Bioversity International

The Global Crop Diversity Trust

Cary Fowler became Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in August

The realization of a dream — a dream that has the potential to benefit the whole world — came closer to reality over the past 12 months with the legal creation of the Global Crop Diversity Trust. Under 'construction' for a...

Norway to build 'fail-safe' conservation site on Arctic archipelago

Svalbard has a large polar bear population (the sign reads 'polar bears are everywhere in Svalbard').

The Government of Norway recently initiated planning for the construction of an international seed depository to serve as an ultimate 'fail-safe' back-up facility for genebanks. The facility will be established near the town of...

Agrobiodiversity can heal wounds

Diverse seed colours reflect Rwanda’s amazing bean diversity, which survived the 1994 conflict.

In an initiative called 'Healing Wounds,' the Future Harvest Centres of the CGIAR assessed their nearly three decades of experience in helping countries rebuild agricultural production following conflicts and natural disasters....

Rebuilding lives after the tsunami

IPGRI staff were delighted to learn that Nita Kalupahanage, who was featured in the 2004 IPGRI calendar, escaped from the tsunami. Although she was dragged out to sea by the waves she was able to cling to a tree and survived.

On 26 December, 2004, at 00:59 GMT, an earthquake unleashed a massive tsunami that travelled thousands of kilometres across the Indian Ocean, wreaking havoc on the coasts of Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India and taking...

The EU Novel Food Regulation: an unintended trade barrier

Despite its long history of use in Polynesia as a source of traditional food and medicine, noni had to be temporarily withdrawn from the

Scientists have long believed that the abundant crop diversity available in many developing countries could enrich the food baskets of European consumers. Consumers agree. Today, tourism, the food habits introduced by...

Understanding the value of diversity

Agricultural biodiversity can help strengthen the resilience of farm systems. In the Yunnan province of China—a PLEC site -- farmers grow several varieties of rice to protect their crop against pests and diseases.

For years, the Mazahua, a community of indigenous people living in the hills of Mexico, have grown a variety of black maize that produces blue tortillas, a traditional food that the Mazahuans value highly, not only for its...

The Fruit Book helps Brazilian communities understand the value of their forests

The Fruit Book has been particularly important for empowering women by giving them proof of the value of their forest products.

If you were travelling along the Capim River, a tributary of the Amazon in Brazil, and were hard pressed for something to read, you might consider a rather special book entitled, 'Fruit Trees and Useful Plants in the Lives of ...

Loss of cultural diversity a serious threat

More than 200 languages have become extinct in the Pacific.

It is well documented that the loss of biodiversity threatens the health of both humanity and the environment. However, the loss of cultural diversity may pose a threat that, although not as evident, is just as serious. In a...

The many faces of taro: the revival of Hawaii's favourite crop

Eleele Naioea is a popular taro variety in Hawaii.

In Hawaii, the extraordinary value of taro is manifest in its numerous important roles: as a staple food, as a figure of legend and as a symbol of cultural identity. Taro—or kalo as it is called in Hawaii—has been cultivated in...

Armed conflict the leading cause of world hunger

Rwandan women carry bags of bean seed through a war-damaged grove of banana trees.

Armed conflict is now the leading cause of hunger according to recent findings by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). “Conflict destroys lives, opportunities and environments and may be one of the...

Impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture continues to grow

Children orphaned by AIDS prepare a meal of matoke, a local dish made with bananas. AIDS has a huge impact on local knowledge systems. Without parents to teach them about their main means of livelihood, farming, many orphans are left struggling to make

In 2004, nearly 5 million people became infected with the HIV virus according to figures released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This brings the worldwide total to 39.4 million. In 2004...

Wild relatives for better crop performance

Wild relatives of crops such as the brassicas have great potential to assist in crop improvement.

A scrubby wild plant could hold the key to agricultural improvements of enormous value to struggling farmers and the nutrient-deprived poor. The wild relatives of crops, which include crop ancestors as well as other species...

Unlocking the genetic vault

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) conserves more than 100 000 strains and varieties of rice (each is referred to as an 'accession'). Many of these comprise a mixture of different genotypes. Each rice genotype—the...

Safeguarding date palm diversity through partnership

Am (or uncle) Slimane has been an important supporter of the date palm project in Algeria.

In 2001, IPGRI launched a project to safeguard the diversity of date palm in three countries of the Maghreb region of North Africa—Algeria,Morocco and Tunisia. Four years into the project, a great deal of progress has been made...

Ancient plants get a new lease on life

The Wollemi pine was discovered growing in a rainforest gorge situated within the 500 000 hectare Wollemi National Park in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney. Wollemi pines will soon be available

The year 2005 has been exciting for plant scientists and archaeologists alike. A 2000-year-old date palm seed, found at an excavation site in Jerusalem and a tree species dating back to Jurassic times have found important new...

DNA banks: a worldwide survey

Despite its usefulness in research and conservation, storage of plant DNA is not commonly employed.

Like plant tissue, isolated plant DNA can be stored, enabling the conservation of the genetic make up of plants like seedless banana varieties that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to maintain. The difference between...

New World Fruits Database

Aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa) is one of the fruits featured in the database.

The Americas are home to many potentially valuable fruit species whose potential has not been fully realized. Papaya and pineapple, for example, are well known and cultivated. Sweet granadilla, sapodilla and babaco are less...

Agrobiodiversity and art: painting contest attracts young students

Some of the winning entries from the Agrobiodiversity and Art Contest sponsored by a GEF project on drylands agrobiodiversity.

Few would say that crayons and water-colours have much to do with agrobiodiversity. However, in the hands of young students these school supplies can give shape and colour to the value placed on the diverse crops grown by their...

Organic bananas in Peru

The Chira river in northern Peru, home to the country’s organic banana industry.

Banana production in northern Peru was already struggling when tropical storms caused by the El Niño hit in 1997 leaving devastated fields in their wake. While the damage was heaviest on the coast, the Chira Valley, some 50 km...

Trade and totomoxtle

Fears that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) could endanger small-scale maize production in Mexico may be relieved, thanks to the innovations of farmers.

In Veracruz, farmers have been able to stave off a feared...