Experts call for action to address the loss of knowledge about plants
Concerned by the alarming loss of plant species, on 1-2 May international experts met in St Louis, USA, calling for a concerted worldwide effort to address the loss of essential knowledge about plants and their uses, especially at the level of local communities.
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
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Browse by Tag: Plant Genetic Resources
Jacob van Etten
Title: Senior Scientist, Theme Leader Climate Change Adaptation Duty post location: Americas Regional Office, Cali, Colombia Dr Jacob van Etten, a Dutch national, joined Bioversity in 2012 to lead the work on climate change adaptation. He has worked for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Mali, and for
Prem Narain Mathur
Title: Senior Scientist and South Asia Coordinator Prem N. Mathur, an Indian national, has been working at Bioversity International for the past 17 years and is currently the South Asia Coordinator. He is part of several Bioversity International global and regional project activities. These include: promoting the use of plant genetic
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.
How studying peach palm in tropical Latin America can help us understand the potential of diversity.
A new open access research paper looks at peach palm in tropical Latin America and its implications for biodiversity conservation, natural resource management and human nutrition, with contributions from scientists at CIAT, CIRAD and Bioversity International.
Maarten van Zonneveld
Maarten van Zonneveld, a Dutch national, joined Bioversity International in 2006. He is associate scientist of Bioversity working on conservation of economic plant diversity and characterization and selection of underutilized plant genetic resources.
International Course in Plant Conservation Biology - March, New Delhi, India 2013
If you are currently involved in seed science and conservation research, this specialist course could be for you. It covers in situ and ex situ approaches and will be delivered by expert scientists including from Bioversity International, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (India). Apply by January 16th.
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.
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.
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
A strategy to safeguard the future of chocolate
The vast global chocolate industry — worth more than US$100 billion a year — rests on shaky agricultural foundations. Millions of farmers have just a few trees each, and those trees are constantly under threat from a range of pests and diseases. Long-term, they need better trees. Photo: Bioversity/B. Sthapit
Access to genetic resources and genebanks - where are we in the process?
Thanks to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture the scene has been set for unprecedented levels of global co-operation for the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources. In practice, however, the situation is largely static. Bioversity Genetic Resources Policy Specialist Ronnie Vernooy reports.
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.
The role of global Crop Commons in supporting livelihoods and food security
Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International speaking at the International Association of the Study of the Commons conference today about the role of global Crop Commons in supporting livelihoods and food security. Watch it here - note Emile's speech starts at 55 mins.
Updated FAO/Bioversity Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors now available
Originally published in 2001, the ‘Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors’ (MCPD) is widely used as the international standard to facilitate germplasm passport information exchange. Now expanded to include emerging documentation needs, this new version resulted from consultation with more than 300 scientists from 187 institutions in 87 countries.
Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources 25 (1) 2012
A special issue to mark 25 years of the official journal of the Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources with contributions from some of our Bioversity scientists.
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.
Spatial analysis manual now available Spanish
Good news for Spanish-speaking readers interested in spatial analysis based on GIS applications. Our Training Manual on Spatial Analysis of Plant Diversity and Distribution, first published in 2010, is now available in Spanish.
Vacancy - Research Leader, Genetic Resources Informatics
Located in Bioversity's Headquarters near Rome, as a member of a global research team, the incumbent will provide scientific leadership, coordination and facilitation of ongoing and new research and global partnerships towards the development of a global genetic resources information system, including scientific standards and the development and adoption of tools to support information management by genebanks around the world.
Vacancy - Programme Leader, Commodity Genetic Resources, Production Systems and Value Chains
Located in Bioversity’s Office in Montpellier, France, as the leader of a global research team, the incumbent will lead, coordinate and facilitate ongoing and new research and global partnerships to lead to the development of a global programme on genetic resources, production systems and value chain management in bananas, cacao and coconut.
Vacancy - Programme Leader, Conservation and Availability of Genetic Resources
Located in Bioversity’s Headquarters near Rome, as the leader a global research team, the incumbent will provide scientific leadership, coordination and facilitation of ongoing and new research and global partnerships to lead to the development of a global programme on in situ conservation, i.e. in natural and managed habitats, of priority populations of useful wild plant species, with particular attention to crop wild relatives.
USDA launch information system for world's genebanks
The US Department of Agriculture, partnering with Bioversity International and the Global Crop Diversity Trust, launch an Internet-based information management system for the world's plant genebanks. Genebanks support global food production security goals by ensuring access to plant genetic resources (Photo: Keith Weller)
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.
The value of conserving coffee diversity
Coffee is not only one of the most popular drinks in the world, but also the world's most valuable agricultural export commodity and the source of income for many smallholder farmers in the developing world. Yet coffee diversity is at risk and its not easy to conserve. Could cryopreservation be the answer?
Atlas of Guatemalan Crop Wild Relatives
A unique web resource designed to facilitate the conservation and use of wild plant species that are related to cultivated crops in Guatemala.
Atlas of Guatemalan Crop Wild Relatives (full article)
A new interactive online resource for genetic resources conservation and use
Marking 10 years of the International Treaty
'A promising start but more to be done' - the general consensus agreed at an international event held in Rome to mark 10 years of the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Collective policy action to safeguard food security
Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security book launched during FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture - 21 July 2011
The Musa International Transit Centre - Bioversity Impact Assessment
User feedback on the impact of Bioversity's International Transit Centre
Users assess the impact of Bioversity's Banana Transit Centre
How well does Bioversity's International Transit Centre (ITC) serve its users? A recent impact assessment study aimed to find out.
Musa International Transit Centre
Bioversity's International Transit Centre (ITC), hosted at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, is home to the world’s largest collection of banana and plantain germplasm.
Pre-breeding for Effective Use of Plant Genetic Resources – a new e-learning course
This course combines conventional germplasm management and plant breeding with novel molecular biology and analytical techniques, designed primarily for plant breeders and germplasm curators.
How would you develop a genetic conservation strategy to safeguard an endangered tree species?
Module 1 of the new Forest Genetic Resources training guide is now available. It uses problem-based case studies to examine how genetic issues play a key part in conservation strategy planning.
Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security - a new publication
The latest Earthscan book in the series 'Issues in Agricultural Biodiversity' takes a look at the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Stemming the spread of cacao pests and diseases
Updated guidelines for the safe movement of cacao germplasm take into account increased risk of pests and diseases.
Forest Genetic Resources - Module 1
The use of genetic information in the development of conservation strategies for individual species of varying genetic characteristics in different types of landscapes.
A common language for plant resources
A new impact assessment study looks at the effectiveness of Bioversity's Descriptor lists, a series of publications that aim to standardise the way plant resources are documented.
Capturing and sharing information on genetic resources
A look at the usefulness of Bioversity's Descriptor Lists to a range of users and their value in promoting collaboration and plant genetic resources information exchange.
Placing biodiversity in trust for the future: Bioversity Impact Assessment
The second of our impact assessment briefs describes the influence of 'In Trust Agreements' set up by Bioversity to protect CGIAR genebanks during a period of legislative uncertainty.
Placing biodiversity 'in trust' for the future: Bioversity impact assessment
The second in our series of impact assessment publications examines the influence of ‘In Trust’ agreements set up by Bioversity in 1994 in response to changes in the legislative environment.
A tribute to Professor Gian Tommaso Scarascia-Mugnozza
Bioversity pays tribute to Professor Gian Tommaso Scarascia-Mugnozza who died this weekend, aged 85, after a long illness.
Other fellowships and scholarships
fellowships scholarships organized by Bioversity partners
New online learning tool - International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
A new learning module for plant genetic resource practitioners who need to understand the legal and policy environment is launched today.
Descriptor lists and derived standards
Descriptors are the basis of major information platforms such as GENESYS and EURISCO, and also the FAO World Information and Early Warning System.
Sharing information
Gathering and sharing information about our agricultural biodiversity is vital to its conservation and use, for farmers, scientists, conservationists and breeders.
Forest genetic resources training guide
This guide informs practitioners and decision-makers about the value of forest genetic resources in the sustainable management of forests and trees.
Future of Italian fruit tree collection in doubt
A rare collection of figs, sour cherries, pears and apples faces an uncertain future in southern Italy.
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: Implementing the Multilateral System - Learning Module
A module to help professionals who work in plant genetic resources understand the impact and the working of the International Treaty and use its standard material transfer agreement (SMTA) to enhance the transfer of genetic resources.
Farmers have a field day in Rajasthan
90 farmers, 12 scientists, 21 pearl millet landraces and a borrowed bus celebrate agrobiodiversity in India.
Regenerating Andean Crop Collections
Bioversity scientist, Jesús María Salcedo, reports on work to keep genebank accessions viable in the Americas.
Home Gardens: Neglected hotspots of agricultural and cultural diversity
More attention should be given to conserving agro-biodiversity in home gardens and farmers' fields according to a recently published article from Bioversity scientists.
Last seeds of hope for Pavlovsk
Bioversity International and UNEP have jointly appealed to both the Russian Minister of Agriculture and the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment urging them to help save the genebank at Pavlovsk Experimental Station.
Russia will "scrutinize" Pavlovsk decision
President Medvedev announces Pavlovsk Experiment Station land transfer "to be scrutinised".
Brazil holds successful genetic resources meeting
The First Brazilian Congress on Genetic Resources provided an opportunity for genebank curators and plant breeders to share the latest developments in descriptors and informatics with Bioversity staff.
Multi-Institutional Distance Learning Course in Ex Situ Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources
This course covers basic concepts of plant genetic resources, germplasm acquisition, conservation, characterization, documentation and germplasm bank management. Download it here.
The Treaty and the CGIAR Centres
On 16 October, 2006 - World Food Day - the eleven CGIAR Centres which hold ex situ collections of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) signed agreements
The Treaty's multilateral system of access and benefit-sharing
Governments negotiating the Convention on Biological Diversity realized that the Convention was not appropriate, for example, for the existing ex situ collections of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture held around the world
A brief history of the Treaty
For thousands of years there were no international laws governing genetic resources. Farmers and plant breeders were free to exchange seeds and plant propagating material
Law and Policy of Relevance to the Management of Plant Genetic Resources
A course for professionals who manage, conserve and use plant genetic resources (PGR) for food and agriculture in developing countries, and/or have policy-making responsibilities, to navigate through the policy environment.
Agrobiodiversity Education
Bioversity partners with tertiary education institutions and networks to facilitate and lobby for the integration of agrobiodiversity into courses and degree programmes.
 | Bioversity International is a member of the CGIAR consortium |
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This work by Bioversity International is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. |
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