A Global Approach to Crop Diversity: Obstacles, Opportunities and Imperatives.

No country is independent in its capacity to conserve, provide and utilize plant genetic resources. Successful conservation and the provision of genetic resources to plant breeders will require substantial international cooperation, more than is currently evident. As a result, the existing “system” of national and other genebanks is neither very efficient nor fully effective and is in need of redesign and focus if it is to meet the needs of the future, helping to promote food security.

The coming into force of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources, the emergence of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, and the establishment of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault are major and positive achievements that point the way towards a more rational global system. Each faces obstacles, but each provides remarkable opportunities for contributing to the conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources.