trees, Forestry and Agroforestry had “integrated gender in original and effective ways”. An inception meeting for the program's genetic diversity of forests and trees component took this to heart, analyzing feedback from male and female participants. Photo:Hari Priyadi/CIFOR

CGIAR at Planet Under Pressure

Planet under Pressure, has opened today in London. The CGIAR is there showcasing innovations from research in global agricultural biodiversity, sustainable agricultural intensification, livestock and global change, climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture. Don't forget Bioversity will be hosting a live #abdchat tomorrow at 14:00 (CEST).

CGIAR appoints Dr. Frank Rijsberman as new CEO

The CGIAR Consortium has appointed Dr. Frank Rijsberman as its new CEO. Rijsberman is currently part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Development Program, leading a team tasked with alleviating the burden of water-borne diseases and improving access to sanitation, especially in Africa and Asia. Bioversity International is a CGIAR Consortium Research Centre.

CGIAR Consortium attains International Organization status

CGIAR research has played a major role in agricultural development and world food security for more than 40 years, in particular, helping to improve the livelihoods of billions of rural poor. Today, in an important landmark for the continuation of its research, the CGIAR Consortium achieved International Organization status and recognition. Bioversity International is one of the 15 CGIAR Consortium Research Centres.

Setting standards and best practices for genebank conservation

The conservation of crops, crop wild relatives and trees ensures the resources needed to adapt and enhance agriculture remain available for future generations. Clonal crops such as banana, cassava and potato, which are vegetatively propagated require different approaches for conservation.

Climate change models may help spur lawmakers to implement seed treaty

A new climate change tool will not only help farmers to prepare for the future, it may also spur implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

Science to tackle the illegal timber trade

It has been estimated that illegal logging is worth more than US$10 billion a year. The problem is that timber is difficult to identify, while documents are easy to falsify. A new Bioversity-led project, part of the CGIAR Research Programme on Forests, Trees and Agroforesty, aims to find scientific processes to pinpoint the species and geographic origin of timber.

Bringing neglected and underutilized species back to the table

"It is indeed possible to turn underutilized species into an effective instrument of development and improvement of peoples’ livelihood" - Bioversity scientists look back at the successes of the first UN global effort specifically devoted to the promotion of neglected and underutilized species.

Fire is essential for sustainable forest regeneration

Slash and burn agriculture results in the best regeneration of a rich diversity of valuable tropical timber species. This conclusion, based on years of research in the community-managed forests of Quintana Roo in Mexico, ought to be taken into account in forest management plans, which currently lean towards banning the use of fire.

CGIAR Research Programs

As part of its reorganisation, the Consortium of International Research Centers(CGIAR)adopted a new vision, of reducing poverty and hunger, improving human health and nutrition, and enhancing sustainable management of natural resources in the developing world. This vision will be delivered through four strategic system outcomes.