Description
The world's ex situ collections of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) held by International Institutions, which include international and regional research entities, play a vital role in safeguarding the foundations of our food supply. Unfortunately, many of these international genebanks are currently not securely funded. To address this gap in resources, long-term support for the essential operations of key genebanks is provided by the endowment fund of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust), which is an essential element of the Funding Strategy of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Treaty). However, the resources available in the endowment fund are currently not sufficient to provide support to all international genebanks holding unique PGRFA, and several of these do not yet have the capacity to reach the performance targets that trigger eligibility for full long-term support.
Based on current funding gaps and donor consultations, the tree collection at the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), in Nairobi, Kenya is among those prioritized for support to essential operations. Now through this grant FAO, through the Secretariat of the International Treaty (OCBT), directly support the essential operations of ICRAF’s tree genebank.
