CIAT Genebank takes care of the globally largest collections of key crops underpinning the supply of carbohydrates and plant/animal proteins in tropical food systems, namely beans (Phaseolus species), cassava (Manihot species), and forages (legumes and grasses).
Plant genetic resources such as traditional varieties, modern cultivars and wild relatives provide a “genetic-insurance policy” against threats to global food security.
CIAT Genebank, one of the eleven international CGIAR genebanks, operates within the framework of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). It is largely funded through the Genebank Platform coordinated by the Crop Trust.CIAT provides all plant materials (as seeds or plantlets in test tubes) free of charge to any individual or organization anywhere in the world for the purposes of research, breeding, or training for food and agriculture under the terms of the ITPGRFA.
Since its inception, CIAT’s genebank has distributed more than half a million samples from 141 countries to requesters in more than 160 countries. (Genebanks are places where plants (as seeds or plantlets in test tubes) are catalogued, conserved for the long term, and made available for distribution. Genebanks are not just biodiversity repositories but assist breeders and researchers in the selection of appropriate materials for genetic improvement and research. They also directly provide seeds or planting materials to farmers).
Problem addressed: Need for preserving agricultural species under threat due to climate change or conflicts. Improved food security.
CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture)
Headquarters:
Tel: +57 2 4450000
Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira CP 763537
Apartado Aéreo 6713, Cali,
Colombia
https://ciat.cgiar.org/what-we-do/crop-conservation-and-use/
Sources: Farm Journal "AGPRO" website and CIAT website
https://www.agprofessional.com/article/update-worlds-15-largest-seed-ba…
https://ciat.cgiar.org/what-we-do/crop-conservation-and-use/