Bioversity International Celebrating 45 Years of Agrobiodiversity Research

45th anniversary

Bioversity International Celebrating 45 Years of Agrobiodiversity Research Contents

Juan Lucas Restrepo Welcome...... 7 Julia Marton-Lefèvre Welcome...... 9 Our journey so far...... 10 Today’s strategic priorities...... 15 Our research on bananas...... 18 Our research on trees...... 20 Our work on neglected and underutilized species...... 22 Bioversity International and CGIAR...... 24 Bioversity International and Italy...... 26 Meet Our Staff: Evelyn Clancy, Josephine Luzon and Dario Valori...... 28

SAFEGUARD 31

Collecting in the 1980s: first forays in Africa...... 32 Collecting today: wild relatives of bananas...... 34 How to store seeds long term...... 36 The world’s largest banana genebank...... 38 Freezing time: preserving plant genetic resources forever...... 40 The state of the world’s plant genetic resources...... 42 The state of the world’s forest genetic resources...... 44 A 10-year road map for Mesoamerica...... 46 Securing chocolate’s future...... 48 Coconuts...... 50 Incentives to conserve agrobiodiversity...... 52 Developing the science of on-farm conservation...... 54 Date palms in North Africa...... 56 Mapping threats to tree species...... 58 Crop wild relatives...... 60 30 years in China...... 62 Community seedbanks...... 64 Establishing the Crop Trust...... 66 Reflections from Leadership: The beginning...... 68 Meet our Staff: Karol Araya, Qi Wei and Silvia Araujo de Lima...... 70

PLANT 73

Making the most of crop collections...... 74 ‘Germ-free’ germplasm...... 76 System-wide Genetic Resources Programme...... 78 Descriptors: A common language for crops...... 80 Ontologies: The science of connecting disconnected data...... 82 Genesys: Genebank data at your fingertips...... 84 Know your banana: The Musa Germplasm Information System...... 86 Unravelling the banana genome...... 88 The Genetic Resources Policy Initiative...... 90 Resilient seed systems...... 92 ECPGR: The European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources...... 94 Banana research networks for innovation...... 96 Strengthening capacity...... 98 Cultivating plant genetic resource leaders...... 100 The Vavilov-Frankel Fellowship: Experiences of a Fellow...... 102 From Rome to the world: spreading the word about agricultural biodiversity...... 104 Traditional knowledge: recognizing farmers as equal knowledge-holders...... 106 Seeds for Needs: Ethiopia...... 108 Seeds for Needs: India...... 110 Reflections from Leadership: Becoming Bioversity International...... 112 Meet our Staff: Rose Taremwa and Francis Njoroge...... 114

PRODUCE 117

Why farmers value agricultural biodiversity...... 118 Increasing gender equality and social inclusion...... 120 Tropical fruit trees...... 122 Central Asia fruit and nut trees...... 124 Empowering farmers in the Sahel...... 126 Ecological solutions give banana production a boost...... 128 Battling a devastating banana disease...... 130 Diversity bugs pests...... 132 Biodiversity, a means or an end?...... 134 Home gardens...... 136 Community forestry: a win-win solution...... 138 Regreening degraded landscapes...... 140 Resilience through landscape diversity...... 142 Traditional crops on the rise in the mountains of Nepal...... 144 Reflections from Leadership: The last decade...... 146 Meet our Staff: Mateo Garzon and Nina Jakobi...... 148 CONSUME 151

Food biodiversity for better health and nutrition...... 152 African leafy vegetables...... 154 How nutrition became part of the biodiversity agenda...... 156 Biodiversity for food and nutrition...... 158 A new life for forgotten crops...... 160 Food tree species in West Africa...... 162 Tackling vitamin A deficiency with banana diversity...... 164 Back on the menu...... 166 Meet our Staff: Safal Khatiwada and Sonal Dsouza...... 168

Bringing it all together 171

Making an impact at Bioversity...... 172 The Agrobiodiversity Index...... 174

If you want to know more 177

Thank you to our partners 183

Research and implementation partners...... 185 Funding partners...... 192 Governments, intergovernmental institutions and other funding partners...... 193

Juan Lucas Restrepo

2019–today: Director General, Bioversity International/CEO-Designate of the Alliance

Juan Lucas Restrepo Welcome

This book looks back on 45 years of Today it is widely accepted that we faced with, a quest that has been excellence in research for development need to fix the food system and that successful for the past 45 years. It is an since Bioversity International was this change must include a greater honour for me to take over the reins of established in 1974 as the International use of agricultural biodiversity on our Bioversity International at this time, as we Board for Plant Genetic Resources. It is the farms and on our plates. The landmark move towards establishing an Alliance result of a crowdsourced approach with 2019 EAT–Lancet Commission on Healthy with the International Center for Tropical short contributions written by past and Diets from Sustainable Food says: “Food Agriculture (CIAT). Again, as we have present staff members, Directors General in the Anthropocene represents one of done many times during our history, we and Board Chairs. the greatest health and environmental address decisively this new opportunity challenges of the 21st century,” and to perform better and further meet our With 45 years to select from, this book is recommends that “production needs to vision and dreams. I am sure we will not an exhaustive documentation of our focus on a diverse range of nutritious continue to draw on our experience and work, but a representative sample chosen foods from biodiversity-enhancing food past success in building our Alliance. to celebrate some important moments, production systems rather than the themes and characters over the years. increased volume of a few crops.” We hope it gives a sense of the passion and rigour that we have for safeguarding As the reader will learn when reading and using agricultural biodiversity as this work, our story is full of change the foundations of agriculture and food that allowed us to adapt to the external systems. environment and challenges we were

Julia Marton-Lefèvre

Chair, Board of Trustees, Bioversity International

Julia Marton-Lefèvre Welcome

I have served as the Chair of Bioversity Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). Uniquely, we extend our sincere appreciation for International’s Board of Trustees from we entered into these discussions to her leadership and dedication during her 2016 – a role that is both a pleasure and explore a strong stratewe gic partnership tenure. an honour. to enhance our impact to achieve food systems and landscapes that sustain the We also extend a warm welcome to During my tenure, I have got to know planet, drive prosperity and nourish Juan Lucas Restrepo, the new Director many of the members of Bioversity people. General of Bioversity International and International’s staff, and I am consistently Chief Executive Officer-Designate of impressed by the talent, energy and In 2018, we signed a Memorandum of the Alliance. Restrepo joins us from commitment of the researchers and the Understanding that outlines the common Agrosavia, the Colombian Corporation for people providing operational support to mission, vision and strategic objectives of Agricultural Research, bringing decades deliver important results on the ground. the Alliance. The Alliance will build on of experience and a proven record of Bioversity International has every reason Bioversity International’s history, along accomplishment improving the capacity, to be proud of its 45-year history of with CIAT’s 52 years, with the view that quality, effectiveness and impact of nourishing people in a way that continues together we will be able to seriously agricultural research-for-development to sustain our planet. increase the impact of our mission and organizations. our work. For the past year we have focused I congratulate Bioversity International not only on strengthening Bioversity In this anniversary year we said farewell on its first 45th year and look forward to International’s capacity but in building to Ann Tutwiler, who served as Director celebrating continued successes in the an Alliance with a sister CGIAR Research General, Bioversity International, since years to come. Centre, the International Center for 2013. On behalf of the Board and staff, Our journey so far

Genetic diversity of food crops and Plantain (INIBAP) to form Bioversity has been at the heart of Bioversity International, emphasizing our interest International’s mission for its 45 years in the contributions of agricultural of existence, since it was established biodiversity beyond plant genetic as the International Board for Plant resources. Each additional perspective Genetic Resources (IBPGR). From an maps roughly to one of our four current initial focus on collecting and conserving strategic objectives: safeguard, plant, crop genetic resources, over the decades produce and consume. Our work began as our research agenda has evolved, with a coordinating role, supporting national each evolutionary step adding a new programmes in their endeavours, and perspective on plant genetic diversity this has largely remained our modus research. Our name has evolved too to operandi, conducting research in response reflect changing priorities, first to the to national and global concerns through International Plant Genetic Research networks and partnerships. Institute (IPGRI) in 1993, and then merging IPGRI with the International Network for the Improvement of Banana

10 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Safeguard (1974–present) hundreds of scientists who went on to International Musa Transit Centre (ITC) run these genebanks, and developed in Belgium, which is now one of the most The original Terms of Reference conservation protocols and genebank significant repositories of cryopreserved established for Bioversity International standards. We coordinated regional and germplasm in the world. Another research (as IBPGR – the International Board for global network conservation activities, challenge was to understand the extent Plant Genetic Resources) were remarkably supported collection of threatened and distribution of genetic diversity, and long-sighted. They set the foundations germplasm and organized research on the threats to it, in order to prioritize what for the work of the organization for the priority problems. During the early 2000s, to safeguard. following 45 years through its various IPGRI helped establish the Crop Trust incarnations. Ten years into the Green to ensure the long-term financing of the From an original focus on safeguarding Revolution, it seemed that modern high- major genebanks through an endowment major food crops in genebanks, our yielding crop varieties would sweep fund. conservation focus started to widen from through the world’s fields wiping out the mid-1990s in four major ways. The traditional farmers’ varieties of the major Although IBPGR was not initially set first is that it now includes hundreds of crops. The success of modern breeding up as a research centre, soon research crop species of great local importance but was undermining its own future by began because we needed to understand largely neglected. The second is a focus eliminating the genetic diversity on how best to store seeds for long periods. on conservation of valuable tree genetic which breeders depend. IBPGR set out We investigated the optimal storage resources and the wild relatives of crops on a race against time to collect as much conditions for seeds that can be stored in situ in their natural surroundings. The genetic diversity as possible of priority under cold dry conditions (orthodox third is a growing focus on safeguarding crops (primarily major food crops) and to seeds). Another question was how to agricultural biodiversity on farm at ensure it was conserved for posterity. conserve crops whose seeds are more different levels, from genetic diversity challenging to preserve, or which do not through to landscape diversity. The fourth In 1974, there were about eight genebanks have seeds at all. This almost 30-year is a global mandate on safeguarding around the world. Over the next decades programme of work on in vitro storage banana diversity, following the 1994 IBPGR assisted in the establishment of and cryopreservation included studies merger with INIBAP. genebanks all over the world, trained at our banana genebank, the Bioversity

11 Plant (1987–present) Public awareness was a new foray. We where appropriate, to facilitate the return launched the newsletter Geneflow, and of benefits to the originating country. 1987 saw the start of a new strategy for participated in many global events The late 1980s witnessed a shift in the the International Board for Plant Genetic such as the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. global paradigm for considering plant Resources (IBPGR). While collecting We started to translate research into genetic resources from a principle of a and safeguarding activities had always action by integrating research results common heritage for [hu]mankind to a been carried out with breeders in into training programmes, including a principle of national sovereignty, with mind, the links to use, in other words long collaboration with the University subsequent decreasing access. When the getting materials in farmers’ hands and of Birmingham. We also carried Food and Agriculture Organization of the planted in fields, had not been explicitly out capacity strengthening through UN (FAO) and national governments, in addressed. From the late 1980s, the fellowships in which researchers could response to this shift, started to work on organization focused on different ways tackle a biodiversity-related question an International Treaty for Plant Genetic of strengthening the interface between in agriculture or natural resource Resources for Food and Agriculture germplasm conservation and its use. New management. and a Multilateral System for sharing activities focused on characterizing and germplasm, we provided critical technical describing the diversity, and developing We expanded our research on using support. systems to provide access to this genetic resources to understand seed information and material. Over the years, systems and how germplasm flowed from we produced descriptors for over 100 crop one place to another, including traditional species, providing a common language knowledge about the crop varieties and for cataloguing collections. We developed species and their management and uses, information systems, like the Musa and gendered knowledge systems. Germplasm Information System. The System-wide Information Network for At the same time, we were providing Genetic Resources (SINGER) brought all technical and legal support to countries the CGIAR genebanks’ online databases to ensure that they could easily transfer together. disease-free requested materials and,

12 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Produce (1994–present) consumer demand – but repeatedly and autonomy of rural communities. we found that smallholder farmers Important areas of focus are production A turning point came in 1993, with maintained their own varieties alongside systems based on banana cultivation, a new name, the International Plant modern ones in integrated systems. priority tree species that communities Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). This Farmers valued their heritage varieties depend on, sustainable farming systems, came with a new strategy ‘Diversity for for many reasons: for example, taste, the interactions between gender and Development’ and a broader approach, resilience to drought or pests, low biodiversity conservation and use, and which took account of socioeconomic input needs and cultural practices. This neglected and underused species and and cultural aspects of conserving plant discovery transformed our research varieties. genetic resources. This reflected growing agenda: agricultural biodiversity has global concerns about sustainable importance beyond its indisputable value development and a new multilateral as a source of traits for breeders, and one biodiversity treaty, the Convention on way to conserve it is to enhance those Biological Diversity, opened for signature immediate benefits to farmers. by countries at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. We began a work programme lasting The recognition of the roles of agricultural over 20 years across nine countries to biodiversity in smallholder farmers’ understand on-farm conservation. livelihood strategies has taken on even greater salience as the world looks for Until now, we had thought that the sustainable solutions that produce food greatest threat to conservation of that is more nutritious without creating genetic diversity was that farmers were negative environmental impacts. Our abandoning traditional varieties for research now combines modern science improved ones. This proved not to be with farmer knowledge to understand the only reason. Yes, genetic diversity how best to use biodiversity in production at all levels was under threat – from systems that are resilient, sustainable, low urbanization, climate change, changing input, and that support the well-being

13 Consume (2006–present) change, because access to a wide variety We explore the contributions that food of food groups is crucial to a healthy biodiversity, supplied by integrated From our research on the value of and sustainable diet, and local species farming systems, can provide to agricultural biodiversity to farmers represent a basket of easily available sustainable diets in rural and urban in traditional systems such as home options. areas. We work in a gender-sensitive way gardens, it was becoming clear that to bring back local food biodiversity to food biodiversity underpins dietary In 2006, we adopted our new name improve nutrition and livelihoods. diversity, which in turn promotes good Bioversity International, and the nutrition. In the early 2000s, the World Convention on Biological Diversity asked Health Organization announced that us together with FAO to jointly take the non-communicable diseases, such as lead on developing the evidence base for cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, a cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity had overtaken communicable diseases as for food and nutrition. Research so far the main cause of death, and launched a indicates that many local plant species major endeavour to tackle that through and varieties, including many food better diets. Cereals and starchy crops trees, are nutrient rich and only require were at the heart of the Green Revolution, low inputs, so could make a greater but many vegetables, nuts, fruits and contribution to good diets and improved small grains needed to provide a healthy, nutrition. Our research agenda looks diverse diet had been neglected by at the whole plate as well as individual research and markets. That needed to ingredients.

14 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Today’s strategic priorities

Increasing the sustainable use of Bioversity International’s strategic agricultural and tree biodiversity in objectives are to diversify diets, production and consumption production systems, seeds and planting systems plays an important part in material, and safeguard biodiversity. solving today’s challenges – reduce global malnutrition, adapt to climate change, To achieve these objectives, Bioversity increase productivity and reduce risk, and International integrates its research address shrinking food diversity. portfolio into three initiatives.

15 1974 1987 1994 2002 2012 2016 CGIAR sets up the International IBPGR becomes fully IPGRI merges with INIBAP IPGRI represents CGIAR at the Bioversity scientists contribute to Bioversity launches the concept Board for Plant Genetic Resources autonomous from FAO Earth Summit, Johannesburg an international effort on for an Agrobiodiversity Index, a (IBPGR), a major effort to collect sequencing one of the founding tool to measure agrobiodiversity genetic resources, hosted at the genomes of banana and identify concrete actions to Food and Agriculture Organization achieve diverse and sustainable of the UN (FAO) food systems

1980 1987 1994 2004 2012 2017 Supporting its collecting effort, New IBPGR strategy starts The System-wide Genetic Resource Negotiations completed for the Bioversity and FAO launch Sustainable Bioversity launches the agship IBPGR starts researching strengthening links between Programme is set up, coordinated by International Treaty on Plant Diets and Biodiversity: Directions and publication Mainstreaming conservation methods to ensure conservation and use of plant IPGRI, to harmonize approaches to Genetic Resources for Food and Solution for Policy, Research and Agrobiodiversity in Sustainable Food that the collected materials would diversity managing genetic resources across Agriculture with important Action, an important initiative towards Systems. The book summarizes the be safeguarded effectively CGIAR, and the CGIAR collections are contributions from IPGRI on behalf diets which are healthy for people and most recent evidence on how to use put in trust under the auspices of FAO of the major genebanks protective of the environment agrobiodiversity to provide nutritious foods through harnessing natural 1983 1992 1995 2006 2014 processes The International Undertaking is IBPGR represents CGIAR at the Rio FAO launches the rst State of the INIBAP and IPGRI begin working FAO launches the rst ever State adopted by the state members of Earth Summit World’s Plant Genetic Resources under the name Bioversity of the World’s Forest Genetic the Commission on Plant Genetic for Food and Agriculture with International, reecting an Resources and the Global Plan of Resources. Under this non legally substantial technical support from expansion from plant genetic Action with strong inputs from binding agreement, states agree IPGRI resources only, to agricultural Bioversity scientists that plant genetic resources are a biodiversity from gene to heritage of [hu]mankind and not landscape level subject to restrictions

1985 1992 1996 2006 2015–2030 2018 IBPGR becomes a CGIAR Centre The UN Convention on Biological The International Technical Conference Bioversity and FAO invited to lead Sustainable Development Goals Bioversity forms an Alliance with Diversity is signed by 150 on Plant Genetic Resources rati es a the 'Biodiversity for Food and the International Centre for government leaders at the 1992 global plan of action for the better Nutrition' cross-cutting initiative Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Rio Earth Summit conservation and use of plant genetic launched at the Convention on resources important for food and Biological Diversity 8th Conference agriculture, based on the State of the of the Parties World Report

1985 1993 2000–2015 2009 2015 The International Network for the IBPGR becomes the International Millennium Development Goals Bioversity launches a new Refreshed strategy with three new Improvement of Banana and Plant Genetic Resources Institute approach research initiatives: Healthy diets Plantain (INIBAP) is created to (IPGRI) ‘Seeds for Needs’ from sustainable food systems; address the threat of new disease to help farmers adapt to climate Productive and resilient farms and epidemics change forests; Effective genetic resources conservation and use

1985 1993 2002 2010 2015 IBPGR scientists start discussing IPGRI launches a new strategy, IPGRI and FAO found the Crop FAO launches the second State of Paris Agreement on Climate the idea of a ‘backup storage’ in with a focus on people: Trust, an endowment fund to the World’s Plant Genetic Resources Change the Svalbard permafrost to ensure ethnobotany, traditional knowledge provide stable funding to the for Food and Agriculture, with a permanent backup of all major and on-farm management world’s major genebanks signi cant technical support from crop collections systems Bioversity

16 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research 1974 1987 1994 2002 2012 2016 CGIAR sets up the International IBPGR becomes fully IPGRI merges with INIBAP IPGRI represents CGIAR at the Bioversity scientists contribute to Bioversity launches the concept Board for Plant Genetic Resources autonomous from FAO Earth Summit, Johannesburg an international effort on for an Agrobiodiversity Index, a (IBPGR), a major effort to collect sequencing one of the founding tool to measure agrobiodiversity genetic resources, hosted at the genomes of banana and identify concrete actions to Food and Agriculture Organization achieve diverse and sustainable of the UN (FAO) food systems

Our research on bananas

165 million tonnes of bananas (Musa spp.) of banana improvement, largely in focus was on the safe movement of are produced a year in over 130 countries. response to the threat of the emerging banana germplasm, breeding, disease They are an important staple food crop disease Black leaf streak (black Sigatoka). management and conservation. Later for 400 million people and an essential Unlike other international agricultural this expanded to include banana source of income for thousands of rural research centres, it took a novel network production and processing, genomics and households in low-income countries. approach. In 1991, INIBAP became a bioinformatics. Bananas include cooked and dessert types CGIAR centre and in 1994, a programme and comprise numerous ‘subgroups’ such of Bioversity International (as IPGRI – the Edible bananas are seedless and therefore as plantains. There are thought to be International Plant Genetic Resources require unique conditions for their ex situ nearly 80 wild banana species and more Institute). In 2006, INIBAP and IPGRI conservation. The Bioversity International than 1,000 varieties worldwide. joined forces and adopted the name Musa Germplasm Transit Centre (ITC) Bioversity International. Since 2012, was established in 1985 at KU Leuven, Banana-related research at Bioversity Bioversity’s banana group has been a Belgium, where it now conserves over International began in 1985, when partner of the CGIAR Research Program 1,550 banana accessions from 37 countries the International Network for the on Roots, Tubers and Bananas. in an in vitro collection. Over 1,000 of these Improvement of Banana and Plantain accessions are conserved in perpetuity via (INIBAP) was founded. It was established The banana programme organized cryopreservation. The ITC also serves as a to promote the conservation and safe research through working groups and safety backup for national genebanks and exchange of genetic resources in support four regional networks. The initial ensures that germplasm is clean of pests

18 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

and diseases and freely available under an In 2016, following a 2-year consultation by ProMusa, Bioversity’s banana agreement set by the International Treaty with over 100 stakeholders, Bioversity knowledge-sharing platform. on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and updated the Global Strategy for the Agriculture. Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic The founders of INIBAP back in 1985 may Resources (first launched in 2006), a not have realized that their proposal for A significant milestone occurred in 2012, core reference and roadmap for the a banana network would provide such when Bioversity was involved in the first banana community for the next ten wide-reaching inspiration so many years ever sequencing of the banana whole years. MusaNet, the global banana later. reference genome, which has led to the genetic resources network coordinated discovery of important links between by Bioversity, has a mandate to further Rachel Chase genetics and desirable traits. Big data tools develop and implement the strategy. and electronic communication have also 2013–today: Research Assistant, Musa Genetic opened new opportunities for regional To disseminate the fruits of its research, Resources Team collaboration in banana mapping, climate Bioversity builds capacity in the banana- change readiness, cultivar testing, producing regions, for example MusaNet more efficient germplasm conservation, workshops on characterization and research priority setting and collaborative documentation in all the banana network projects. regions, while bi-annual symposia on production-related topics are coordinated

Our research on trees

Bioversity International is the only global pests and diseases; as well as defining the conservation and use of the genetic organization that carries out research the seasonality, nutritional values, diversity of trees in 1993, under the for development oriented towards flavours and characteristics of their fruits. leadership of Abdou Salam Ouedraogo. conserving the diversity within and Bioversity has focused on conserving the A major research area has been setting among populations of wild trees, with diversity within populations of the 100 or priorities for research among the nearly an eye to sustaining their populations so tree species that are considered by local 80,000 species of trees. Priority-setting in the wild.* Trees in natural forests and representatives to be most important in considers their value to rural people, woodlands are vital to rural people living different regions around the world, from the distribution of within-species in low-income countries, who obtain from Central Asia to Africa, Asia and Latin diversity among their populations and them: construction materials, food such as America. It is a daunting task. Whereas the threats to those wild populations. fruits, nuts, honey and edible caterpillars; a sample of a wheat population can be Another major field of research has been fuel to cook their food; and medicines. conserved in a small aluminium envelope methods for conservation, both in situ, And whereas the major food crops (maize, in a freezer, conserving a sample of a tree including setting aside protected areas wheat, rice) are grown across all the population requires thousands of hectares and management of wild populations in continents, people in different regions of forest. Why? First, because most tree utilized forests or woodlands; and ex situ, depend on thousands of different tree seeds from the tropics lack dormancy, based on tree seedbanks, field genebanks species that grow locally, which vary from so they can’t be stored – seeds either and botanical gardens as well as in vitro one region to another. germinate right away or they die; and and cryopreservation. second, because trees don’t breed true. The diversity within these wild trees Each seed is genetically different from its Bioversity established networks of contributes to their capacity to adapt parent tree. experts and decision-makers from to different environmental conditions, countries within each region to help them from drought to flooding, and resist Bioversity launched its programme on prioritize among species and implement

*Our fellow scientists and frequent collaborators at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) also carry out research on tree genetic resources, with an eye to their domestication and planting on farms.

20 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

research and policy initiatives through International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Laura K. Snook forest genetic resource networks: first and with the Tropical Agricultural in Europe (EUFORGEN); then in sub- Research and Higher Education Center 2018–today: Honorary Research Fellow Saharan Africa (SAFORGEN); Asia (CATIE), and with national partners in 2015–2018: Research Team Leader, Forest research centres, government agencies Pacific (APFORGEN) and Latin America Management and Restoration (LAFORGEN). Bioversity researchers and universities in countries around the collaborated closely with the Food and world. 2012–2015: Programme Leader, Forest Genetic Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Resources Conservation and Sustainable Use to develop and promote policy tools for A major focus of Bioversity’s forest genetic 2005–2012: Programme Director, Understanding the conservation and better use of the research in recent years has been forest genetic diversity of trees, playing a key landscape restoration: identifying sources and Managing Biodiversity role in developing the first report on the of high-value reproductive material and State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources promoting their conservation, while and the associated Global Plan of Action developing and providing tools and for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and approaches to ensure that tree seeds Development of Forest Genetic Resources, collected and planted are obtained both released in 2014. In this undertaking, and managed to ensure sufficient as well as the CGIAR Research Program genetic diversity. This is needed so that on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA), restored forests can regenerate naturally, launched in 2010, Bioversity collaborated adapting, from one generation to closely with fellow CGIAR scientists another, to changes in climate and other at the World Agroforestry Centre. environmental conditions. Through FTA, Bioversity has also worked in collaboration with the Center for

21 Our work on neglected and underutilized species

Can species that are locally important Unsustainable harvesting was posing a these crops in the Mediterranean and be deployed more widely in national, high threat to rocket genetic resources elsewhere. regional and global agriculture? Are there in the wild. The research showed how uses of local crops that can be improved emerging technologies (e.g. soilless In 1996, Bioversity played a major role in so that people benefit more? How does the cultivation and packaging for ready-to- getting a specific action on underutilized neglect of locally important crops threaten eat vegetables) along with domesticating species included in the Global Plan of their genetic base? And conversely, what wild species could improve the use, Action for Plant Genetic Resources for positive impacts might emerge if we conservation and consumption of rocket. Food and Agriculture by the Food and increase use of their genetic diversity and Today rocket is a commodity crop around Agriculture Organization of the UN associated knowledge? the world, in part thanks to our work (FAO). This was an important step to raise popularizing it and finding ways to grow awareness about the value of these species In 1994, these key research questions it sustainably. among decision-makers around the world. led to the Underutilized Mediterranean Species project, focusing on four key Einkorn (the now well-loved ‘farro’), a The Underutilized Mediterranean Species crops: rocket, oregano, pistachio and once-popular crop, by the mid-1990s had project ended in 1998, paving the way hulled wheats (einkorn, spelt and emmer). become a relic crop, cultivated in very few for a new global endeavour on neglected This project was funded by Italy and led sites. Our research helped bring it back and underutilized species (NUS). Highly by Bioversity International (as IPGRI – the to the table. Our efforts on oregano and innovative, the NUS programme has now International Plant Genetic Resources pistachio showed how even popular crops been active for almost two decades. It Institute) with multi-country collaborative needed additional support for smallholder takes an interdisciplinary, inter-sectorial, networks. farmers to benefit from marketing participatory and bottom-up approach

22 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

to mobilize NUS in order to fight food for these nutrient-dense and locally Stefano Padulosi and nutrition insecurity, poverty, climate adapted crops has increased incomes for change and the marginalization of smallholder farmers, boosted diversity 2018–today: Research Team Leader, Rural Urban disadvantaged groups like women and in fields and home gardens, raised yields Agri-food Systems, Healthy Diets from Sustainable indigenous peoples. and improved diversity in diets. But Food Systems Initiative perhaps the most important message of all 2001–today: Coordinator, IFAD NUS Programme The International Fund for Agricultural is the immense potential of NUS that are and NUS focal point Development (IFAD) NUS Programme has still unexploited. Of the 1,097 plants now worked globally, but through a country recognized as vegetables, only a fraction 1998–2004: Coordinator Central, West Asia and focus (Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Yemen, are well known and commercialized. North Africa Regional Project Egypt, Nepal, India, Mali and Guatemala) Which will be tomorrow’s rocket? and a crop-by-crop approach (Andean 1993–1998: Coordinator, Underutilized grains, minor millets, chaya, fonio, Mediterranean Species Project Bambara groundnut and jute mallow).

In these two decades of work, Bioversity has contributed to bringing individual crops back from oblivion: rocket in Italy, quinoa in Bolivia, leafy vegetables in Africa south of the Sahara, and minor millets in India. Opening up markets

Bioversity International and CGIAR

In 1971, there was widespread concern yielding varieties were putting at risk In 1985, IBPGR became a freestanding that rapid increases in human populations traditional farmers’ varieties – in other CGIAR Research Centre with a broadened would soon lead to widespread famine. words, the genetic diversity on which mandate to conduct research as well as The Mexico-Rockefeller Foundation these breeders depend. provide services. International Agriculture Program, established in 1943 to increase agricultural In response, just three years later in 1974, The close relationship between Bioversity production, primarily of beans, maize, there was a groundbreaking agenda item International and CGIAR continues to wheat, potatoes and rice, had proposed at the CGIAR Subcommittee on Genetic this day, with both entities adapting and the creation of a worldwide network of Resources meeting – to establish the evolving in response to the changing agricultural Research Centres under a International Board for Plant Genetic authorizing environment along the way. permanent secretariat. The World Bank, Resources (IBPGR). For example, in 1985, CGIAR broadened the Food and Agriculture Organization focus to consider how food production of the UN, and the UN Development IBPGR’s mandate was to “identify general affected the natural resource base, around Programme, supported this idea. and specific needs for exploration, the same time that IBPGR (now operating collection, conservation and evaluation as IPGRI – the International Plant CGIAR’s mandate was to “reduce poverty of plant genetic resources with particular Genetic Resources Institute) widened and achieve food security in developing reference to species of major economic its own scope to look at strengthening countries.” At this time CGIAR was a importance and their wild and cultivated the interface between germplasm rather loose framework for dialogue relatives, to determine priorities among conservation and its use. among donor members about research them, and to ensure that the materials priorities, investment options, and the conserved are made available for plant There are many highlights along the way, continuing relevance and effectiveness breeding and other scientific activities as many of which are included in this book, of the institutions it supported. Its early required.” IBPGR set out on a race against such as: mission was to generate high-yielding time to collect and secure as much genetic crop varieties through plant breeding, a diversity as possible of priority crops • How and why, in 1994, IPGRI merged focus that remains strong today. Yet at the (primarily major food crops). with the International Network for same time, the increase of modern high- the Improvement of Banana and

24 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Plantain (INIBAP), which was also the recognition that solutions identified part of the CGIAR Network. through research need to achieve impact at scale. We have always worked in • The role of Bioversity International close partnership at the national level as coordinator of the CGIAR System- – this new reality now necessitates wide Genetic Resources Programme new partnerships both upstream with (SGRP). This initiative was to foster universities as well as downstream with close collaboration among the CGIAR development partners. Research Centres. It was established in 1994 in response to the Convention As we look ahead to the next exciting on Biological Diversity and FAO’s step of our Alliance with another CGIAR Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Centre, the International Center for Resources for Food and Agriculture. Tropical Agriculture, we are pleased to Through SGRP, IPGRI represented see recent forward momentum in CGIAR’s genetic resources both within and agenda to drive transformation in food externally to CGIAR, and enabled systems so that they work for people Stephan Weise CGIAR to speak with ‘one voice’, and the planet. We look forward to our for example, at the Convention on continued collaboration with CGIAR in 2011–today: Deputy Director General, Research Biological Diversity. The ultimate the years ahead. 2008–2011: Director of the Commodities for form of the International Treaty on Livelihoods Programme Plant Genetic Resources for Food CGIAR is a global research partnership and Agriculture owes a lot to SGRP, for a food-secure future. Its science is recognized in 2006 by the CGIAR carried out by 15 research centres in close “The establishment of IBPGR Partnership Award. collaboration with hundreds of partners illustrated the importance the CGIAR across the globe. Its mission is to reduce attached to genetic resources and • The creation of the Crop Trust which poverty; improve food and nutrition their conservation globally. IBPGR began life through the CGIAR security; and improve natural resources Finance Committee in 2000 who and ecosystem services. CGIAR Research and its successors, the International endorsed our suggestion to create an Programs are supported by contributors Plant Genetic Resources Institute endowment fund to stabilize funding to the CGIAR Trust Fund. https://www. (IPGRI) and then Bioversity for national and CGIAR genebank cgiar.org/funders/ International, would play important collections. Initially set up by IPGRI roles globally in helping developing (representing CGIAR) and FAO, countries address genetic resource today the Crop Trust operates as an “CGIAR is working towards conservation and related intellectual independent entity, with a mandate improving system performance. property issues.” to ensure the conservation and We will take bold steps forward to availability of crop diversity for food deliver high quality research through from The CGIAR at 40 security worldwide. a commitment to partnership, That is not to say it has all been plain transparency and accountability.” sailing. A bit like in any long-standing Ann Tutwiler, Director General, Bioversity marriage, there have been both good International, and CGIAR System Management times and difficult ones. Changes in Board member (July 2016-August 2018) CGIAR funding streams, structures and research priorities have not always aligned favourably to our own evolving vision and mission. The funding environment also remains challenging.

The upside to the above trends is that it compelled us towards greater clarity on our contribution to the global challenges of malnutrition, land restoration, sustainable intensification and climate change resilience using agricultural and tree biodiversity, while ensuring the conservation of diversity on the ground for future use. Another shift is

Bioversity International and Italy

Bioversity International is proud of Rome since we first opened our doors Republic. Today, fittingly, our offices are in its strong links with Italy – a country as the International Board of Plant a converted grain mill in an agriculturally with a rich agricultural biodiversity Genetic Resources in 1974. Originally important area on the edge of the city. heritage. UNESCO has inscribed its we were established by CGIAR (then internationally renowned food culture called the Consultative Group on In 2016, the Italian Parliament ratified as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of International Agricultural Research), the hosting agreement between the Humanity.* It is recognized as a global administered by and located in the Government of Italy and Bioversity leader in sustainable food and agricultural Food and Agriculture Organization International, further strengthening systems, a reputation cemented as of the UN (FAO). FAO is still located the relationship. This agreement host of EXPO 2015 Feeding the Planet, here in Rome along with the World reinforces our commitment to advance Energy for Life and of the Global Food Food Programme and the International research activities, scalable solutions Innovation Summit Seeds&Chips. In Fund for Agricultural Development – and innovations to use and safeguard 2020, Italy will host the 2nd International international organizations with whom agricultural biodiversity to nourish people Agrobiodiversity Congress. we work closely. In 1991, we became an and sustain the planet and contribute independent organization, signing a to the achievement of the Sustainable Our Headquarters have remained in Headquarters Agreement with the Italian Development Goals.

*UNESCO inscribed the Mediterranean Diet of Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Spain under the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.

26 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

Italy provides generous financial support prevent migration. Richard China to Bioversity International’s mission that addresses key global challenges including The fruitful collaboration between Italy 2014–today: Director, Strategic Partnerships and mainstreaming agrobiodiversity in and Bioversity International continues External Engagement sustainable food systems for rural to go from strength to strength through development, resilient food systems, continuous knowledge exchange, policy nutritional security and climate change dialogue and joint research initiatives adaptation. with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Agency for Development In particular, we are focusing on how Cooperation, and Italian scientific this work can contribute to social and research institutes and universities, and economic stability, for example, by agricultural and sustainable development generating new market opportunities for policy institutions. farmers, contributing to job creation and livelihood opportunities specifically for women and youth as well as helping to

27 Staff Meet Our Staff: Evelyn Clancy, Josephine Luzon and Dario Valori

Evelyn Clancy

1990–today: Programme Assistant

Longest-serving staff member

What I appreciate about Bioversity International is our dedication to work with men and women farmers and farming communities to manage agricultural biodiversity and to increase access to and availability of seeds which contributes to Josephine Luzon food sovereignty and security. 1993–today: Finance Manager

Our work on enabling policy I am always proud to environments to overcome say I was Bioversity challenges such as climate International’s first employee. change, inspired me to study The first employment sociology and environmental contract issued by the (then) policy to play my part in International Plant Genetic supporting our mission. Resources Institute (IPGRI) as an autonomous CGIAR centre, was mine, to lure me out of my fantastic job with the US State Department at the American Embassy here in Rome.

28 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Even after 26 years of service, Dario Valori every day is like the first day of work with Bioversity. 1998–today: Information Technology Manager Every day is different – When I started 21 years ago, challenging and exciting. I am Bioversity International (as passionate about Bioversity’s IPGRI – the International mission. I am proud to be a Plant Genetic Resources part of something grand and Institute) was growing 10% achievable in making our per year and a leader in its world a better place to live niche. There was a lot to be in, and I see all of us together proud of and our commitment making strides day by day was on a par with our dreams and making the vision a of what we were doing to reality. help people. We have been Each and every one of the through a lot since then Bioversity staff in their as changes have occurred own way have the ‘X factor’. and the organization has I love all my colleagues – matured. But I still appreciate outstanding professionals and providing services to an uber-awesome human beings. organization that has always been quoted as top notch by Buon anniversario, Bioversity its staff. International!

SAFEGUARD Collecting in the 1980s: first forays in Africa

As people began to appreciate the threat getting an accurate sample of the local the answers and observations about the that genetic erosion posed, countries agricultural biodiversity. But actually, that site, such as the soil type and the other began to collect landraces and farmers’ is how the modern new varieties were crops. Then the three of us crossed the varieties to conserve them in genebanks. spreading, along the main roads, and so field to take a random sample of seeds that I had just completed the graduate genetic that is where genetic erosion was most went into a cotton bag for processing into resources course at the University of advanced and where we needed to collect storage at the genebank in Addis Ababa. Birmingham, England, in 1975. Along most urgently. Our aim in the 1980s was with a few others, I became one of the not so much to collect a representative In 1982, Zimbabwe had recently achieved first plant genetic resource collectors sample of all available genetic diversity independence and wanted to conserve working for Bioversity International (as as to save varieties that were being varieties from non-commercial farmers. IBPGR – the International Board for Plant replaced. In any case, at that time most Local experts and I collected from Genetic Resources). of the country wasn’t accessible, either farmers and in local markets. Unlike in physically or politically. Ethiopia, the resources collected were In Ethiopia, in 1980 and 1981, I was shared between Zimbabwe and IBPGR- collecting with two local experts for the Collecting would take place at harvest designated genebanks, which had been newly established Genetic Resources time. We would meet farmers at work given responsibility as the base collections Centre in Addis Ababa. Our focus was in their fields and after asking their for particular crops. Squashes and farmer varieties of the main food crops. permission, my colleagues would talk pumpkins, for example, went into the We travelled into the countryside as best to the farmers about what they called genebank system of the US Department as we could, along the main roads. People their varieties and what were the most of Agriculture. In Burundi, in 1985, we later criticized that, saying we weren’t important characteristics. I wrote down were collecting to help create a regional

32 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

genebank for Burundi, Rwanda and Jane Toll eastern Zaire (now Congo), and the beans we gathered were safely duplicated in the 2007–2014: Senior Project Manager, Crop Trust international collection at the International 2005–2007: Director, Global Partnerships Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), a Programme, Crop Trust CGIAR research centre. 1995–2007: Coordinator, CGIAR System-wide IBPGR was crucial in setting priorities, Genetic Resources Programme providing guidance and promoting the 1992–1995: Senior Scientist, Germplasm The Collecting Missions Database (http://bioversity. collaboration needed for these early github.io/geosite/) provides access to the original management collecting and conservation efforts, in passport data of more than 220,000 samples collected addition to giving financial support. 1987–1992: Coordinator, West Africa, Niamey, Niger around the world over almost 40 years during IBPGR set up crop advisory committees Bioversity International-supported missions. About 150,000 samples are currently geo-referenced. You that brought together the most learned 1985–1987: IBPGR Officer, Great Lakes Region can also access over 3,200 original scanned field (Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire (DR Congo)) experts knowledgeable in the diversity of reports at the Collecting Missions File Repository each species and its state of conservation 1980–1985: IBPGR Collector and Consultant (http://www.central-repository.cgiar.org/crop_ and use. It produced a range of technical collecting_missions.html). guidelines on collecting, conservation and documentation as well as training programmes and aids.

33 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Collecting today: wild relatives of bananas

In 2016, the Crop Trust funded a banana The expedition to Bougainville, co- learned from the collecting mission collecting mission to Papua New organized with our partners from the to Bougainville is that, even though Guinea. Missions in the late 1980s, led Papua New Guinea National Agricultural the Pacific region has been extensively by Suzanne Sharrock, collected 264 wild Research Institute, resulted in the explored already, there is still a lot of and cultivated samples, of which 86% collection of 61 samples most of which undescribed diversity out there. In fact, were original types not found anywhere seemed new to expert eyes. Thanks to we will be back to the Pacific on new else. These samples are still conserved the Musa Genotyping Centre hosted in banana collecting missions (funded by the in vitro in the Bioversity International the Institute of Experimental Botany in Crop Trust) in 2019. Musa Germplasm Transit Centre (ITC) Olomouc, Czech Republic, we were able in Belgium and have been widely used to genotype the samples collected and One brand new aspect we explored, in research studies. The 1980s missions we confirmed 35 new genotypes, which together with the Botanic Garden of Meise had, however, missed the Autonomous is a lot for a clonal crop like banana. We (Belgium) in this mission and a second Region of Bougainville, at the time, a also got a better understanding of the one on the Papua New Guinea main site of civil conflict. Could this region dynamics behind banana diversification island in 2017, was to conduct molecular contain even more valuable banana on farm. For example, we found two genetic studies on the wild species we diversity? Given varieties with the exact same genotype collected. For the first time, massive the high diversity already collected but differing highly in appearance: sampling of wild banana populations was in Papua New Guinea, I feared that Tambra is variegated while Morou is performed, which included hundreds of we could not collect many more new not. Clearly, farmers had captured and dried leaves and seeds. This will allow banana varieties. But I was happy to be conserved a natural mutant that occurred us to analyze the genetic diversity of proved wrong. in their fields. But the main lesson we wild banana species at the population

34 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

The scientific knowledge gained will level, which will considerably increase Julie Sardos be imparted to our upcoming national our knowledge of wild banana biology Musa scientists to effectively and therefore the efficiency of their 2017–today: Scientist, Musa Genetic Resources contribute towards Musa research conservation. Beyond the obvious aspect of 2012–2016: Associate Scientist safeguarding this precious and endangered both nationally and internationally.” biodiversity, this work will also open a new Janet Paofa era for the use of banana wild relatives, “Collaborative projects like Plant Curator (Food crop) Papua New Guinea notably in research for breeding. this have greatly contributed National Agricultural Research Institute towards collecting, conserving and maintaining Papua New Guinea’s second most important food crop for current and future generations. The materials have been safely duplicated and conserved at the Bioversity International Musa Germplasm Transit Centre in Belgium, and we have broadened our scientific knowledge and skills on Musa diversity in Papua New Guinea.

35 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD How to store seeds long term

Seeds, unfortunately, do not last forever. we established protocols to measure the that seeds were sealed in aluminium If genebanks are to store them effectively, viability and longevity of seeds. This foil pouches to keep them dry even if they need to know the best conditions to meant that we could see how different they did warm up for a short period. keep them in. Research into seed storage conditions affected the length of time for Better equipped genebanks had standby was one of the first activities undertaken which seeds could be stored without too generators to keep their freezers running by Bioversity International (as IBPGR – many of them dying and thus, not losing in the event of power cuts. the International Board for Plant Genetic the genetic identity of the accessions. We Resources) and continues today. found that seeds lasted longest when they However, power cuts are a fact of life were dried well and kept cold, and the in many lower-income countries. This Having helped GIZ (the German Reading researchers established a rule of was one factor that led in the 1990s to development agency) to set up regional thumb that seeds should be dried to about Bioversity International (now operating genebanks in Costa Rica and Ethiopia, I 5% moisture and kept at -18°C. as IPGRI – the International Plant Genetic joined IBPGR, having trained as a plant Resources Institute) exploring an ‘ultra- breeder in the early 1970s in Wageningen. That coincided with the temperature in dry’ seed storage approach. This meant I had realized that plant breeders’ work a chest freezer, which implied a fairly drying the seeds down to a very low level can threaten diversity so I moved to the low-tech and simple way for countries to so they could be stored in hermetically camp fighting to maintain it. maintain their seeds long term. IBPGR sealed pouches at room temperature for supported countries around the world to acceptable seed longevity. Results were Working closely with a research group build genebanks equipped with drying mixed however: some researchers feared at the University of Reading in the UK, chambers and freezers. We recommended that overdrying the seeds could decrease

36 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

longevity. To understand long-term seed Jan Engels storage options better, we started a global seed project. Our researchers, working 2012–today: Honorary Research Fellow with colleagues in China, India and the 2010–2015: Coordinator, CacaoNet USA, established that each species had a different optimum level of dryness for 2008–2016 Coordinator, European Genebank any given storage temperature. Integrated System (AEGIS) 2005–2011: Genetic Resource Management Our research on seed storage proved Advisor, including acting Director of the International crucial to the growth of the genebanks established to conserve agricultural Network for the Improvement of Banana and biodiversity and the results provided the Plantain (INIBAP) basis for many of the genebank standards 1995–2005: Director, Genetic Resources Science that we published with the Food and and Technology Group Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) in the early 1990s. A few revisions later, 1992–1995: Group Director, Germplasm these are still a valuable resource today. Maintenance and Use

1988–1991: Coordinator for South and Southeast Asia, New Delhi

37 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD The world’s largest banana genebank

The Bioversity International Musa Banana does not reproduce through (MGIS) portal, through the Multilateral Germplasm Transit Centre (ITC) is home seeds; new plants grow from young System of Access and Benefit Sharing of to the world’s largest collection of banana shoots that arise from the parent plant. the International Treaty on Plant Genetic diversity. Its mission? To contribute to This is why in genebanks, bananas are Resources for Food and Agriculture. the secure, long-term conservation of conserved in the field, as small plantlets In more than 30 years of activity, the the entire banana genepool and hold the in vitro (in test tubes) or put into long- ITC has distributed over 18,000 banana collection in trust for the benefit of current term cryopreservation. At the ITC, the samples to researchers and farmers in 110 and future generations under the auspices collection is maintained in vitro under countries. On average, 75% of the samples of the Food and Agriculture Organization slow growth conditions at 16°C or go to users in the main banana-growing of the UN. cryopreserved at -196 °C. For material to regions – Africa (27%), the Americas be exchanged, it needs to be free of pests (25%) and Asia and Pacific (23%) with Founded in 1985, the ITC is managed by and pathogens including fungi, bacteria the remainder sent to universities and Bioversity International and hosted at KU and viruses. The ITC tests its materials research centres in Europe. Leuven, Belgium. The collection contains and distributes only those free of pests more than 1,500 accessions of edible and and pathogens. In addition to conservation, Bioversity wild species of banana, and continues to uses the genebank to carry out research to grow as new specimens are collected in Obtaining material from the ITC is easy. benefit farming communities worldwide. Southeast Asia, and East and West Africa, Samples are available upon request on When our Nutrition team was looking for centres of banana diversity. the Musa Germplasm Information System vitamin A-rich bananas to improve diets

38 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

in East Africa, they worked with the ITC and stress tolerance — Bioversity and Ines Van den houwe to identify 400 varieties with high levels KU Leuven are studying the drought of carotenoids to use in their research. tolerance of banana varieties in the 2014–today: ITC Musa Collection Curator, Bioversity When our Banana Disease team was collection. Drought-tolerant varieties International seeking banana cultivars resistant to the will be tested in farmers’ fields, helping 1994–2013: Scientific Collaborator, In Vitro deadly disease Fusarium wilt (also known production systems to be more resilient. A Conservation, KU Leuven as ‘Panama disease’), the ITC helped to better understanding of the genetic traits send samples of East African Highland will accelerate breeding for new drought- Bananas to infected areas in China and tolerant varieties. the Philippines, to see how they would react to the virulent fungal strain.

Exploiting banana’s genetic diversity to find drought-tolerant varieties and traits is an important strategy in a context of global water scarcity. Through phenotyping — the science that characterizes and quantifies complex plant features such as growth, yield

39 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD

Freezing time: preserving plant genetic resources forever

Cryopreservation means the storage of hosts the Bioversity International developed and optimized in the biological material in liquid nitrogen at Musa Germplasm Transit Centre (ITC), framework of different MSc and PhD -196°C. This temperature is low enough under the guidance of Edmond de theses and research projects, but it was to arrest all metabolic and physical Langhe, one of the founding fathers not until colleagues and I developed processes, enabling the material to be kept of the International Network for the the droplet vitrification protocol in safely for hundreds of years. Improvement of Banana and Plantain 2003 that routine cryopreservation of (INIBAP) and the institute’s first director. the banana collection could take place. For different reasons, cryopreservation That year, de Langhe announced an Vitrification is the process to prevent ice plays an essential role in the safe MSc thesis subject — cryopreservation crystal formation during low temperature conservation of crops like bananas, of banana meristems — which looked exposure that would otherwise damage cassava, potato, yams, sweet potato, very appealing to me. At that time plant the cells. Our protocol greatly increased coconut and many fruit trees, because in cryopreservation was considered a the success rate for regenerating whole each case seed preservation at -20°C, the futuristic and exciting research subject. plants from frozen tissues. most convenient method to store plant Lyndsey Withers, a pioneer of plant germplasm, is not an option. Bananas, for cryopreservation who was working Since then, 1,117 Musa accessions (of the example, are sterile, and do not produce for Bioversity International (as IBPGR 1,566 accessions available at the ITC in viable seeds. Cocoa and coconut produce – the International Board for Plant the in vitro collection) have been safely only recalcitrant seeds that die if they Genetic Resources) was promoting cryopreserved for the long term. A are dried. Potato and many fruit species cryopreservation as the method of unique feature of our cryocollection is do not breed true from seed, and so choice for the long-term conservation of that for security reasons a representative cryopreservation of plant tissue is needed vegetatively propagated plants. In view backup selection of the frozen material to conserve the specific gene combinations of where we are now, how visionary both is also preserved in cryotanks in that constitute a known variety. Lyndsey and Edmond were. Montpellier, France.

Cryopreservation research on bananas In the following years, different Thanks to the vast experience we gained started in 1984 at KU Leuven, which cryopreservation techniques were with cryopreserving banana shoots,

40 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

droplet vitrification has become a robust Bart Panis in India. The association between protocol that has now been applied NBPGR and Bioversity was further 2013–today: Senior Scientist, Banana Conservation to conserve the biodiversity of more strengthened during 2009–12 under a than 40 plant species. In addition, over 2008–2013: Research Manager, Cryopreservation collaborative project funded by the the past 20 years we have trained 110 Research, KU Leuven researchers from 47 countries on plant GCD, when a set of Musa germplasm cryopreservation techniques at the ITC 1995–2008: Postdoc Researcher, Banana was cryobanked in Delhi, and shipped in Leuven. Biotechnology, KU Leuven to the ITC for safety duplication. Dr Bart Panis has been visiting NBPGR as a Resource Person to “The National Bureau of Plant impart training under the Centre Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New of Excellence programme between Delhi, India and I have greatly ICAR–Bioversity International benefited with our association with since 2004, till date. In all, the ITC– the KUL/ITC Bioversity International KUL–NBPGR partnership has been lab at Leuven Belgium, over the extremely (banana) ‘fruitful’!” last 18 years. In 2001, I undertook a postdoc fellowship (BOYSCAST, Dr Anuradha Agrawal Govt. of India) in KUL for learning Principal Scientist & Officer-in-Charge Tissue Culture & Cryopreservation Unit methods on in vitro conservation and ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic cryopreservation of Musa genetic Resources resources. Over the years this has helped in establishment of a strong program on Musa conservation

41 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD

The state of the world’s plant genetic resources

Can you imagine trying to estimate all contributions to the two SoWPGR reports, meetings and prepared the regional the plant genetic resources conserved which came out in 1996 and 2010. synthesis reports. and used in every country in the world? And assess the extent of use, conservation The first SoWPGR report represented the SoWPGR-2 describes the most significant actions and investments? And analyze state of knowledge of the conservation changes since the first SoWPGR report the main gaps and needs in plant genetic and use of PGRFA across the world in and outlines major continuing gaps and resource conservation and use? This 1995 and provided the foundation for needs. The preparation of SoWPGR-2 mammoth task is undertaken periodically the Global Plan of Action and a baseline to was done slightly differently from the by the Commission on Genetic Resources monitor progress. Bioversity (as IBPGR – first report. The CGRFA still requested for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) at the the International Board for Plant Genetic countries to prepare their national reports Food and Agriculture Organization of the Resources and then as IPGRI – the following set guidelines, but instead of UN (FAO). International Plant Genetic Resources regional reports, there were in-depth Institute) played an important role in thematic studies on specific topics: The resulting document is called the its preparation during the early 1990s. climate change, nutrition and health, and State of the World Report on Plant Genetic We were in a strategic position to assist indicators for genetic erosion and seed Resources for Food and Agriculture FAO due to our expertise in all the key systems. This new approach was useful to (SoWPGR). It is accompanied by a Global areas of PGRFA, our coordination of the better understand aspects that cut across Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources regional PGRFA networks, our network individual countries and regions. for Food and Agriculture which guides of regional offices, and our regular countries to assess, conserve and use plant contact with almost all the countries. We Bioversity worked together with FAO in genetic resources. supported individual countries to prepare a joint technical committee to guide the their reports through a well-targeted preparation of the reports. We assumed Bioversity International, because of our participatory process and a standardized specific responsibilities in the information- mission and expertise to conserve and procedure to collate information, resulting gathering process, organized regional use plant genetic resources for food and in 154 countries producing reports. We meetings and authored or co-authored agriculture (PGRFA), made important also organized sub-regional and regional several chapters of the SoWPGR-2. We

42 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research also provided substantial organizational, Ehsan Dulloo Jan Engels technical and analytical inputs. 2016–today: Senior Scientist and Team Leader, 2012–today: Honorary Research Fellow Integrated Conservation Strategies Both Bioversity and our partners benefited 2010–2015: Coordinator, CacaoNet from the process directly or indirectly in 2015–2016: Senior Scientist and Component terms of capacity building, strengthening 2008–2016 Coordinator, European Genebank Leader, Conservation relations with scientists worldwide, Integrated System (AEGIS) and increasing our knowledge of the 2012–2015: Programme Leader, Conservation and 2005–2011: Genetic Resource Management actual situation with respect to gaps Availability Advisor, including acting Director of the International and needs as a basis for priority setting, project development and institutional 2011–2012: Senior Policy Officer, Plant Genetic Network for the Improvement of Banana and strengthening. The SoWPGR also Resources, Food and Agriculture Organization of the Plantain (INIBAP) UN (FAO) supplied a framework that directly 1995–2005: Director, Genetic Resources Science contributed to policy development at all 2004–2011: Senior Scientist, Conservation of and Technology Group levels. Bioversity’s role as the coordinating Agricultural Biodiversity body of the CGIAR System-wide Genetic 1992–1995: Group Director, Germplasm Resources Programme, provided us 2002–2004: Scientist, Conservation, Management Maintenance and Use an important opportunity through of Germplasm Collection 1988–1991: Coordinator for South and Southeast the SoWPGR preparation process to contribute to advanced conservation, plant 1999–2002: Scientist, Germplasm Conservation Asia, New Delhi breeding and information management technologies and to the establishment of a general legal framework in which the global programmes could flourish.

43 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD The state of the world’s forest genetic resources

The first ever State of the World’s Forest gaps and priorities for research and action tree genetic resources in Central Asia’ Genetic Resources (SOW-FGR) Report was they had in each region. It drew from contributed to the conservation and published by the Food and Agriculture these scientific reviews to complement sustainable management of wild and Organization of the UN (FAO) in 2014. information gleaned from the country semi-domesticated populations of three Bioversity International’s Forest Genetic reports which were submitted by most globally significant fruit tree species: Resources team took responsibility for forested nations. apple, apricot and walnut. We worked reviewing the state of knowledge in the with our research partners to describe relevant research arenas and writing them The SOW-FGR, in turn, informed the patterns of genetic diversity and the up in a series of background pieces. The development of FAO’s Global Plan of Action nutritional composition of the fruits report catalyzed our efforts to develop for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and and to identify valuable populations a global programme for forest genetic Development of Forest Genetic Resources. for conservation using biochemical and resources conservation and use. Our team worked towards a global molecular approaches combined with programme for forest genetic resources spatial threat analyses. We strengthened More than a decade ago, Bioversity and that would be fully compatible with the 27 capacity by training local practitioners FAO established a set of regional networks Strategic Priorities for Action documented and PhD students and by working closely for forest genetic resources, convening in the Global Plan of Action, and it is with national partners from the three forest scientists from many of the forested what guides our research, education and participating countries in every step of nations in Asia, Africa, Europe and information-sharing projects still today. the project. Latin America. Bioversity coordinated these networks from their inception. One example is the research we The generation of the SOW-FGR Report carried out to benefit rural people in was an opportunity for the networks Central Asia and future generations and other partners around the globe to around the globe. ‘Conservation for review research results and tell us what diversified and sustainable use of fruit

44 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

Judy Loo what in situ conservation of genetic networks, APFORGEN, EUFORGEN, resources meant when asked to LAFORGEN and SAFORGEN, in all 2017–today: Honorary Research Fellow support the workshop, but, he added, the different stages of the process. 2009–2016: Forest Genetic Resources Leader after listening to the report of the Forest genetic resource networks meeting he now understood that in are an important support for the “One of the first collaborations situ conservation of genetic resources implementation of the Global Plan of between Bioversity International is what we do every day. There could Action for Forest Genetic Resources.” not have been a better conclusion (as IPGRI – the International Plant Oudara Souvannavong, Retired Biodiversity for the workshop. It is an example Genetic Resources Institute)’s Forest Team Leader, Forestry Department, FAO Genetic Resources Programme of how the contribution of research and FAO was the organization and the effective interaction of the of a regional workshop on in situ research community can improve conservation of genetic resources the awareness and understanding of of woody species in arid and semi- the importance of daily management arid areas. It was held in February activities, and policies, to conserve 1994 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, genetic resources for the future. and attended by scientists, forest More recently, research played a key managers and agriculturalists. In role in the preparation of the first his closing speech, the Minister of SOW-FGR report, through active Environment, said that he wondered participation and support of regional

45 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD A 10-year road map for Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica, one of the main centres Mesoamerican Plant Genetic Resources in conservation of wild relatives; and of domestication and diversification of Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change’ priority areas that would best conserve globally important crops, hosts a wealth (SAPM) emerged. diversity of the majority of plant genetic of plant genetic resources for food and resources of these species in the region. agriculture which can be used to adapt to To formulate the SAPM, we first We combined data from datasets and climate change. conducted a diagnosis of the current scientific papers with interviews with 144 state of affairs of PGRFA and climate representatives of local and indigenous Hurricanes and extreme weather events change, and then worked collaboratively farmer groups in five countries in order are already common in the region and are to identify strategic priority actions. We to get a full understanding of the state getting more frequent and more intense. considered ten Mesoamerican crops and of conservation and use of plant genetic Decreases or failures in crop production their wild relatives: maize, bean, cassava, resources by smallholder farmers. will seriously affect the food security and sweet potato, cucurbit, amaranth, pepper, livelihoods of resource-poor farmers and papaya, avocado and a native forage – In an unprecedented consultation vulnerable groups. This is why in 2010 a prioritized for their importance for food process, we iterated between the delegation approached me, representing security; their potential to adapt to climate diagnosis and various suggested the Central American focal points to the stresses; and their contribution to diet activities in a series of regional meetings, International Treaty on Plant Genetic diversity and income generation. convening more than 100 representatives Resources for Food and Agriculture (The of different sectors of national Plant Treaty) – Costa Rica, El Salvador, In the analysis, we included 384 cultivated governments (agriculture, environment Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and species and their wild relatives and and health), regional government Panama – to ask if Bioversity International investigated: future climate impact to organizations, universities, regional and would lead a proposal on their behalf in 2050; diversity gaps in plant genetic international agriculture organizations, response to a call from the Benefit-sharing resources conserved in genebanks; farmers, civil society and donors. Fund of the Plant Treaty. This is how germplasm conserved in genebanks with the idea for the ‘Strategic Action Plan to characteristics for potential adaptation The SAPM comprises activities under Strengthen the Conservation and Use of to future climates; status of in situ six thematic components: (1) on-

46 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

farm, in situ and ex situ conservation; Marleni Ramirez was proposed for a period from 2014 (2) sustainable use under changing to 2024 but we believe that it will 2015–today: Regional Representative for Central climates; (3) institutions and policies; continue to be a guiding instrument (4) education and building capacity; (5) and South America for actions with a projection and regional coordination frameworks and 2005–2014: Regional Director for the Americas mechanisms; (6) resource mobilization. validity for many years to come.”

On 1 August 2013, the Central American Ing. Walter Quirós Ortega Agricultural Council agreed to support Executive Director, National Seed Office, Costa the SAPM at its Ordinary Meeting “The SAPM … has contributed Rica of Ministers held in Panama City. to the visibility and inclusion of Thereafter, countries have used it to this issue [of genetic resources] in justify the inclusion of genetic resources different policy instruments of high in policy instruments (Costa Rica), advance the establishment of a National relevance for the agricultural sector Genetic Resources Council (Honduras), in Costa Rica: National Seed Policy, and secure funding to implement Agricultural Sector Policy and participatory plant breeding focused on National Development Plan. Finally, native crops (Guatemala). in the proposed reform to the Seed Law, the theme of support for the

conservation and use of plant genetic resources has been presented as one of the important functions assigned to the National Seed Office. The SAPM

47 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Securing chocolate’s future

The world’s chocolate is under threat. imperative that they have access to with our partner the Salon du Chocolat, Climate change and pests and diseases quality, well-adapted planting materials, bring together 50 cocoa-producing are affecting production, wiping out and that they receive a fair price for countries to recognize and reward cocoa well over a third of all cacao produced. their work. quality and diversity of flavours. In 2018, Like other crops, breeders could use the we piloted the very first cocoa bean wealth of diversity of Theobroma species Since 1993, Bioversity International has auction in partnership with Chocoa, (the scientific name for the family that worked, in close partnerships with the an annual initiative to support fair and cacao belongs to) to breed resistant private and public sectors, to save cacao sustainable cocoa value chains. The beans quality varieties. and promote its diversity. We coordinated we auctioned ended up tripling their the development of the global strategy starting price. Traits for resistance might exist in for the conservation and use of cacao international and national collections genetic resources as the foundation of a One challenge we have faced in the Cocoa of cacao. Many of these materials are sustainable cocoa economy (from farmers of Excellence Programme is that, unlike unique and cannot be collected again, through to research and consumers), coffee, wine and other highly differentiated as they no longer grow in the forests through CacaoNet, a worldwide cocoa food products, cocoa does not yet have or traditional farming systems where network of public and private sector international standards to assess its they once grew, owing to deforestation, stakeholders. quality and flavour. We are now leading changing agricultural practices and more the development of the first international recently changing climates. Even when Our approach is to leverage the world’s standards so that all cocoa value chain the diversity is collected, very little is used love of chocolate to increase appreciation actors can speak a common language. leaving the vast majority totally untapped! of the diversity of its base ingredient, cacao. This is to generate public awareness According to a survey of cocoa actors in Millions of smallholder farmers across and resources to save collections and producing countries, which we conducted tropical regions of the Americas, to empower the millions of farmers after ten years of activity, the Cocoa of Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific growing cocoa to get a fair price. The Excellence Programme contributes to depend upon cocoa for their livelihoods. Cocoa of Excellence Programme, and the creating profitable relationships with bean In a context of changing climates International Cocoa Awards which we buyers and providing an international and evolving pests and diseases, it is have organized every two years since 2009 platform for producers. It helps improve

48 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Credit: Salon du Chocolat

bean quality and so increases their Brigitte Laliberté joined us in the programme, bringing market value. The Cocoa of Excellence with them the same commitment to Programme recognizes the importance 2010–today: Scientist, Cacao Genetic Resources the cocoa farmer, their livelihood and of good fermentation and drying and and Diversity, Coordinator of the Global Network for their recognition, that is the basis for Cacao Genetic Resources – CacaoNet, Coordinator is effective in promoting cocoa quality, Cocoa of Excellence. But they bring flavour sensory evaluation and the of the Cocoa of Excellence Programme far more than just passion – their concept of ‘terroir’. Participating cocoa- 2008–2010: Coordinator of the World Bank funded producing countries said that with each staff is dedicated and committed edition they participate in, their capacity project ‘Collective Action for the rehabilitation of the to excellence in organization and to seek and recognize excellence in cocoa global public goods in the CGIAR genetic resources execution of programmes such as ours. system: Phase 2’ quality and flavour has improved. Bioversity, and in particular Brigitte 2003–2008: Scientist, Crop Genetic Diversity Laliberté, now stands as the leader Conservation Strategies, Crop Trust and champion of the programme.”

1999–2003: Research Assistant, European Edward Seguine (Centre) Cooperative Programme on Genetic Resources Seguine Cacao, Cocoa & Chocolate Advisors and 1996–1998: Scientific Assistant, Impact Guittard Chocolate Assessment and Project Evaluation

“Cocoa of Excellence, formed by a small group of passionate cocoa and chocolate people in 2008, is one of only two programmes in the cocoa sector and in the world which focus on what the farmer gives us—the cocoa beans. Bioversity quickly

49 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD

Coconuts

More than 100 million people Dr Gabrielle Persley, co-founder of the will support these collections via selected International Coconut Genetic Resources living in fragile coastal areas of the genebank appraisals for planning Network. tropics depend on coconut for their medium-term capacity and infrastructure With the leadership and support of development. livelihoods. Coconut provides many CGIAR, in 1992, Bioversity International essentials: food and water; timber (as IBPGR – International Board for Plant In August 2018, Bioversity published and leaves to build homes; and oil Genetic Resources) took up the challenge COGENT’s new Global Strategy for and copra for fuel and as a source of of promoting the global conservation Coconut Genetic Resources 2018–2028. The income. Environmental disasters, and use of coconut genetic resources Strategy is the product of consultation such as cyclones and tsunamis, through a network, the International with more than 90 expert stakeholders Coconut Genetic Resources Network, in the conservation and use of coconut frequently leave coconut as the last COGENT. Membership grew from 15 genetic resources, who made more than tree standing, able to protect and to 39 producing countries, and now 400 contributions over seven years. It sustain communities in the immediate represents 98% of global production. was driven and compiled by Centre de aftermath of the disaster, providing In collaboration with the International Coopération Internationale en Recherche food, water and shelter while Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Agronomique pour le Développement people rebuild their lives. Despite Food and Agriculture, Bioversity also (CIRAD)-seconded coordination. With helped to establish five international the support of Bioversity and partners, its importance, however, coconut coconut genebanks, along with strong COGENT has continued to coordinate was something of an orphan crop, links to 19 national collections. Together, the refinement of this progressive ignored by mainstream research and the genebanks conserve more than 1,000 global strategy. The Australian Centre development for agriculture distinct accessions. During 2019, COGENT for International Agricultural Research

50 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

and the Australian Department of Vincent Johnson and multifunctional landscape Foreign Affairs and Trade are now management, to coconut processing considering further support to kick-start 2018–today: ad interim COGENT Coordinator and value-chain dynamics.” implementing the Strategy. 2008–today: Science Writer, Editor and Process Drs Roland Bourdeix (Coconut Diversity Manager After more than 25 years, in 2019, for Specialist) and Alexia Prades (Food Processing strategic reasons, the COGENT Secretariat and Post-Harvest Specialist). CIRAD is being transferred from Bioversity “In collaboration with CIRAD’s to the Jakarta-based International southern partners, the work with Coconut Community (ICC). COGENT’s Bioversity and COGENT helped transfer heralds a new era for coconut fulfil part of CIRAD’s mission conservation and use, at a time when global demand for coconut products is to produce and transmit new growing exponentially. The estimated knowledge to support innovation global market for coconut water alone and agricultural development. It is predicted to be in the order of US$10 also provided opportunities to lead billion by 2030. The new host, ICC, is or participate in various coconut strategically positioned to support coconut projects across the tropics, that From left: Former COGENT coordinators Dr Alexia conservation through use. Prades, CIRAD; Dr Roland Bourdeix, CIRAD; Dr Lalith helped informed and improved the Perera, Coconut Research Institute, Sri Lanka, and impact of CIRAD’s coconut research former COGENT Chair; Vincent Johnson, Bioversity from genomics, through ethnology International and current interim COGENT coordinator

51 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Incentives to conserve agrobiodiversity

Today, many low-income countries face A novel solution to this dilemma (maize and beans), India and Nepal a major challenge: how to safeguard the takes Payments for Ecosystem (minor millets), Peru (quinoa, amaranth, biodiversity maintained by smallholder Services (PES) concepts and applies potato), and Zambia (crop wild relatives). farmers in their fields – which constitutes them to agrobiodiversity. ‘Payments Revisiting five communities in the Region a national and global public good –while for Agrobiodiversity Conservation of Puno, Peru, after five years, we found meeting those same people’s development Services’ (PACS), an innovative approach that, even without further rewards, 30%- needs and rights? developed by Bioversity International, 50% of farmers were still cultivating the provides farmers with incentives which four threatened quinoa varieties the PACS For some crop varieties, with a particular they choose themselves (often farm project had reintroduced. PACS’ success culinary or cultural appeal for example, inputs, machinery or school materials). is largely due to its building on farmers’ it is possible to develop marketing PACS brings together many different existing preferences for traditional strategies. This means that the farmer kinds of partners in a platform where varieties. Since it supports what they benefits from increased income and is they collectively can learn more about already want to do, PACS is cheaper motivated to maintain them. But not all conserving and using their shared than conventional PES interventions and genetic diversity has market potential. For agrobiodiversity: prioritizing, setting generates high rates of persistence after those without, a different type of incentive conservation targets, designing cost- the incentives end. After one year of mechanism is required, which can reward effective interventions and implementing PACS participation, many farmers express farmers for providing a conservation farmers’ rights, for example. willingness to participate again even service to society and compensate them without further incentives, as long as the for their efforts. PACS has been successful in Bolivia project facilitates their access to seed of (quinoa), Ecuador (maize), Guatemala the threatened varieties in question.

52 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

The Ministry of Environment of Peru designated Quinoa Biodiversity Adam G. Drucker and a number of Regional Governments Park in Caminca, Puno, includes five have voiced interest in replicating PACS quinoa varieties that were subject to 2015–today: Principal Economist incentive mechanisms elsewhere as a PACS intervention in 2015–16. 2012–2015: Research Theme Leader, In situ/On- means of meeting regulatory commitments farm Conservation under the Convention on Biological • Securing increased conservation Diversity, the International Treaty on programme funding and generating 2008–2011: Senior Scientist Plant Genetic Resources for Food and sustainable demand for threatened Agriculture and national legislation. varieties. In this context, we will continue to explore further private- “Now that we have realized the Plans are in place to use PACS approaches sector direct support, continued virtues of these varieties, we will to conserve the genetic diversity of a niche product market development strive to keep them alive, even if the further 15–20 crops important for climate and the potential role of public food project does not go on.” change adaptation and food security. procurement programmes. Santusa de López, Farmer in the Community of Future challenges include: Aguaquiza, Nor Lipez Province in Potosi, Bolivia

• Accessing sufficient seed of threatened varieties. Community seedbanks and local cooperatives can help. For example, the recently

53 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Developing the science of on-farm conservation

In the early 1990s, it became clear that team worked with partners from low- farmer’s perspective; how farmers make ex situ facilities could not accommodate income and more advanced economies genetic diversity choices to manage the full range of useful diversity and with the common goal of providing stresses such as drought or diseases; do not conserve dynamic processes of tools and methods for understanding and how crops evolve in stressed crop evolution and farmer management. and tapping the potential of crop genetic environments under farmer management. Although the newly formed Convention diversity on farm. One critical factor was characterizing on Biological Diversity was committed farmers and famer communities who to in situ conservation, the science and The global team revealed that sustainable maintain crop genetic diversity and practice of how to actually implement it production and rural livelihood strategies conducting assessments of the economic, was missing. And so began a quest to see if are firmly linked with conservation of the policy, legal and institutional frameworks farmers were still maintaining diversity on crop genetic diversity growing in farmers’ supporting or hindering them. farm, and if so why. We wanted to know fields. We developed novel ways of how research could support them to meet gathering and using data about traditional After 20 years of research, we had their different production and cultural varieties and traditional farming systems a scientific understanding of the needs under changing environmental and through participatory diagnostic and multiple factors that influence sociocultural conditions. empirical approaches. These included whether farmers maintain or not methods to identify ways to support the genetic diversity on their farms. Bioversity International collaborated farmers who grow these varieties, and We understood the principles and with over 60 institutions worldwide to quantified the benefits of this diversity to applications of crop genetic diversity develop a research programme across farming communities. in agricultural ecosystems and in nine countries, bringing together experts farmers’ livelihoods, how to research in ecology, botany, genetics, agronomy, Tools developed to assess the genetic these and how to provide institutional plant breeding, anthropology, economics diversity on farm included: its and strategic support. and policy. Over 20 years, the project measurement and management from a

54 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

The research set the agenda for the Devra Jarvis transforming the present dead-end new work programme on agricultural 2012–Present: Principal Scientist, Genetic Diversity agriculture into a sustainable model biodiversity of the Convention on Productivity and Resilience based on diverse genetic crop makeup, Biological Diversity in 2000 (Decision complemented by diverse cropping V/5). At a country level, project activities 2000–2011: Senior Scientist, Agricultural systems.” led to in situ conservation and on-farm Biodiversity and Ecosystems management of crop genetic diversity Hans R. Herren, Co-Chair, The International being integrated into the national and/ 1996–1999: Scientist, In Situ Conservation Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science or provincial plans in Burkina Faso, and Technology for Development (IAASTD), Ethiopia, Hungary, Mexico, Morocco, “The wisdom and hard work commenting on the book summarizing 20 years Nepal, Peru and Vietnam. But perhaps of millions of farmers since the of on-farm conservation research, Crop Genetic the greatest legacy was that it laid the advent of agriculture are finally Diversity in the Field and on the Farm foundations for much of Bioversity’s acknowledged and explained in this future research agenda supporting farmers who use traditional crop varieties landmark book … the authors need in sustainable agricultural production to be congratulated for a detailed and agroecological resilience. Research account of the value of and the need areas that grew from this original project for conserving traditional varieties, covered: tropical fruit trees; diversity for which is the key element for pest and disease management; genetic resources policy; fruit trees in Central Asia; date palm in North Africa; and bananas in the Great Lake states.

55 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD

Date palms in North Africa

In the desert oases of the Mahgreb, across plants by replanting offshoots of the Visiting the various oases, project North Africa, a focus on fewer than ten mother plant. partners identified almost 900 varieties commercially valuable varieties of date of date palm, about 240 of which had palm put pressure on the vast diversity of However, since the threatened varieties not previously been recorded. Before the hundreds of date varieties and entire oasis were rare, there were few offshoots to project started, only 10 varieties were ecosystems. A Bioversity International distribute, so we had to develop tissue available to farmers; now, the tissue project worked closely with oasis culture techniques to produce more culture laboratories are multiplying more farmers, researchers, extension staff and plants more rapidly. At the same time, than 70. In addition, many of the ‘new’ policymakers in Algeria, Morocco and the project helped to promote additional varieties are now safely conserved ex situ Tunisia to broaden the genetic diversity of markets and different uses (for example and in situ. the date palm varieties they grew. using the leaves to weave baskets) for specific date palm varieties, to give The project intended not merely to Starting in 2001, the ‘Maghreb Date Palm farmers an incentive to grow them. The conserve varieties but to allow them Project’ attacked the problem on several project helped researchers, extension staff to continue to develop in concert with fronts. Promising varieties threatened from government and non-governmental changes in the ecology of oases and the with genetic erosion were screened so that organizations (NGOs), and farmers in the communities that depend on them. This they could be multiplied and distributed three countries to share knowledge and has been reflected in a general expansion to farmers. Dates do not breed true from good practices about the management of of the diversity of other crops in the oases, seeds, and farmers usually multiply date date palm genetic resources. all of which depend on the presence of

56 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

thriving date palms. As a result, in 2011, varieties, to satisfy demand for diversity Noureddine Nasr two sites – the Ghot system in Algeria and from farmers. the Gafsa oasis in Tunisia – were formally 2004–2007: Coordinator, Bioversity International recognized as Globally Important Before this project, the genetic diversity Regional Office in North Africa Agricultural Heritage Systems by the of date palms and the other plants of 2002–2007: Regional Coordinator, GEF/UNDP date Food and Agriculture Organization of the the oases was being lost. Now, several palm project UN (FAO). projects have continued to duplicate the results of the Maghreb Date Palm Plant Production and Protection Technical Officer, A key impact came from work with Project. By working with farmers, NGOs FAO – sub-regional office for North Africa policymakers to change the laws and and governments, their biodiversity is incentives to promote conservation of being conserved and used to improve date palm genetic resources, which livelihoods and the oasis ecosystems. before the project were promoting genetic uniformity. In Algeria, new plantations now receive a government subsidy only if rarer varieties make up at least 20% of the date palms. Tunisia too has adopted the results of the project (Law 2008-73) and has ordered thousands of plants of rarer

57 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Mapping threats to tree species

Understanding the impact of africana, the important African cherry tree. Research (INERA) in Burkina Faso and anthropogenic threats on tree species’ the National Agrarian University in survival and fitness is important for the Climate change is not the only threat Kyrgyzstan, provided key information planning of future conservation and however. Overexploitation, habitat and knowledge. restoration efforts. conversion, overgrazing and fire also pose a threat to many species. Multiple threats The visual and spatially explicit Since the late 1990s, Bioversity can combine to put the survival and representation of the threats and International colleagues Prem Mathur fitness of important species at risk. their predicted impact, in the form and Luigi Guarino, with colleagues from of maps with different threat levels, the International Potato Center and the I had the opportunity to develop make the results easily accessible and University of Birmingham, had been a species-specific threat mapping understandable to decision-makers from using geographic information systems methodology in two projects focusing private and public agencies. to locate likely distribution of wild on important fruit tree species in West crop species by combining knowledge Africa and Central Asia. Using the The results of these studies are now being of the plant’s growing habitat with framework, we can predict, at a fine scale, used to efficiently plan species-specific ecological maps. These distribution maps where multiple threats are likely to have restoration and conservation actions could be overlaid with climate maps, a negative impact on suitable habitat, at a high spatial resolution. A project which allowed us to prioritize the most species by species, in the present and near with the Asia Pacific Forest Genetic threatened areas for conservation, which future. Our partners and local experts Resources Programme (APFORGEN) is is what we did to define conservation from national organizations, such as the helping countries to establish areas for priorities in a 2006–2010 project on Prunus Environmental Institute for Agricultural conservation of forest genetic resources,

58 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

by combining information about threats Hannes Gaisberger with information about the geographic distribution of genetic diversity. As well 2011–today: GIS Specialist: spatial analysis of as having recreational and ecosystem genetic and climatic data to define conservation service functions, these in situ areas will priorities and threats be used to guarantee the availability 2009-2011 Programme Specialist, Bioversity of adapted seed sources for forest and International Collecting Missions Database landscape restoration.

“The project brought a great outcome for better management of main food tree species in Burkina Faso. It sums up knowledge of different research and allows us to have an overview of these species in order to take good decisions for sustainable management.”

ZERBO Guibien Cleophas, Researcher at Centre National de Semences Forestières (Burkina Faso)

59 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Crop wild relatives

Crop wild relatives are wild plant species International (as IBPGR – the International helped build national and international closely related to crops. People have Board for Plant Genetic Resources) from information management systems. been using them through domestication its creation, as we recognized their ever since agriculture started. The wild importance for the future of agriculture. The current phase of research relatives of crops are a vital pool of genetic Early research focused on working out concentrates not so much on rescuing variation that can be used in breeding which species are relatives of priority threatened seed of important crop wild new varieties of crops better adapted to crops, where they grow, what threats they relatives and conserving it in genebanks, stress, disease, drought and other factors, face and the best techniques to collect and but on multiplying the capacity of thus safeguarding future agricultural store their seeds. We came to appreciate countries worldwide, low-income and production under climate change. conservation of wild relatives in situ to advanced, to prioritize crops for national preserve their evolutionary potential and global food security and livelihoods, All the major conventions and treaties through interactions between the plants conduct threat analyses and articulate in (Convention on Biological Diversity in and their environment. situ conservation strategies. 1993, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)’s ‘Global Plans of Action’ A 5-year project, with national partners One milestone has been in the South in 1996 and 2010, the International from Armenia, Bolivia, Madagascar, Sri African Development Cooperation Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Lanka and Uzbekistan, established a (SADC) region to enhance national Food and Agriculture in 2001 and more solid basis for the long-term conservation scientific capacities to conserve crop wild recently the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable of crop wild relatives and produced a relatives and identify traits for potential Development) recognize that conserving range of tools, manuals and products adaptation to climate change. Together we crop wild relatives needs to be a national that guide the conservation and use of developed National Strategic Action Plans and global priority, and have set targets to these resources globally. One important in Mauritius, South Africa and Zambia to monitor their conservation status. result was the Core Descriptors for In Situ conserve and use these species. We jointly Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives v.1, documented and assessed the diversity Crop wild relatives were part of the which facilitated the compilation and of crop wild relatives, identified priority collecting objectives of Bioversity exchange of in situ conservation data and species, and delineated strategic actions

60 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

Practice (COP) which developed and for their conservation and use. In Zambia Ehsan Dulloo validated innovative tools. These we worked with farmers to develop 2016–today: Senior Scientist and Team Leader, tools enabled the mapping of crop incentive mechanisms to conserve these Integrated Conservation Strategies wild relative locations in resource- wild relatives, including calculating the costs of conserving them. 2015–2016: Senior Scientist and Component challenged countries that are home to Leader, Conservation this irreplaceable germplasm that are Regionally, over 50 scientific staff from 14 veritable repositories of novel traits 2012–2015: Programme Leader, Conservation and SADC countries were trained on in situ for crop improvement. The trained Availability conservation methodologies, predictive scientists can now harness these traits characterization and pre-breeding to 2011–2012: Senior Policy Officer, Plant Genetic for breeding resilient crop varieties better conserve and use these resources. Resources, FAO We have developed a toolkit for planning to enhance crop production systems, conservation and use of crop wild 2004–2011: Senior Scientist, Conservation of as well as improving the nutritional relatives. With our SADC partners we have Agricultural Biodiversity qualities of staple crops. The COP also developed a concept for a regional in situ serves as a model to create a global crop wild relative conservation strategy. 2002–2004: Scientist, Conservation, Management of Germplasm Collection network that could facilitate the conservation and sustainable use of Bioversity with the University of 1999–2002: Scientist, Germplasm Conservation Birmingham and FAO is now pioneering a crop wild relatives.” global network for in situ conservation, to Chike Mba, Plant Production and Protection complement conservation in genebanks, “As Chairperson of the project Steering Division, FAO, Italy establishing links with breeders to Committee, I observed firsthand provide access to these globally important the impressive outputs of the multi- resources for sustaining our agriculture stakeholder endeavour. The project and food systems. engendered a unique Community of

61 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD 30 years in China

China, with one of the largest agricultural and in vitro storage. As a result, China For example, one project showed that the sectors in the world, particularly in terms now hosts one of largest crop collections benefits of growing farmers’ rice varieties of the number of households that depend in the world. Another was to make large in the Hani terraces were greater than on farming, has been an important collections more useful to breeders by modern cultivars, because older varieties country for Bioversity International characterizing and evaluating seeds and with more nutrients fetch a premium in for 30 years. In addition to specific developing tools for data management, the market. Mixed fields demonstrate projects in China, we also maintain close including adoption of Bioversity more resistance to pest and disease and collaborations with Chinese academies descriptors and identifying useful traits require fewer inputs that can improve and scientists. The overall goal of this and materials with phenotypic and farmers’ incomes. Overall yields of effort is to ensure that agricultural molecular tools. A third focused on the landraces and variety mixtures are also biodiversity is conserved and used to conservation and use of plant genetic more stable from year to year. improve the resilience of farming systems resources by farmers on their farms. in China and support the livelihoods of Given the number of farmers in China, Another project worked to increase the farmers who manage them. it was important to reach out to them. diversity on farms. Working closely with Working with partners, we offered Chinese partners, we evaluated thousands One approach over the years was to training on the on-farm management of of accessions of buckwheat and oats to collaborate with Chinese researchers agricultural biodiversity and promoted in identify those that might be best adapted to strengthen their abilities for safe situ conservation of wild rice. for future climates. These were assessed conservation. Some work focused on jointly by farmers and scientists, and the storage, such as protocols for ultra-dry Important projects also increased the six most promising varieties for each of seed storage and for cryopreservation economic value of biodiversity to farmers. buckwheat and oat are now being scaled

62 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Credit: Jialiang Gao, www.peace-on-earth.org, GFDL/CC-by-sa-2.5

up and promoted through demonstrations Zongwen Zhang in ten households in each of three counties in Sichuan province. 2015–today: Regional Representative for Southeast Asia

As a result of our collaboration, the 2014: Senior Scientist, Genetic Resources of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Underutilized Crops established the first research group in the country on conservation and use of genetic 2003–2014: Coordinator, East Asia resources of underutilized species. This 1989–2002: Assistant Coordinator, East Asia has increased awareness of the importance of agricultural biodiversity for livelihoods in the country, which in turn should “Bioversity’s collaborative research contribute to resilience and security. with us has greatly contributed to the conservation and use of crop genetic resources in China.”

Prof. Xinxiong Lu, Director of National Genebank, Crop Genetic Resources Centre of Institute of Crop Science of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

63 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Community seedbanks

A community seedbank is an institution could community seedbanks play in 1) bridging traditional knowledge with that local people govern and manage to the light of challenges such as climate modern science to strengthen technical maintain seeds for local use. Around the change, agricultural modernization and and organizational aspects, 2) adding value world, community seedbanks maintain genetic erosion? A thorough systematic to the conservation function of community thousands of locally adapted varieties of review followed this workshop, exploring seedbanks through participatory crop important food crops, facilitating their the origins, evolution and prospects improvement, seed production and access by tens of thousands of farmers of community seedbank types around marketing, and 3) linking community and allowing their further adaptation the world, their multiple functions and seedbanks to national genebanks to create to changing conditions. They operate as services, and their increasing importance synergies between ex situ and on-farm local institutions of social organization, in adapting to changing climates. conservation and facilitate exchanges of collective learning and community knowledge and seed. empowerment with key roles played by Applying what we learned, we engage women. Community seedbanks have been not only in understanding community Today there are at least 500 operational around for about 30 years. seedbanks, but also the practical work community seedbanks around the world, of establishing or developing them a number that continues to expand In 2011, I was part of the first national (including technical, organizational, as communities take into their own community seedbank workshop held in policy and legal aspects) in Bangladesh, hands the management of their heritage Nepal with seedbank pioneers Bhuwon Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, China, seeds and knowledge. The next phase Sthapit (see photo) and Pitambar Shreshta. Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Kenya, is to increase the power of individual We looked back over the decades and Madagascar, Mali, Nepal, South Africa, community seedbanks by helping them to asked: 1) What had been achieved and Sri Lanka and Uganda. Three elements create networks for knowledge exchange, learned in these 30 years? 2) What roles stand out in these recent practical efforts: capacity building and collective action.

64 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

In Nepal, local organization Local Bioversity are working on a national Ronnie Vernooy Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research network of community seedbanks that and Development (LI-BIRD) is joining connects them to the national genebank. 2011–today: Genetic Resources Policy Specialist the national agricultural system and Bioversity International to support the In 2018, together with partner “Thanks to the Gumbu seedbank, our recently established national association organizations from Austria, Brazil, seeds are now stored safely, we have of community seedbanks to facilitate China, Nepal, the Netherlands, Peru learned new seed storing techniques joint learning, create more visibility and Zimbabwe, we created the Global and now store more seeds in our and give a stronger political voice to Community Seedbanks Platform to community seedbanks. provide technical, organizational and community. We exchange useful policy support to community seedbank information about seeds and enjoy In China, the Farmers’ Seed Network is efforts around the world. Much has been good times together.” establishing new community seedbanks achieved on our journey, but more work and assisting other organizations to do remains to be done. The women of the Gumbu seedbank the same.

In India, government organizations and Bioversity have set up several community seedbanks as part of a climate change adaptation strategy.

In South Africa, the government and

65 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Credit: Mari Tefre/Crop Trust Establishing the Crop Trust

In the late 1990s, Bioversity International endowment fund to help provide stable in about 30 countries and concluded that up (as IPGRI – the International Plant and sustainable financing for the Centres’ to US$260 million was a reasonable target, Genetic Resources Institute) received an in-trust collections. provided there was strong endorsement urgent request from an African national from key low-income countries, FAO, genebank for help to pay its electricity The two ideas came together, and CGIAR and the World Bank. bill, because the government concerned throughout the spring and summer of was unable to provide the necessary 2000 we consulted with the Food and In the following year, at IPGRI’s request, the funds. Without these few thousand Agriculture Organization of the UN International Food Policy Research Institute dollars, the genebank risked losing its (FAO), various OECD countries, low- and the University of California, Berkeley, entire collection. This case was far from income countries, the Global Forum on undertook a study on the costs of operating isolated and it was increasingly apparent Agricultural Research and a number of genebanks. The study found that about $6 that many genebanks, especially in NGOs regarding the idea of establishing million was required per year to support low-income countries depended more a fund dedicated to conserving plant the CGIAR genebanks. This, together on stability of funding than the absolute genetic resources. Broad support was with equivalent funding to support key funds available. IPGRI saw the creation of expressed for the idea. collections in national genebanks in low- an international endowment fund as an income countries, meant that approximately ideal solution to this situation. At the same In October 2000, IPGRI commissioned $13 million would be required annually, time, it was proving increasingly difficult an independent consulting firm to assess including administrative costs. In order to secure the funding needed to maintain the feasibility of establishing such an to generate this amount, an endowment the CGIAR’s own genebanks and in May endowment and to determine a reasonable of about $260 million would be needed; 2000, the CGIAR Finance Committee fundraising target. The consultants the same figure that the consultants had endorsed IPGRI’s recommendation interviewed more than 130 individuals from considered feasible. to explore the establishment of an governments, foundations and corporations

66 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Credit: Mari Tefre/Crop Trust

Following further discussions, IPGRI the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Geoff Hawtin (on behalf of CGIAR) and FAO agreed Resources for Food and Agriculture, to to jointly establish the Crop Trust. establish the Trust as a legal entity. 1991–2003: Director General, International Plant We formally presented the idea to the Genetic Resources Institute World Food Summit in Rome in June At its meeting in October 2003, the panel 2002, where it was well received. In July, approved the Crop Trust’s Constitution at IPGRI’s request, Imperial College, and other legal documents. Over the next London published a report entitled Crop few months, IPGRI and FAO secured Diversity at Risk: The Case for Sustaining the signatures of 12 countries on the Crop Collections. The report argued that an Establishment Agreement (Cape Verde, endowment fund was needed to support Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mali, genebanks around the world. In August Morocco, Samoa, Sweden, Syria, Togo 2002, IPGRI and FAO formally and publicly and Tonga). committed to establishing the Crop Trust at the World Summit on Sustainable On 21 October 2004, the Crop Trust was Development in Johannesburg and born. The following year, in 2005, the Crop launched its first website Start with a Seed. Trust set up its inaugural Executive Board and Donor Council and began to operate Based on the recommendations of a as an independent legal entity. To this day meeting of potential donors in London Bioversity International maintains a close in late 2002, IPGRI and FAO set up an working relationship with its offspring, expert panel, under the Chairmanship the Crop Trust. Following a more detailed costing study, the Crop of Ambassador Fernando Gerbasi who Trust’s endowment fund target was revised to had earlier chaired the negotiations for USD$850 million in 2010.

67 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD LeadershipReflections from Leadership: The beginning resources into use, with new focuses on aspects such as ethnobotany, policy and neglected species.

Throughout the 1990s, IPGRI was the leading institution within CGIAR with respect to genetic resource policies. In 1994, CGIAR established the System-wide Genetic Resources Programme under IPGRI’s leadership. At the same time, the semi-independent Genetic Resources Policy Committee was established to keep CGIAR members and centres abreast of policy developments, with Prof. M. S. Swaminathan as Chair. IPGRI provided the Secretariat for the committee. We also Geoff Hawtin, Director General represented CGIAR at the negotiations Edmond De Langhe, Director leading to the adoption of the Convention International Plant Genetic Resources Institute on Biological Diversity and the subsequent International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain 1991–2003 meetings of the Conference of the Parties. In addition, we spearheaded CGIAR’s 1985–1991 I joined the International Board for involvement in the negotiations leading Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) as its to the creation of the International Treaty The International Network for the second Director in 1991 following the on Plant Genetic Resources for Food Improvement of Banana and Plantain departure of Trevor Williams. At that and Agriculture. IPGRI was the centre (INIBAP) was created in 1985 as an time IBPGR was a programme within primarily responsible for negotiating independent research body with the the Food and Agriculture Organization the agreements that in 1994 brought the financial support of several CGIAR donor of the UN (FAO), primarily concerned CGIAR Centres’ in-trust germplasm institutions. It was designed as a network with surveying and collecting genetic collections under the auspices of FAO. of national programmes with a small diversity and, through convening expert secretariat. Since no comparable network working groups, devising and overseeing In the late 1990s IPGRI led the in the realm of CGIAR could serve as a the development of ex situ conservation development of the Crop Trust, model, the construction of INIBAP was strategies for specific crops. From 1991 which in 2004 was established as an quite a challenge. to 2003, we grew from being a FAO independent, international institution programme of 60 people and a budget concerned with financing ex situ The first priority was to initiate a of US$9 million to being an independent collections around the world, primarily community of banana researchers, so CGIAR research centre of 300 staff in through its endowment fund. they could at last discuss banana topics 28 countries, four regional offices and a on regional and global scales. We realized budget of $30 million. In 1994, following a decision by CGIAR this in two ways. The first was holding funders, the International Network for thematic workshops such as on taxonomy, In 1993, we developed a new strategic the Improvement of Banana and Plantain pests and diseases. The second was plan ‘Diversity for Development’. This set (INIBAP) became a programme of IPGRI. appointing regional coordinators for four the scene for our transition, leaving FAO regions: Asia-Pacific – which contains the in 1994 and becoming the International large primary centre of banana diversity; Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). West Africa – dominated by plantain The new strategy shifted the focus from bananas; East Africa – with its unique pure conservation to getting genetic highland cooking bananas; and tropical

68 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Leadership America – where a range of introduced culture of a ‘programme’ into the culture cooking and dessert banana cultivars had of an international research centre. quickly become popular both locally and Many of the bureaucratic tendencies for export. This basic organization proved of a large international organization to be successful and has been maintained such as FAO were embedded in the ever since. traditions of IBPGR and now the freedom that followed independence had to be Key programmes were launched to realize handled. On top of this, CGIAR strongly the network’s objectives: suggested to us that we should take on the additional responsibility of the Board The International Musa Testing Program of the International Network for the was established at several research Improvement of Banana and Plantain stations and institutes in the tropical world (INIBAP) as well. The board was aware to evaluate new hybrids from genetic that in change — and particularly in improvement programmes and compare mergers — there are high risks of losing them with local popular cultivars. out on programme productivity and Lauritz Holm-Nielsen, Board Chair impact while management focus is on The Bioversity International Musa staff, premises, rules and regulations. Transit Center (ITC) was established International Plant Genetic Resources Institute at KU Leuven in Belgium to collect and 1993–1994 We did it, but I had to leave the Chair to preserve the entire diversity of the genus, my dear colleague Wanda Collins at the wild species included, and deliver virus- In 1993 I took over as Chair of the request of FAO because I moved from my free cultivars and wild taxa on request to International Plant Genetic Resources academic job in Denmark to the World a rapidly growing body of researchers. Institute (IPGRI)’s Board of Trustees from Bank in order to take charge of higher my great colleague Bill Tossell, who had education policy development there. The Musa Germplasm Information championed the transformation of the System to provide taxonomic and other International Board for Plant Genetic information for the ITC accessions, so the Resources (IBPGR) from a programme recipient could select accessions with the under the Food and Agriculture traits they desired. Organization of the UN (FAO) to an independent institution. My job now These programmes are still running on a was to ensure continued support of the steadily growing scale and prove that we institute’s top management under Geoff were on the right track in the construction Hawtin’s leadership to consolidate IPGRI of I N I BA P. as one of the CGIAR research centres.

I was greatly encouraged by an My tenure coincided with the launch of enthusiastic Board of Trustees with Dr the ‘Diversity for Development’ strategy, Staff members at FAO waiting to be allowed into the Hubert Zandstra as Chair, the vivid of which I was a staunch supporter. Board Meeting following the decision to definitively interest of donor group members, the With my background as a dean and separate programmatically from FAO. 1993 abundant advice from the International rector of research-heavy organizations, Development Research Centre, and the I knew it would be beneficial for IPGRI generous material help from the Centre de to get lab and field work closer to daily Coopération Internationale en Recherche life and impact. I had always felt that Agronomique pour le Développement grounding theories and politics in real (CIRAD), the host institute in France. experiences was a healthy exercise. It was not an easy task to transform the

69 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD Staff Meet our Staff: Karol Araya, Qi Wei and Silvia Araujo de Lima

Karol Araya

2010–today; Finance Assistant, Costa Rica office

What I most appreciate about working at Bioversity International is diversity. I mean diversity in terms of our research, cultures, social interactions, management and experiences. Every day brings new learning.

Qi Wei

2001–today; Programme Assistant Beijing, China

Since I joined the Bioversity International family in 2001, one thing I have noticed is that many researchers from all kinds of organizations come to our office to ask for various publications such as newsletters, descriptors and technical guidelines for genebank management. This makes me realize that Bioversity’s work on genetic conservation has had a

70 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research huge influence on Chinese Silvia Araujo de Lima scientists, and I’m very proud to be part of it. In recent years, Programme Assistant, Montpellier France Bioversity has been dedicated What I appreciate about to using biodiversity to Bioversity International’s improve the wellbeing and work today is the possibility incomes of farmers. This to recognize the work aligns with the pursuit of of farmers and promote Chinese society. diversity, for example, As Bioversity celebrates through the Cocoa of 45 years, it has become Excellence Programme and the a prominent research International Cocoa Awards. organization in the world and We also share best practices I, together with my collegues, between partners and will keep up the work and Bioversity to improve global strive for more achievements food production systems and in the conservation and crop diversity conservation utilization of agrobiodiversity and exchange through for a better life. MusaNet, CacaoNet and our research on agrobiodiversity.

71 Part 01 - SAFEGUARD

PLANT Making the most of crop collections

Despite successful campaigns collecting driving forces behind IBPGR, suggested was to promote efforts to broaden the plant genetic resource and advances in as early as 1984 that core collections genetic base of modern crop varieties, their conservation methods, a Bioversity could make large collections of major because a narrow genetic base makes a International (as IBPGR – International crops more usable. These would consist crop vulnerable to pests and diseases. Board for Plant Genetic Resources) of about 10% of the total ex situ collection, IPGRI, with the Food and Agriculture survey in the 1980s showed that breeders deliberately chosen to contain a high Organization of the UN (FAO), organized – the primary intended users of the proportion of the diversity present in the several workshops on base broadening, conserved material – made little use of whole collection. Staff would characterize leading to the publication of Broadening material from collections and had low and evaluate core collections, and make the Genetic Base of Crop Production. awareness of collections and their value. available larger quantities of seed. This This publication presented a review of Over the years, we have explored several would make it easier for breeders to approaches with a compilation of case ways to help breeders make more use of choose and use material. Some experts studies and examples that covered a range the increasing number of plant materials feared the approach might lead to neglect of different crop types, breeding systems held in ex situ collections. of the rest of the collection and would not and situations. help when a desired trait was controlled To make the most of this diversity, we by a single gene occurring only in a Surveys in the 1990s and then again in acted to try and ensure that all the very few samples. Nonetheless, many 2006 indicated that use of plant genetic materials were well described and genebank managers adopted the core resources depended not only their direct evaluated through the development of collection approach, and it did prove incorporation into breeding programmes Descriptors, the information was widely a useful entry point, especially during but also research and evaluation. Other available through information systems, the early application of molecular analyses, especially on the use of crop and that new knowledge was generated screening because it offered a wild relatives, showed there were and shared through crop networks. manageable number of accessions while considerable differences between crops maximizing genetic diversity. regarding which resources were used ‘Core collections’ were another way to and how much use was made of them. stimulate use. Otto Frankel, one of the A third approach to encourage use For example, tomato breeders have made

74 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Credit: Anita Sanchez/CIMMYT

substantial use of crop wild relatives, Toby Hodgkin wheat breeders had a tradition of including traditional varieties and wild 2011–today: Honorary Research Fellow relatives in breeding programmes, while 2009–2011: Principal Scientist rice and maize breeders made much less use of such materials. 2007–2009: Director, Global Partnerships Programme As we move into an era where production 1996–2007: Principal Scientist systems will need more genetic diversity to meet the challenges of climate change, 1989–1996: Research Officer and Director, Genetic our understanding of how to use these Diversity Group resources will become only more critical.

75 Part 02 - PLANT ‘Germ-free’ germplasm

In the late 1980s, genebanks were starting Resources (IBPGR). He quickly established knowledge and set about filling them. to distribute material and had run into a that this was indeed a problem and For example, banana bunchy top disease problem: many seeds and other planting had spoken to the IBPGR Board. They had recently started to spread and cause materials carry diseases that can spread hired me to head a germplasm health concern, but nobody knew what caused to new areas if not carefully managed. programme to undertake research on it. IBPGR supported an Australian team For example the International Institute phytosanitary aspects of germplasm that discovered the banana bunchy top of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) was not management. One of the first tasks was virus. As a result, we have a diagnostic allowed to distribute improved cassava to develop a series of technical guidelines test so we can ensure that banana genetic material outside Nigeria for fear that for the safe movement of germplasm. resources in transit will not spread the it would spread cassava diseases. In In collaboration with FAO, we brought disease, which is probably the most addition, some CGIAR centres had been technical experts together to build a devastating banana viral disease. accused of distributing diseased material. consensus around the most reliable ways to detect specific pathogens and the best Another outgrowth of this project was As a plant pathologist working for the ways to clean up the material. The result the formation of a Technical Working Food and Agriculture Organization was a series of about 25 publications for Group that brought together all the seed of the UN (FAO), I discussed this with different crops, fruits and vegetables. health experts from CGIAR genebanks. Trevor Williams, then Director of the The Working Group allowed people to International Board for Plant Genetic The project also identified gaps in our share experiences and information on the

76 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Credit: H. Luhtasela-El Showk. Courtesy of Musarama, www.musarama.org

importance of ensuring that material was Emile Frison clean. It led to the situation today, where each of the 11 CGIAR genebanks has a 2003–2013: Director General germplasm health unit that ensures that 1995–2003: Director, International Network for the the seeds and other materials that they Improvement of Banana and Plantain distribute worldwide are healthy and pose no phytosanitary risk. The germplasm 1992–1995: Regional Director for Europe health units are continuing the work of 1987–1992: Germplasm Health Senior Scientist developing diagnostic tests and methods to remove pathogens and pests from genetic resources.

IBPGR’s early recognition of the need to develop guidelines for the safe movement of germplasm was vital to the success of CGIAR genebanks, and those guidelines are still getting many citations today.

77 Part 02 - PLANT System-wide Genetic Resources Programme

The System-wide Genetic Resources the Director General, was instrumental In 1995, an SGRP-commissioned external Programme (SGRP), which launched in shepherding the agreement through review of the genebanks uncovered in 1994, was one of several initiatives the Commission on Genetic Resources for shortcomings in both operations and intended to foster closer collaboration Food and Agriculture and to the ultimate stable funding. SGRP obtained and among the CGIAR centres. It emerged signing of the documents. managed two World Bank projects to from a review of CGIAR, but had an upgrade all the centre genebanks as global additional impetus, which was the Once signed, it became important to live public goods. SGRP also funded a study call for a CGIAR-wide response to the up to the In-Trust Agreements; IPGRI by the International Food Policy Research Convention on Biological Diversity and played a crucial part in that, through its Institute, which assessed the costs and the Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic coordination of SGRP. A key element was benefits of the genebanks and the amount Resources for Food and Agriculture of the the System-wide Information Network needed to maintain funding in perpetuity. Food and Agriculture Organization of for Genetic Resources (SINGER). This The upgrade and the costing study laid the UN (FAO). SGRP encompassed the was a real breakthrough, bringing the foundations for the Crop Trust and genetic resource activities of all centres together information from each of the the CGIAR Genebank Platform, which are and Bioversity International (as IPGRI 11 centre genebanks into a single online carrying forward SGRP’s work. – International Plant Genetic Resources repository. It created consistency for Institute) was the convening centre. genebank information and promoted As coordinator of SGRP, IPGRI transparent access to genebank holdings. represented genetic resources in CGIAR In-Trust Agreements between centre There had been nothing like it before; and outside. We enabled CGIAR to genebanks and FAO effectively made the it brought enormous goodwill from speak with one voice at many different plant collections in CGIAR genebanks countries and non-governmental international meetings, and especially part of humanity’s heritage in perpetuity. organizations (NGOs), and was the at the Conference of the Parties to the IPGRI, and in particular Geoff Hawtin, foundation of today’s Genesys. Convention on Biological Diversity.

78 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

Each centre provided relevant The ultimate form of the Plant Treaty Jane Toll experts to speak on the topic at hand, owes a lot to SGRP, which was recognized including, for example, on livestock in 2006, shortly after it came into force, 2007–2014: Senior Project Manager, Crop Trust, and fish. But they all spoke under a with the CGIAR’s Partnership Award. Rome, Italy and Bonn, Germany common CGIAR flag, which lent extra 2005–2007: Director, Global Partnerships weight to their submissions. Programme

This process continued in the 1995–2007: Coordinator of the CGIAR System-wide negotiation of the International Treaty Genetic Resources Programme on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Plant Treaty) and the 1992–1995: Senior Scientist, Germplasm Single Material Transfer Agreement management that accompanied all genebank samples 1987– 1992: Coordinator for West Africa, Niamey, and embodied the principles of the Niger In-Trust Agreements. SGRP could draw on the combined experience 1985–1987: Officer for the Great Lakes Region of the centres to work out what was (Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire (DR Congo)) Gitega, possible and practicable. Its reports Burundi went to the CGIAR’s Genetic Resources Policy Committee of external policy 1980–1985: Collector and Consultant (Ethiopia, experts and NGOs. With their blessing, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Syria, Zimbabwe) recommendations passed into the Plant Treaty negotiations.

79 Part 02 - PLANT Descriptors: A common language for crops

Bioversity International (as IBPGR – the The solution was to work with experts on partners, drew on 500 experts from 210 International Board for Plant Genetic the individual species to compile agreed organizations in 85 countries. Resources)’s support for genebanks descriptors. In 1977, IBPGR released the around the world quickly ran into the first descriptors for cultivated potato, The original lists identified a minimum difficulty of accurately identifying developed with the International Potato number of characteristics to describe accessions. How could a breeder Center and other partners. Although a crop. Over the years, the descriptors understand the differences between the concept, process and format would evolved. In 1990 they were relaunched samples in a collection, to know which to change over the years, after I took on the as ‘comprehensive lists’ including use? How could genebanks understand project in 1989, this was the first of a series extra information useful to breeders. whether they had duplicates or gaps in of more than 150 descriptors published From 1994 on, new sections on in vitro, their collections? Very early on, IBPGR over the subsequent decades. cryopreservation, soil and environment, realized that the community needed and ethnobotanical information were a universal language to discuss the Descriptors present an easy-to-use, incorporated, as well as asterisks to materials in genebank collections. This internationally agreed methodology for indicate the essential information to need was heightened by the spread describing germplasm accessions, and record. Descriptors for Genetic Marker of information systems, for which an are multi-stakeholder efforts involving Technologies (2004) stipulated the internationally agreed format and many experts in different institutions minimum set needed to generate and universally understood language were and countries. For example, Key Access exchange biochemical and molecular data essential. and Utilization Descriptors for 22 Annex I that are standardized and replicable. In Crops, developed with CGIAR centres and 2009, as Bioversity moved toward on-

80 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

farm conservation and use, Descriptors for International Treaty on Plant Genetic Adriana Alercia Farmers’ Knowledge About Plants allowed Resources for Food and Agriculture, and researchers to record farmers’ preferences crop databases and ontologies. 1998–2015: Descriptor List Management and in a standardized way integrating Capacity Strengthening Core biology and traditional knowledge. Descriptors make it easier for partners 1994–1997: Germplasm Information Specialist, Descriptors for In Situ Conservation of Crop to work together through more uniform Descriptors Wild Relatives (2013) describes a minimum documentation, and help users to select set to document in situ material. a wider range of germplasm. Though the 1989–1993: Consultant, Food and Agriculture concept is simple, the importance of the Organization of the UN (FAO)/ International Board for An outstanding descriptor worldwide is principles embodied in the descriptor lists Plant Genetic Resources the Food and Agriculture Organization cannot be overstated. of the UN (FAO)/Bioversity International Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors (2001). It was last revised in 2015, confirming its validity after almost 15 years. This standard provides consistent passport vocabularies to use across crops, and is the backbone of databases, networks and global portals such as Genesys, EURISCO, the Global Information Portal of the

81 Part 02 - PLANT Ontologies: The science of connecting disconnected data

Effective communication requires a by new projects. Not only is this more for Tropical Agriculture to integrate the shared understanding of what words efficient, but it also opens the door to Crop Ontology into ‘AgTrials’, a portal mean. When we study complex richer analyses, bringing in a wider sweep that compiles data on crop evaluation agricultural and food systems, we of information. trials. AgTrials became the first online combine data from biophysical, repository to use ontology concepts for socioeconomic and cultural spheres of The Crop Ontology project began in 2008 dataset annotations. All CGIAR centres investigation. But each sphere measures to enable plant breeders to use an agreed now use the ontology terms as keywords and collects data in different forms and in system to describe details of crop traits for dataset annotations in their public different ways, from household surveys and variables, such as time to fruiting or repositories, boosting the value of the to satellite images. Data are like words; seed weight, which they measure in field datasets to a variety of investigators. we need to agree on what they mean to assessments. It is a service now integrated understand what they are communicating. into the Breeding Management System Over the years, working with CGIAR That is where ontologies come in. An of the Integrated Breeding Platform, Research Centres and other partners, ontology is a formal representation of a developed by the CGIAR Generation Bioversity has expanded the Crop domain of knowledge, where key concepts Challenge Programme, and provides a Ontology from 8 to 27 species. While are defined, as well as the relationships digital workbench for breeders to design connecting the data, we also connected that exist between those concepts. breeding programmes and produce scientists, data managers, modellers and Ontologies in agriculture harmonize the electronic fieldbooks for data collection. ontology experts into a community of variables that have been measured, by The result is improved data quality, which practice in the CGIAR Platform for Big annotating the measurements in such a permits the meta-analysis of varieties’ Data in Agriculture. The Crop Ontology way as to make them comparable and behaviour under different conditions. is now a popular open-access resource not interoperable. only for users of the Integrated Breeding The CGIAR Research Program on Platform but also for other CGIAR crop In this way, ontologies enable data Climate Change, Agriculture and Food information systems, and private and exchange across projects and across Security then supported Bioversity public research groups. disciplines and facilitate their reuse International and the International Center

82 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

and unlocks the search of annotated In ten years, the Crop Ontology has Elizabeth Arnaud trait data across species that are of become a reference source and model interest for breeding and comparative for other ontology development efforts 2008–today: Scientist, Ontology Project Principal genomics.» for agriculture. As part of the Big Data Investigator Platform, we developed the Agronomy 2008–2014: Diversity Informatics Team Leader Ontology for AGROFIMS, a global Pankaj Jaiswal, agronomy fieldbook and analytical 1997–2008: Musa Germplasm Information System Associate application. This ontology applies to Coordinator Professor, data beyond the crop itself, such as field Department management practices, weather and of Botany and soil conditions. Now we are supporting « Ontologies serve as common Plant Pathology an emerging ontology on agricultural standards for semantic integration at Oregon State household surveys and soon we will of a large and growing corpus of University begin fish and livestock ontologies. plant genomics, phenomics and Lead Investigator genetics data. The Planteome of the NSF-funded project (Planteome.org) has had a Planteome.org reference ontology fruitful partnership with the Crop project (NSF grant IOS:1340112) and Co-lead Ontology Project for several years. of Gramene Database Project on Exploring The mapping of Crop Ontology traits Function through Comparative Genomics and with the reference species-neutral Network Analysis Trait Ontology of Planteome has created a semantic framework that connects genotype to phenotype data

83 Part 02 - PLANT Genesys: Genebank data at your fingertips

In the beginning there were SINGER, independent database behind it. We all called that at the time. We went through EURISCO and GRIN*. That’s how the felt we could do better. a number of names. My favourite was genebanks of the CGIAR Centres, the ALIS: the Accession-Level Information countries in the European plant genetic That’s the genesis of Genesys. Bring the System. Bioversity International was a key resources network, and the United States data from these three online systems player, with its invaluable experience of Department of Agriculture, respectively, together into one database, to be accessed developing SINGER and EURISCO. The shared information on their collections and queried from a single portal. One idea was to bring their data together and online, from the early 1990s. It was great: search query for wheat from Afghanistan, expand the result to encompass GRIN too. passport data on millions of accessions, rather than three. Or indeed more. The in dozens of different genebanks, at Big Three was always supposed to be just So, starting in 2008, Bioversity’s database your fingertips. For a crop of interest, a the start. Others would come, we felt sure. people – Samy Gaiji, Elizabeth Arnaud researcher or breeder could immediately And we were right. and Milko Škofic – worked with the Crop know where samples originated, and Trust to put together a plan. Bioversity where they were housed now. But I had just started working at the Crop hired a project manager, Michael Mackay, it could be even greater. If you were Trust, under Jane Toll. Our job was to and a programmer, Fawzy Nawar. Within interested in wheat from Afghanistan, implement a huge project funded by the a couple of years, they had a website say, you needed to navigate three entirely Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. One up and running, from which you could separate websites, each with a different, component was Genesys, though it wasn’t query the Big Three. Eventually, a few

*SINGER: System-wide Information Network for Genetic Resources; EURISCO: a search catalogue providing information about ex situ plant collections maintained in Europe and beyond; GRIN: Germplasm Resources Information Network

84 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Credit: Neil Palmer/Crop Trust

more years down the road, this replaced Luigi Guarino SINGER. More genebanks came on board. Genesys now provides access to passport 2007–today: Science Coordinator, The Crop Trust information on 3,889,117 accessions in 459 and since 2016 Director of Science and Programs institutes and, starting this year, to 79 2002–2006: Secretariat of the Pacific Community characterization and evaluation datasets in Fiji too. It gets about 4,000 visits a month. The portal itself has gone through a couple 1997–2002: Genetic Diversity Scientist, Latin of different changes in look, but what we American and Caribbean Office, Cali, Colombia, did back in 2008 was really the start of IPGRI something new. Hence the name. 1992-1996: Genetic Diversity Scientist, IBPGR/ IPGRI, sub-Saharan office, Nairobi, Kenya

1992: Germplasm Collector, IBPGR, Cyprus

1984–1987: Consultant, FAO and IBPGR

85 Part 02 - PLANT Know your banana: The Musa Germplasm Information System

The Musa Germplasm Information project to develop the first database. Since then, we have actively developed System (MGIS) is rooted deep in the MGIS version 1.0 was released as a and maintained MGIS to include history of the International Network standalone desktop application in 1996 more partners’ collections (through for the Improvement of Banana and and included the banana descriptors that data sharing agreements) and to Plantain (INIBAP) and continues to had just been published. A year later, diversify its content with genetic and grow in Bioversity International. The INIBAP and CIRAD jointly organized phenotype information and literature. Musa conservation group, as it was then, the first MGIS training workshop at a For example, we have enriched the developed the concept of an information CIRAD research station in Neufchâteau, materials maintained in the ITC in vitro system to bring together the information Guadeloupe. In this way, ten curators of collection by supplementing them with scattered across multiple formats (books, the major Musa collections were trained characterization data and photos captured articles, collecting mission reports, on the MGIS methodology and tested the during field verification, an ongoing check trial reports etc.) and deal with the MGIS software and database before we of the collection’s integrity. Scientists at lack of standardized terminology to distributed it more widely. the ITC analyze each new accession for identify, describe and evaluate bananas. basic genetic information, and link this INIBAP and the Centre de Coopération The use of standardized data facilitated information through MGIS. And since Internationale en Recherche Agronomique the release of two Musalogue publications 2012, the online ordering system in MGIS pour le Développement (CIRAD) jointly – catalogues of Musa diversity – in 1997 handles requests to the ITC for material. presented the idea to a workshop in and 2001. In 2003, the data from MGIS Leuven, Belgium, in December 1989. moved online so that anyone with access Bioversity continues to distribute a to the internet could obtain information standalone version, which includes a The development of computer databases about specific banana accessions, mobile application called MusaTab that offered an opportunity to create a including passport and characterization supports the capture of high-quality data Central Germplasm Information System data. The MGIS website also offered in field collections. These tools can then to tackle those issues. In late 1993, online access to the collection at the automatically update the MGIS database Canada’s International Development Bioversity International Musa Germplasm and pave the way for a broader use of Research Centre (IDRC) financed a 3-year Transit Centre (ITC). the dataset, for example to help identify

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varieties with MusaID, another mobile Max Ruas application developed by Bioversity and CIRAD. 2008–today: Information System Analyst, MGIS Manager

After 20 years of existence, MGIS has 2005–2007: Database Manager evolved and adapted to enrich its core dataset while benefiting from other 2000–2004: IT Manager data types, standards and software technologies to provide a better user experience. It also serves as a key tool “MGIS is an excellent system for knowledge dissemination during for documentation and sharing MusaNet regional workshops held in information on Musa germplasm. I Asia, Africa and Latin America. MGIS always consult the MGIS to clarify provides the best picture of Musa diversity in the world, vital for the conservation doubts about the germplasm of Musa. and use of that diversity. MGIS … gathers a huge volume of information about Musa germplasm, connecting curators from different institutions and encouraging not only conservation, but also the use of Musa genetic resources.”

Janay Almeida dos Santos Serejo Researcher, Plant Breeding and Cell Biology Curator of the Musa Germplasm Collection Embrapa Cassava and Fruits

87 Part 02 - PLANT Unravelling the banana genome

In 2001, only a few months after the Beyond providing an extremely valuable sequence, along with the increased first plant genome was fully sequenced, tool to improve banana varieties, the capabilities of next-generation sequencing Bioversity International (as IPGRI – the sequence allows researchers to study technologies, provides a unique International Plant Genetic Resources the evolution of the Musa genome. This opportunity to unlock the potential of the Institute) set up a consortium of partners research has resulted in a large number genetic diversity stored at the Bioversity to sequence the banana genome. It of citations and high-volume traffic International Musa Germplasm Transit took about ten years for the ‘Global to its associated scientific databases, Centre (ITC). With support from the Musa Genomics Consortium’, which including the ‘Banana Genome Hub’, CGIAR Research Program on Roots, we coordinated, to achieve its dream which is maintained on the South Tubers and Bananas, one-third of the with the release of the first reference Green Bioinformatics Platform. We have ITC collection is being analyzed with genome in the important journal Nature organized community training courses high-throughput genotyping methods. in 2012. The reference genome was made with national partners from Asia, Europe, This has enabled us, for instance, to possible by progressive generations of key Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa study the genetic bases of sterility and genomic resources and the actions of the to make sure that this information can be parthenocarpy (forming fruit without the community to raise the importance of efficiently used. need for pollination) in banana. Moreover, the crop. since 2012, several other genomes of wild The availability of the banana genome banana species have been fully sequenced,

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and efforts to sequence more challenging Mathieu Rouard banana genomes are underway. 2013–today: Lead Scientist, Bioinformatics Unit

Large-scale genome data mining is now 2009–2012: Scientist, Genomics and Bioinformatics an integral part of Bioversity’s agenda, with the establishment of a dedicated 2004–2008: Programme Specialist, Bioinformatics unit for the analysis and management of banana genomic information. We continue to improve our understanding by exploiting the genetic variation of the crop’s diversity, whether maintained in genebanks, on farm or in natural habitats, and as such contribute to enhancing the productivity, sustainability and resilience of banana cultivars and their agricultural systems.

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The Genetic Resources Policy Initiative

The Genetic Resources Policy Initiative policy issues for consideration to inform Nepal, Rwanda and Uganda. These (GRPI) was created to support national the actual policies developed by the teams convened national consultations level, multi-stakeholder dialogues project including seed policies, sui generis and dialogues and conducted policy about genetic resource policies. GRPI intellectual property rights, access and research on key issues: the structure was inspired by earlier international benefit-sharing policies and public and influence of policy actor networks; multi-stakeholder dialogues in which investment in agricultural research. germplasm flows in, out and within Bioversity International (as IPGRI – the the country; institutional challenges to International Plant Genetic Resources By the time we launched GRPI Phase 2 community crop diversity management; Institute) had been involved, namely the (2011–2017), the International Treaty on and technology transfer needs. They Keystone Dialogues (1988–1991) and the Plant Genetic Resources for Food and then made use of their consultation and Crucible Group Rounds 1 and 2 (1993– Agriculture (Plant Treaty) was in force, research results to design customized 1994; 1998–2000). Having experienced the and, in 2006, its Governing Body had policies. After the Nagoya Protocol on benefits of these international dialogues, adopted the Standard Material Transfer Access and Benefit Sharing came into force the natural next step for the organization Agreement. The international components in 2014, GRPI piloted several activities to was to sponsor similar engagements at the for a global policy framework were finally forge links with stakeholders working on national level. in place; all that was missing was national implementation of the Protocol. level implementation. So GRPI 2 focused In GRPI Phase 1 (2002–2006) we its ‘3M’ methodology on helping countries Bioversity and the project partners have piloted our ‘3M methodology’ – multi- to develop national implementing systems published numerous books, journal stakeholder, multidisciplinary, multi- that responded to their particular needs. articles, policy briefs and decision-making sectoral – to engage a wide range of tools based on their work in the GRPI individuals and organizations in project The project supported national ‘3M’ teams project. By 2017, all partner countries had governance. We also conducted national in eight countries – Bhutan, Burkina Faso, developed strategies to participate in the surveys and dialogues to prioritize Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Multilateral System established by the

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Godfrey Mwila, Deputy Director, Zambia Plant Treaty, including a draft portfolio Michael Halewood Agricultural Research Services, of complementary policies and laws to and Julian Gonsalves, Senior Programme 2001- today Head of the Policy Unit implement it. By the end of the project, Adviser, International Institute of Rural many of those policies had been formally Reconstruction, 2017, Final External Review of approved by the requisite governmental “The rich set of research outputs the GRPI2 Project bodies. generated from project activities implemented is clear evidence of Bioversity is launching GRPI Phase 3 in 2019 significant achievements made under focusing on using crop genetic diversity to adapt agricultural production systems the GRPI2 project, providing valuable to climatic changes, accessing materials inputs in influencing the agriculture through the Plant Treaty’s Multilateral research and development community System and/or subject to national laws as well as the policymakers and implementing the Nagoya Protocol. planner community on the other hand. It is obvious that many countries are using project outputs as models or prototypes for country-specific adaptations (e.g. crop domestication publications, community seedbanking, policy briefs on networking analysis, etc.).”

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Resilient seed systems

Farmers in developing countries face ability of participants to adapt to stresses seedbanks are important and can serve unprecedented challenges to deal with and changes by taking advantage of the many functions, so they were a focus changing climates and related crop combined knowledge and experience of support. We connected community management problems. Erratic and of all the participants and institutions. seedbanks to national genebanks, where less predictable rainfall, and in some Furthermore, they respond to the needs appropriate, and also helped communities regions warmer temperatures and higher of the farmers in their diverse farming build seed-based enterprises. A key humidity, longer hot spells and recurring operations, recognizing the key role element is to ensure that communities droughts are expected to become more of women as seed custodians and benefit from access to their genetic frequent. All these changes seriously entrepreneurs. Resilient seed systems resources, which often included lobbying affect how farmers manage their crops can benefit from policies and laws that for alternative national systems for variety to maintain production. Current seed support a variety of options for business registration and seed certification, and systems do not serve their needs. models around the supply of seeds. also involved working with international agreements for access and benefit sharing, In recent years, Bioversity International We carried out different types of such as the International Treaty on has piloted various initiatives in more activity, depending on each country’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and than 20 countries to support novel existing seed systems. For example, we Agriculture. configurations of actors operating at farm, promoted participatory characterization community, national and international of varieties, getting farmers and scientists Among the results of these activities are levels to develop resilient seed systems. together to evaluate crops and varieties. a greater capacity of smallholders and Such seed systems are the basis of That sometimes included identifying other stakeholders to produce quality sustainable food systems and healthy and testing varieties promising for seed of diverse varieties that meet diets for several reasons. They rely on the climate change adaptation. Community farmers’ preferences and needs. At a local

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How can we assist them to become level, many new community seedbanks Ronnie Vernooy more resilient?” were established and linked to farmer organizations and women’s groups for 2011–today: Genetic Resources Policy Andrew Mushita seed production. Seed systems have Specialist Director Community Technology Development been diversified, increasing accessibility Trust to seed and improving seed and food “Investing in alternative crops for Harare, Zimbabwe security. National partners have used building resilience, adaptation and research results to influence national food security is a good strategy for seed policies in some countries, such ensuring food and nutrition security as Bolivia, Nepal and Uganda, where farmers’ organizations can now produce, and climate change adaptation. package and sell quality-declared seed. Resilient seed systems research builds Bioversity International and national on indigenous resilient agricultural partners have used the project’s results in practices. Women farmers are key global policy debates on the importance players in this process. The critical of agrobiodiversity for sustainable questions are: What are the barriers agriculture, the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of plant to sharing indigenous knowledge genetic resources and related knowledge, between and among communities? and the effective implementation of What are the limits of farmers’ Farmers’ Rights. resilience and adaptation capacities?

93 Part 02 - PLANT ECPGR: The European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources

In 1980, the Food and Agriculture cooperating. This meant, in 2003, we could the genetic diversity conserved. Initially Organization of the UN with the UN establish the European Search Catalogue we will be evaluating resistance traits to Development Programme identified a for Plant Genetic Resources (EURISCO), crop pathogens. need and opportunity to create a mutually which documents 2 million accessions beneficial system for the maintenance conserved by more than 370 institutions As understanding has grown of the of comprehensive, well-documented throughout Europe. complementary roles of conservation in collections of crop genetic resources genebanks, in the wild and on farm, we in Europe. This system would also The European Collection, which was have launched initiatives to conserve and encourage the more effective use of plant established in 2011 under the European use crop wild relatives in the wild and genetic resources in plant breeding. The Genebank Integrated System (AEGIS), to promote on-farm conservation and European Cooperative Programme for is a decentralized collection of unique management of the diversity of European Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) was the accessions maintained under formal plant genetic resources for food and result. In 1983, the countries requested long-term agreements, at high-quality agriculture. Bioversity International (as IBPGR – conservation standards, made available International Board for Plant Genetic based on internationally agreed principles. ECPGR has increased the transfer of Resources) to coordinate it. knowledge and collaboration across the Our most recent innovation is a region. The most visible achievements Over the years, we have created 22 crop European Evaluation Network (EVA), (EURISCO, AEGIS, EVA and the in situ and thematic Working Groups, which established in 2018 to provide a joint concepts), testify to the possibility of actively exchange information and evaluation of accessions in the European building regional infrastructures or project ideas and forge new partnerships. Collection across multiple environments, frameworks that could offer examples to Forty-three European countries are now making practical and systematic use of other regions.

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Collaborative action to document the Lorenzo Maggioni “The objectives of ECPGR are European genebank accessions means very important because the 1999–today: Scientist, ECPGR Coordinator/ that information on the largest set of national initiatives display a very diversity currently included in the Global Secretary heterogeneous level of efficiency for Information System is now available 1996–1999: Associate Scientist, ECPGR Coordinator online. The next challenge to improve safeguarding plant genetic resources. global food security and address the ECPGR helps spread this efficiency problems brought by climate change upwards through international will be to discover exactly which type collaboration and dialogue between of useful traits are contained in the crop curators of European countries, collection and effectively use them. In situ and via its technical publications of and on-farm strategies are multiplying efforts to protect and manage diversity outstanding value for people in charge in the fields and the creation of the first of plant genetic resources.” network of crop wild relative genetic Partner responding to a questionnaire for the reserves is under way. ECPGR External Review 2010

95 Part 02 - PLANT Banana research networks for innovation

The International Network for the established the ‘ProMusa’ global redeployed as innovation platforms. Improvement of Banana and Plantain programme, to accelerate the impact of (INIBAP), over the course of its existence, banana improvement efforts by increasing As for ProMusa, it opened up its has set up several networks to support interactions between pathologists and the membership to all individuals interested work on bananas. These started with world’s banana breeders. The programme in bananas and reinvented itself as a a research network in each of the four had five interlinked thematic working platform for sharing, examining and banana-producing regions where INIBAP groups (genetic improvement, Fusarium debating research results and knowledge had an office: the Banana Research and wilt, Mycosphaerella leaf spot diseases, on bananas. The network is currently Development Network for Latin America nematodes and viruses). In 2001, INIBAP supported by a website (www.promusa. and the Caribbean (MUSALAC), the was also instrumental in the creation of org) where people can keep up-to-date Banana Research Network for East and the Global Musa Genomics Consortium, with what is happening around the world. Southern Africa (BARNESA), the Banana again to help speed up the development of This is done through a news and blogs Asia-Pacific Network (BAPNET), and the disease- and pest-resistant bananas. section, a community bulletin board, regional network for West and Central and Musapedia, an online compendium Africa (MUSACO – now called Innovate When INIBAP and the International of knowledge on the crop that tries to Plantain). The regional networks helped Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) make sense of the vast amount of material national partner organizations to identify entered a new phase in 2006 with the generated by the scientific enterprise and meet challenges to banana production adoption of a common name, Bioversity through concise and clearly written in their respective regions. International, the networks also adapted texts. In addition to being recognized to the new realities. The regional banana as a trustworthy source of information, In 1997, INIBAP and the World Bank research networks, for example, were ProMusa is increasingly called upon to

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sort the facts from the hype circulating on thematic groups: diversity, evaluation, The Banana Group social media. information and documentation, conservation, and genomics. The network also organizes, in association with the International Society for As the then Director of INIBAP, Richard Horticultural Science, symposia that are Markham, noted in 2006, “banana later reported in proceedings. When not researchers are perhaps not the scattered meeting face-to-face, the more than 900 and beleaguered band that they were ProMusa members stay in touch through 20 years ago. And perhaps INIBAP can the network’s mailing list. take some of the credit for linking them together into a more potent force for In 2011 we added a new network, constructive change”. ‘MusaNet’ (www.musanet.org), to provide a collaborative framework for the implementation of the 2006 Musa conservation strategy, which network members updated in 2016. The network’s structure comprises a Coordinating Secretariat, an Expert Committee (in which ProMusa and the regional banana networks are represented) and five

97 Part 02 - PLANT Strengthening capacity

From its inception, Bioversity assumed positions of responsibility on a government-funded international International (as IBPGR – the International managing national seedbanks and in vitro PhD fellowship programme in Board for Plant Genetic Resources and collections, and coordinating crop and agrobiodiversity. then IPGRI – the International Plant plant genetic resource networks. Genetic Resources Institute) pursued In parallel, Bioversity used, and still the objective to ‘promote training at all Formal academic programmes were uses, a multiplier approach to reach a levels’. Its early emphasis was on the complemented by competitive North- broader audience and strengthen the academic level, codifying the new science South research fellowships, internships capacity of partners, practitioners and of plant genetic resource management and mentoring arrangements that trainers within projects and networks into postgraduate curricula to develop enabled young scientists to work with at the local, national and regional level. a new cadre of national scientists who Bioversity’s research teams or carry This involves transforming its science would take responsibility for maintaining out research at our partner institutes. outputs into decision-support tools, their country’s and region’s plant genetic Bioversity’s self-funded annual Vavilov- good-practice guidelines, training resources. Bioversity and partners Frankel Fellowship and Abdou Salam manuals, experiential learning videos, worked closely with universities around Ouedrago Forestry Fellowship schemes and e-learning courses. The purpose the world, most notably the University were two examples. In addition, is to move research into application. of Birmingham in the UK, to develop Bioversity established an international Topics include: the implementation of teaching, curricula and materials for fellowship programme for training the International Treaty on Plant Genetic degree programmes. Eventually these at the PhD level in molecular biology Resources for Food and Agriculture; programmes developed adequate in Wuhan, China with the Huazhong pre-breeding for effective use of genetic core capacity to be self-funded and Agricultural University and collaborated diversity; seed handling in genebanks; managed independently. Graduates with the Scuola Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy collecting plant genetic diversity; crop

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wild relatives; using molecular marker train graduate students to negotiate their Elizabeth Doupé Goldberg technology for plant genetic diversity; country’s response to its implementation. neglected and underutilized species; By the early 2000s several national 2013–today: Honorary Fellow forest genetic resources; and payment for plant genetic resource programmes in 2012–2013: Head, Knowledge Management & countries like China, Korea, Taiwan agrobiodiversity conservation services. Capacity Strengthening Unit and India implemented their own self- From 2012, there was a shift away from funded international courses on genetic 2006–2012: Head, Capacity Development Unit cross-cutting, free-standing courses and resource management and molecular 1999–2005: Head, Documentation, Information and training materials and from national technologies for plant breeding, adapting Training Grou programme strengthening and network curricular materials originally developed support, as capacity development became by Bioversity. The existence of functioning decentralized and embedded in the genebanks in countries around the world precise impact pathways of CGIAR and using manuals and guidelines and tools other research programmes. developed by Bioversity in collaboration with its partners is yet another example of One outcome of note was the translation a difference made. and uptake of Bioversity’s training module on Law and Policy of Relevance to Plant Genetic Resources into the curriculum of the MSc Programme on Plant Genetic Resources at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, in order to

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Cultivating plant genetic resource leaders

Professor Jack (John Gregory) Hawkes initially provided training in crop International Board for Plant Genetic founded the MSc in Conservation and diversity, germplasm collection, seed Resources), FAO and the World Bank, Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources technology and tissue culture for gene then latterly by the Southern African in the Department of Botany at the preservation, as well as aspects of plant Development Community and the University of Birmingham in September breeding and biotechnology leading to European Social Fund. The central MSc 1969, following a request for such a the effective utilization of plant genes. closed in 2010 as sponsorship declined, course from the Food and Agriculture However, the course outlived expectations not because of a lack of students nor a Organization of the UN (FAO). The and evolved over the years, adding lack of the requirement for master’s level leading figures of plant genetic resources modules in informatics, genomics, plant genetic resources training – there is at that time, Sir Otto Frankel, Jack Harlan, conservation planning and in situ/on- still a requirement for such international Erna Bennett and Jack, recognized farm conservation, with field work in plant genetic resources MSc level that the skills shortage in plant genetic the Mediterranean; and associated short training today. resources was limiting the conservation continuing professional development and use of plant genetic diversity. They courses and more general plant The Conservation and Utilization of particularly noted the lack of trained plant conservation courses. Plant Genetic Resources related courses genetic resource scientists in developing trained over 1,600 professional plant countries, where the bulk of plant genetic The courses were always collaborative genetic resources staff from 94 countries, resources diversity is found and where and involved annual contributions from primarily in the developing world. activities were necessarily focused. Bioversity International and FAO, but also Graduates went on to fill key positions from UK partners like the Millennium at mid- to senior level in plant genetic Their initial thought was that an MSc Seed Bank Kew, Horticultural Research resources conservation, including level course would run for ten years International, Welsh Plant Breeding numerous genebank managers across the before training all the required scientists, Institute, John Innes Centre, Garden globe and CGIAR Centres, while others but this proved short-sighted as the Organic and commercial plant breeders. moved into aspects of genetic resources or need to train plant genetic resource The course was originally sponsored by breeding research. The majority still play experts continues today. The course Bioversity International (as IBPGR – the a role, which is as crucial today as it was

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and country-wide collection of plant in late 1960s, in ensuring that plant genes Nigel Maxted genetic resources – to date holding throughout the world are available and slightly over 6,000 germplasm utilized for maintaining food security and 2016–today: Senior Advisor, Bioversity International samples. I represented my government benefits for humankind. 1991–today: Senior Lecturer in Genetic in the negotiations leading to the Conservation, University of Birmingham adoption of the International Treaty 1984: Plant Collector, FAO/IBPGR on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Plant Treaty) in 2001. My involvement in the “In 1986, my employer – the implementation of the Plant Treaty government through the Ministry of culminated in my being elected Chair Agriculture – sent me and another of the Second Governing Body session colleague on the Birmingham MSc in 2007. At the time I completed the to acquire the technical capacity to training there were no other qualified develop and implement a national individuals within the South African programme for the conservation Development Community (SADC) so I of plant genetic resources for food was a key resource at the sub-regional and agriculture in Zambia. Upon level, especially when establishing my return, they tasked me with the SADC Plant Genetic Resources developing and implementing our Network Programme.” National Plant Genetic Resources Programme. This culminated in GODFREY MWILA establishing a national genebank Deputy Director, Technical Services, Zambia Agriculture Research Institute

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The Vavilov-Frankel Fellowship: Experiences of a Fellow

The Vavilov-Frankel Fellowships the early efforts of scientists to establish 1970s. I documented and explored the Programme was established by the global governance on agrobiodiversity. development of conservation and use of Bioversity International Board of Trustees genetic resources in two political arenas: (as IPGRI – the International Plant Genetic My research discussed how plant the ‘genetic resources conservation issue’ Resources Institute) to commemorate the genetic resource conservation became vs. the ‘agrobiodiversity use issue’, a unique contributions to plant science by a global issue, detailing collecting and tension that has remained to this day. Nikolai Vavilov and Sir Otto Frankel. The introduction activities during the period The genetic resources conservation first two Fellowships were awarded in 1900 to the 1960s. Most fascinating was issue is the philosophy that crop genetic 1993 to Igor Loskutov from Russia and researching the emergence of ex situ resources is mainly a source of traits, Robin Pistorius from the Netherlands. conservation as a predominant model, while the agrobiodiversity issue sees crop following the 1967 Food and Agriculture biodiversity as a component of natural In 1993, Igor Loskutov and I began our Organization of the UN (FAO)/ and managed systems, which include fellowships to examine and record the International Biological Programme humans too. work of scientists in the plant genetic Technical Conference, the development resources community. My research of breeding and conservation strategies The emergence of the theme of intellectual encompassed a historical survey on the and establishing a global ex situ property rights (which would end up in actions, politics and debates surrounding conservation network during the the establishment of the International

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Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for with the founding thought-leaders of early Robin Pistorius Food and Agriculture), was dramatic agrobiodiversity governance, Sir Otto in the world of plant genetic resource Frankel in Australia and Erna Bennett. 2003: Consultant, Facts of Life conservation. Who did resources belong 2010: Lecturer, Department of Political Science, in situ to? Is it better to keep them For me personally the fellowship gave me University of Amsterdam where they originally grew? How do a unique opportunity to access the inner you guarantee rights if they are housed workings of the politics and governance 1993: Vavilov-Frankel Research Fellow in a genebank in another country? I of global agricultural biodiversity examined the arguments for and against conservation. Today, about 25 years later, in situ and ex situ conservation, and their the work in 1993 still forms a silver line implications for conservation strategies in my career development focusing on – again arguments that are still very advisory work and academic teaching on relevant more than 20 years later. environmental and agricultural issues.

The research took double the work and time that I had anticipated but allowed me to have treasured in-depth conversations

103 Part 02 - PLANT GeneflowA PUB L I C A T ION ABOUT AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSIT Y

Historic seed treaty promotes food security

Call for global initiative on biodiversity and nutrition

Special Section: crop wild relatives

2006 Improving lives through biodiversity research

From Rome to the world: spreading the word about agricultural biodiversity

Bioversity International (as IBPGR – the the world, including national networks in (CBD) opened for signature in Rio, and International Board for Plant Genetic the UK, Canada and Japan. Bioversity has represented CGIAR at Resources) was the first CGIAR Centre to every meeting of the CBD Conference of realize the importance of communicating In 1990, we established Geneflow, an the Parties ever since. Ten years later, we research results and their impacts to a annual magazine to promote awareness represented the CGIAR Research Centres range of stakeholders. In 1987, I was hired of the importance of agricultural at the World Summit on Sustainable to establish an external communications biodiversity and the role it plays in Development in Johannesburg, where the office for the institute – the first full-time improving people’s lives and livelihoods. implementation of the Millennium Goals public awareness person in CGIAR. As For close to 20 years, this multi-award- was being discussed. There, we helped to Chair of the CGIAR Public Awareness winning publication carried stories about put agriculture on the agenda. Association (1998–2002), I led a large local, national, regional and international number of system-level communications efforts to conserve and use agricultural Efforts to fund the Crop Trust started initiatives. biodiversity around the world. at the Johannesburg summit, with the ambitious aim to establish a long-term At IBPGR, my job was to provide strategic 1992 welcomed the Rio Earth Summit, financing mechanism to support the and tactical support on media, donor with Bioversity International (as IBPGR world’s genebanks. Our work cranked up relations and public outreach. One of the – International Board for Plant Genetic a gear as we led a huge public awareness first things we did was produce Last Plant Resources) representing CGIAR with campaign to alert the world to the risks Standing, a four-part documentary series presentations, side events and displays at of losing genetic diversity. We took on plant genetic resources which was the NGO Forum and the Summit itself. advantage of our participation in the broadcast on national television around The Convention on Biological Diversity World Summit to launch, with the Food

104 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research GeneflowA PUB L I C A T ION ABOUT AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSIT Y

Historic seed treaty promotes food security

Call for global initiative on biodiversity and nutrition

Special Section: crop wild relatives

2006 Improving lives through biodiversity research

and Agriculture Organization of the UN, out of five regional offices. Together, we Ruth Raymond our successful funding campaign. produced hundreds of booklets, posters, magazines, web pages, fact sheets and 2009–2010: Communications Manager, Regions In 2008, Bioversity established Diversity exhibits. We trained more than 150 and Programmes for Life , a global communications colleagues and national programme 2000–2009: Head, Public Awareness Unit campaign targeting policymakers, scientists in media relations and public schools and the media. Featuring awareness. We can be proud of our 2000–2006: Campaign Coordinator and Assistant partners such as the International Fund initiatives and of our legacy. Executive Secretary, Crop Trust for Agricultural Development, Slow 1987–1999: Public Awareness Officer/Senior Food and the Convention on Biological Diversity, the campaign developed Scientist educational materials and established home gardens in schools all over the world. It culminated in La Settimana della Biodiversità, a week-long festival in Rome that included a concert, a film festival, more than 80 speakers and activities for children.

At its height, the public awareness unit consisted of a team of nine staff operating

105 Part 02 - PLANT Credit: Mulele Sibeso Traditional knowledge: recognizing farmers as equal knowledge-holders

Farmers hold unique knowledge about documentation team were exploring imagination of the Sarawak communities their crops and how best to manage them. how to store traditional knowledge and empowered them to do the same. Eager scientists would often interview as additional information linked to The Sarawak Biodiversity Centre adopted indigenous and traditional farmers and accessions in genebanks. The oral customs the TKJ concept and fine-tuned it into a extract information about the unique of traditional knowledge were difficult to framework for their regular activities with properties of crops, or their time-tested convert into data. traditional communities, which included sustainable management practices. The regular traditional knowledge workshops scientist would get the credit for the paper In 1997, working with Zhang Zongwen where community members make as the farmer was only acknowledged, from the Beijing office we came up with presentations to share their experiences in not cited. When knowledge was not the concept of the Traditional Knowledge documentation as well as knowledge. documented, every time a scientist visited Journal (TKJ) which was then tested in a farmer they would repeat the same Yunnan, China and in Kenya. In 2001, the The TKJ concept was derived from question and deprive the farmer of time Sarawak Biodiversity Centre launched the scientific journal system where in the field. A method for documentation their traditional knowledge programme, knowledge providers are recognized and and sharing by farmers for other farmers collaborating with IPGRI. We brought cited. Enabling the citation of farmers’ and scientists was needed. in a farmer from Kenya and a scientist knowledge in the same approach as from China for a seminar with Malaysian scientific journals allowed communities This was the problem we addressed indigenous community representatives. to trace from the citations who had used when I joined Bioversity International (as The idea that a regular farmer from Kenya their knowledge and to make benefit- IPGRI – the International Plant Genetic was able to document his community’s sharing claims where applicable. Resources Institute) in 1993. The HQ traditional knowledge captured the

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Scientific papers in a journal tend to have In 1995 when we developed this Paul Quek a formal structure, however, that did not methodology, it was very innovative match the oral tradition, which followed and part of a portfolio of participatory 2012–2018: Honorary Fellow a storyline. To maintain the farmer’s approaches, developed and adopted by 1998–2011: Scientist Documentation information approach of knowledge sharing, we would IPGRI, which seek to put farmers first, ask only “What would you like to tell prioritizing their needs and knowledge 1993–1997: Documentation Information Specialist your grandchildren about this plant?” We in research. The methodology was recorded the knowledge on audiocassette documented in the second edition of tapes (which we called the ‘farmer’s the handbook Collecting Plant Genetic paper’ and can be cited). This allowed Diversity: Technical Guidelines, published their children and scientists to access in 2011. the knowledge and the language used, which oftentimes was also endangered. Community gardens of useful plants sprouted in Sarawak villages where traditional knowledge documentation was implemented by the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre to allow children accessing the knowledge, to learn about the plants using the audiotapes.

107 Part 02 - PLANT Seeds for Needs: Ethiopia

In the past 50 years, significant genetic researchers and partners explored emerged from the trials, two of which diversity has been lost from production genebank accessions for samples were accepted for registration by the systems, largely replaced with commercial potentially adapted to future climates, Ethiopian variety release committee. varieties. However, the need for genetic and worked with more than 14,000 That means they can officially be sold diversity to adapt to climate change is farmers to evaluate them. and made available more widely. More higher than ever. importantly, it shows that farmers’ In Ethiopia, farmers in two different varieties can be the best option available ‘Seeds for Needs’ is a Bioversity communities – Melfa and Workaye – grew to farmers. In the release process the International-led initiative that started and evaluated more than 400 varieties of seeds are compared with standard by asking whether any plant genetic durum wheat: 373 farmer varieties and 27 commercial checks, as only varieties that resources hidden in national genebanks commercial varieties. We asked men and are performing better than the standard could be useful to smallholder farmers women farmers to capture the different check can be released. facing climate changes. We surmised that characteristics they judged important. the current climate of one place might be Most of the top performers were farmers’ The farmer partners called these two similar to the predicted future climate varieties, although not necessarily ones varieties ‘Stable’ and ‘We have it back’ to of a different place. If so, plant varieties already known to the two communities. reflect that the first yielded well under adapted to the first place might be suitable We gave seeds of the top 20 varieties variable conditions, while the second had for the second. to 400 farmers to test under their own previously been lost from the community. conditions, as citizen scientists. Additionally, many other varieties In 14 countries across Africa, Asia and plucked from national genebanks found Central America, Bioversity International Three especially promising varieties favour with specific farmers, often

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because they outperformed ‘improved’ and can cope with climate change. We Carlo Fadda varieties in various ways. They are now should recognize that farmers’ varieties being grown and distributed through were replaced too fast and before we 2018 –today: Team Leader, Seeds for Needs the informal seed sector. The project has had adequate knowledge about their 2010–today: Senior Scientist, Genetic Diversity succeeded in placing much more diversity performance. It is time to bring them back into the hands of farmers for them to when and where it is appropriate. 2008–2010: Global Project Manager, Pests and adapt and use in their systems. Diseases Project

The farmers were surprisingly responsive to our requests. For example, farmers agreed to evaluate the same accession in Jesus started preaching to very few two replicated fields, doubling the work. people but eventually he reached We scientists decided to acknowledge the many many people. Similarly you farmers’ participation in our research by started by giving very few seeds and naming them in the ensuing scientific publications. When we compared traits now they are used by many. identified by farmers with DNA analysis Aba Adane Kassahun, a Monk farmer from Geregera of the durum wheat varieties, the farmer traits showed up in the DNA. This should make it easier for breeders to create new varieties that satisfy farmers’ needs

109 Part 02 - PLANT Seeds for Needs: India

Conventionally, plant breeders select new The primary aim of the ‘Seeds for Needs’ varieties, they would make better choices varieties based on their understanding approach in India was to establish a according to their local conditions. of what farmers want or need. Using a network of farmer experimenters who were crowdsourcing approach, in the Bioversity keen to broaden the genetic base of their The research began in 2012 focusing International-led ‘Seeds for Needs’ farms with the ultimate goal of making mainly on wheat and rice, the two most initiative in India, we turned this upside their farming systems more resilient. important crops for food security in down, giving farmers samples of hundreds India. The idea was to stimulate farmers of varieties and working with them to We knew that in order for farmers to to experiment with different landraces select which ones suited their needs. The meet the challenges of climate change and varieties, while we used geographical selected varieties went forward to trials, and produce enough food to feed their tools to make these efforts more targeted where each farmer received three random families, they would need access to and efficient. Linking to local genebanks, varieties and had to simply record their more drought-tolerant and heat-resistant we assembled a very broad selection subjective best and worst on various seeds. The problem was how to find of crop diversity, including traditional, traits. Software then combines the many those seeds and get the farmers to use modern and obsolete varieties. We started individual results to present us with a them. Smallholder and marginal farmers testing in 109 villages of two states (Bihar result that accurately reflects the wisdom have very limited options. We believed and Uttar Pradesh) with 50 farmers who of the crowd and can rank the selected that if they had more information about participated in variety selection trials and varieties from most to least preferred. and access to a wide range of crops and 800 farmers for crowdsourcing.

110 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research By exposing farmers to more crops and their agricultural systems more resilient Prem Mathur varieties we increased their first-hand to climate variability. Rural communities knowledge of the different traits and are now better able to use adapted genetic 2016–today: Honorary Research Fellow options available. That empowered them materials through an improved local seed 2015–2016: Regional Representative for Central to make better choices. We also worked system network. Going forward, farmers and South Asia to strengthen their seed systems and are better able to identify suitable genetic seed-saving abilities, so that they would material that will help them adapt to 2013–2015: Regional Director (interim) for Asia, the always have access to seeds that fit their changing climates. Pacific and Oceania changing needs. 2008–2013: South Asia Coordinator

By 2015, 15,000 farmers from more than 1995–2007: South Asia Associate Coordinator 200 villages across 5 states (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa) were conducting crowdsourcing trials. As a result of the project, farmers adopted 39 varieties of rice and 43 varieties of wheat. Having access to this wide diversity should make

111 Part 02 - PLANT Reflections from Leadership: Becoming LeadershipBioversity International to ensure that we did not consider plant genetic resources in isolation, but also the interactions with animal diversity, human cultural diversity and ecosystem diversity. That shift led to the change of name.

The shift we started is not a finished job. In fact, since the food price crises of the late 2000s, the focus of the mainstream has returned to economies of scale, the further industrialization of fewer crops and an emphasis on calories at the expense of nutrition.

We really need a change in paradigm, to break out of the narrow mindset of Emile Frison agriculture and development, and see Tony Gregson that an agroecological approach, making Director General, International Plant Genetic full use of agricultural biodiversity, will Board Chair, International Plant Genetic Resources Resources Institute/Bioversity International make a greater contribution to sustainable Institute/Bioversity International food production and better nutrition than 2003–2013 2005–2009 conventional approaches. The main achievement of my time as My introduction to the International Plant Director General was a real change in Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) as it the organization’s paradigm. First, as the was then called, was joining the Board International Board for Plant Genetic in time for the election of a new Director Resources (IBPGR) and then as the General to succeed Geoff Hawtin. With International Plant Genetic Resources a new Director General, we set about Institute (IPGRI), the main function was devising a new strategy and a new name: conservation of agricultural biodiversity. Bioversity International came into being. The mantra was that plant genetic resources are essential to the future of The Bioversity Board Chair was then agriculture, and that is why we must also a member of the Genetic Resources conserve them. Policy Committee (GRPC), a greatly underestimated and underutilized Our focus changed to the uses of CGIAR committee where I learnt so biodiversity in the present, and their much about plant genetic resources and importance in, for example, nutrition, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic sustainable livelihoods and resilience Resources for Food and Agriculture. The to climate change. Once that had been GRPC also reinforced the importance of demonstrated, investment in conservation biodiversity in people’s lives. would become easier. It was a shift away from conservation techniques to a broader Two other significant events come view of the reasons for conservation. to mind. The formal merger of the International Network for the The name change in 2006 to Bioversity Improvement of Banana and Plantain International was part of that. I wanted (INIBAP) and IPGRI was finally

112 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Leadership completed after much discussion with banana diversity in tissue culture had the French authorities. Also, we had become something of a global model for a very positive External Programme vegetatively propagated crops – with a and Management Review. These are pace-setting management system, back- five-yearly reviews of oversight and up collections cryopreserved in liquid accountability. nitrogen, and an impressive record of safe dissemination of germplasm to Finally, I must say that the real highlight users around the world. Networking of my time with Bioversity was interacting with leading researchers in genomics with all the wonderful, dedicated and and bioinformatics had helped us to inspirational people: Board colleagues, understand the diversity of banana DG and all the staff members, dedicated genetic resources at a very fundamental to their work and the ideals of making the level and to make that understanding world a better place. . available to users through an exemplary information system.

Richard Markham Our research, together with partners, had broadened to include: managing diversity Director, International Network for the Improvement – both within the crop and the cropping of Banana and Plantain system – according to agroecological principles to make bananas more 2003–2005 productive and sustainable; and research The pivotal moment of my tenure as on post-harvest processing and market Director of the International Network for chains which had shown how banana the Improvement of Banana and Plantain products could contribute to diversifying (INIBAP) came in 2005 when INIBAP livelihoods in low income countries. celebrated its 20th anniversary. A few months later, it merged with IPGRI and These achievements were not lost came to form the core of the Commodities with the disappearance of INIBAP. for Livelihoods Programme of what Rather, the banana team’s experience of would become Bioversity International. understanding, deploying and managing diversity for sustainably improved It was a moment of mixed emotions for all livelihoods placed their work at the of us on the INIBAP team. There was so heart of the new agenda of Bioversity much to celebrate. The Network’s staff had International. Integrating the work grown, from five initially, to some forty on cocoa and coconuts with the well- people, deployed in four regional offices, established work on banana provided as well as at the banana genebank hosted learnings to make rapid progress across in KU Leuven and at the headquarters in these commodities too. Montpellier. Meanwhile, the scope of the research agenda had grown in complexity Despite the gains, however, it was hard until it encompassed almost everything not to feel some nostalgia for the loss of about bananas. INIBAP’s single-minded obsession: for saving ‘the world’s favourite fruit’, the The core of our mission remained banana! the same – the conservation and use of banana diversity. The collection of

113 Part 02 - PLANT Staff Meet our Staff: Rose Taremwa and Francis Njoroge

Rose Kyotungire Taremwa to maintain the natural world for our children and Country Office Manager, Uganda grandchildren to enjoy.

I appreciate the fact that On the management side of if the generations before us things, I very much appreciate hadn’t conserved biodiversity, the workforce diversity we wouldn’t have access of teams at Bioversity, to medicinal tree species, which foster fresh ideas and seeds, soil organisms, perspectives, openness and an insects and more, which inclusive culture that provides we need to conserve for staff with an opportunity to future generations. We contribute to processes whilst especially need to protect creating a platform to learn forests and agriculturally from each other. valuable species whilst addressing global climate change challenges. With Bioversity International’s work globally, I now more meaningfully appreciate the efforts to sustain the planet by attaining global food and nutrition security, the beauty of agricultural practices including new technologies, the natural environment of trees, flowers and water bodies, and I am motivated

114 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Francis Karanja Njoroge

2018–today: Administration and Finance Assistant, Kenya

I would like to place on record my enormous gratitude to the amazing team of scientists, data officers and field support staff who are committed and determined to be a force of good.

I am proud of what the organization has achieved over the years including assisting farmers with a whole basket of leafy vegetables which have more economic value as well as nutritional content, and of course the most amazing puffed cereals which have provided more ways of consuming cereals away from our tradition of porridge and ugali, and thus support livelihoods.

115 Part 02 - PLANT

PRODUCE Why farmers value agricultural biodiversity

The high-yielding varieties of the Green Potentially valuable genetic resources maintained and how much farmers value Revolution displaced landraces and were still being managed by farmers this diversity using quantitative methods. farmer varieties on an enormous scale, in remote areas when we began our The group studied farmers in Ethiopia, especially in the areas most favoured research around 2000 as part of Bioversity Hungary, India, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, for production of the staple food crops International (as IPGRI – the International Uganda and Uzbekistan. rice and wheat. It was the loss of genetic Plant Genetic Resources Institute)’s global diversity that provided the impetus for on-farm (in situ) conservation project, One surprise was that, even though the formation of the International Board under Devra Jarvis. We did not know resource-poor farmers grew landraces as for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR). how much genetic diversity there was, a form of insurance, it was the relatively However, while scientists worked to how farmers were managing it, and what better-off farmers who tended to use collect and store as much as they could motivated them to continue conserving more agricultural biodiversity on their of the agricultural biodiversity that that diversity in the face of economic and farms. Often they were growing modern remained in genebanks ex situ, away from social change. That was what drove our varieties too, but these existed alongside farmers’ fields, they continued to worry research. landraces, and each contributed to about diversity in the field. In farmers’ livelihoods in different ways. Modern fields, crops and varieties would continue With a group of young researchers, mostly varieties might provide cash, while to evolve as a result of natural and social scientists who themselves worked traditional landraces were preferred for artificial selection. Both forms of diversity with an array of national scientific teams, eating at home and might also have ritual are needed to meet the unforeseen future we set out to discover and document uses. demands of society. who maintains diversity, where it is

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Farmers derived two main benefits to involve youth and women, not just Melinda Smale from conserving biodiversity on their household heads, in on-farm conservation. farms. First, in challenging growing Professor, Food Security Program, Department of environments, diversity often reduced Documenting the multiple values that Agricultural and Resource Economics, Michigan the variability of overall yield on the farm farmers ascribe to their traditional crops State University from season to season. More important, and varieties opened the way to a new 2001–2005: Economist, joint appointment at IPGRI perhaps, it often mitigated the risk of total phase of research – how to support these and the International Food Policy Research Institute failure. A classic case of not putting all values through participatory research, your eggs in one basket. capacity strengthening and favourable policies to create win-win results in which Information about diversity and strategies farmers are getting what they need from to minimize risk, along with the planting their farms, and by doing so are also material needed to implement the conserving the world’s genetic diversity. strategies, circulated through village networks and marketplaces, and these were important aspects of social capital. As social scientists, the researchers were able to assess the age and gender dimensions of cultural knowledge about ancestral varieties, and stressed the need

119 Part 03 - PRODUCE Increasing gender equality and social inclusion

Gender equality is a fundamental human and social inclusion. With a focus on engage in structured dialogues in gender- right as well as a means to achieve the management of common property segregated groups. Then, the groups come multiple development outcomes and the resources, such as forests, we have together to discuss gendered perspectives, more sustainable management of natural identified novel approaches to resource knowledge, and priorities. Through resources. Gender integration in research management. These build on the work these dialogues, women’s knowledge for development is essential for achieving of Bioversity pioneers such as Pablo gains visibility, and participants develop scientific excellence, and has been shown Eyzaguirre, the late Bhuwon Sthapit, and a sense of group unity and a common to enhance the relevance and uptake of colleagues, who identified steps to engage vision for their shared resources. The research findings. communities in a process of community- overall process we have developed with based biodiversity management. participants enables collective action that Bioversity International has a long underpins the sustainable management of history of participatory research in Our research across global regions, from biodiversity. which scientists and rural dwellers who Burkina Faso and Cameroon, to India, manage their farms and local natural Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam and Central To these approaches, we have resources work together to identify Asia, has shown the value of bringing incorporated institutional innovations and solve problems. Adding an explicit women and men participants together that challenge the norms that perpetuate focus on gender to this body of work in carefully managed ‘contact zones’ social inequalities, so, as they are has allowed us to pursue, hand in hand, that foster social learning and that implemented, they help to create the goals of sustainable biodiversity deliberately seek to level power relations more equitable relationships in rural management as well as gender equality among diverse participants. First, we communities over time. For example, in

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Burkina Faso, creating dialogues across Marlène Elias making a sweet kokum (Garcinia gender, age, ethnic and livelihood groups indica) concentrate. We also learned which incorporate critical reflection about 2017–today: Gender Specialist, Rome, Italy about packaging and labelling when gender and generational roles in resource 2016 – today: Coordinator of Gender Research in we went to the market with the management processes has increased the the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and researchers to see how other similar active participation of women and young Agroforestry men in water user committees and their products were being sold.” influence over decisions made, thereby 2013–2016: Gender Specialist, Serdang, Malaysia Nagaveni Hegde ensuring that their interests are reflected Leader, Matrabhoomi Women’s Group in these decisions. These approaches have been adapted and adopted in other “[Through the research,] women research and development projects from different backgrounds came that aim to achieve the twin goals of together, gained knowledge through biodiversity conservation and gender group discussions and got inputs equality and social inclusion. from the facilitators. We wanted to start processing and marketing forest products to earn some income. During the discussions, we gained skills in

121 Part 03 - PRODUCE

Tropical fruit trees

Citrus fruit, longan, mango, mangosteen, researchers in India, Indonesia, Malaysia practices with scientific analyses to come papaya and rambutan originated in South and the Philippines on four commercially up with solutions that improve both and Southeast Asia, as a result of which important and genetically diverse species: conservation and rural livelihoods. The the genetic diversity within each species is citrus, mangosteen, mango and rambutan. project trained several researchers in remarkable – India alone is home to over It built on research by Bioversity participatory methods, working with 1,000 varieties of mango. These fruit trees International (as IPGRI – the International farmers and treating them as equal are important sources of nutrition, income Plant Genetic Resources Institute) from partners and stakeholders, crucial and rural livelihoods. Farmers come up the mid-1990s, led by Bhag Mal, that for community-based biodiversity with innovative practices to conserve and worked with national partners in ten conservation. For many researchers use these valuable trees, but, despite their countries to collect and conserve ex situ trained in the formal sector this required importance, prior to the project there were disease-free genetic diversity of tropical a transformational shift in mindset. no coordinated efforts to use them for the fruit trees. That project had resulted in benefit of the rural poor. advanced techniques used in partners’ The project carried out on-farm national programmes and also identified diversity assessments and surveyed We wondered whether we could adapt the elite fruit tree varieties with desirable 36 communities in the four countries methods and practices that had worked attributes for growers and breeders. to identify farmers’ best varieties with effectively to conserve crop genetic characteristics – colour, flavour or special diversity in situ to increase the support The research studied the everyday culinary uses for example – that could that tropical fruit tree species might offer practices that farmers and rural add value and create market demand. The to improve farmers’ livelihoods. communities employ to conserve the project established the potential to market diversity they use, in order to draw up nutrient-dense fruit collected from the The ‘Tropical Fruit Trees’ project, a framework for on-farm conservation. wild as well as grown on farms, to benefit led by Bhuwon Sthapit, worked with ‘Community biodiversity management’ consumers and producers alike. farmers, local communities and national integrates farmer-innovated good

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We interviewed many custodians of Ramanatha Rao diversity and identified 95 varieties of mango, 32 citrus, 5 mangosteen and 2007–2014: Honorary Research Fellow 2 rambutan across the four countries. 1992–2007: Senior Scientist, Malaysia We also collected ‘elite’ trees that were multiplied in 126 nurseries and made 1992–1997: Senior Scientist, Singapore available to more than 77,000 farming 1989–1992: Genetic Diversity Officer, Rome, Italy households. A total of 99 farmer varieties were registered by the competent national authorities in the name of the local “Bioversity International provided community or the custodian farmer. a clear rationale, protocol and the Registration means that communities impetus to conserve hundreds of wild can multiply and commercially market aromatic pickle mango types of the these fruit trees, a first step in recognizing the pre-eminent role that farmers play Western Ghats and to strengthen the in the conservation and use of fruit tree livelihoods of people associated with diversity. it, which I had always wanted to do.”

Prof. R. Vasudeva, Professor (Forest Biology), University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India

123 Part 03 - PRODUCE

Central Asia fruit and nut trees

The collapse of the Soviet Union resources and ensure that they could stakeholders at all levels ownership of confronted the countries of Central Asia make a greater contribution to the the project. Once priorities had been with several problems, not least a crisis of livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the agreed in the regional steering committee, agricultural biodiversity. The transition region, Bioversity International launched national governance took over. The to a market economy, along with a project focusing on horticultural regional committee allowed the partners changes in state support for agriculture, crops and wild fruit species in the area. to cooperate across all five countries resulted in changes in land use, which The project worked along three tracks: without duplication, while each country triggered environmental degradation improving the understanding of the was able to select its own priority species and agricultural biodiversity loss. Central problems, along with the capacity to and targets. Asia is a centre of origin and a centre of solve them, at all levels; increasing the diversity for many fruit and nut species. availability of planting material on a At each target site, the project worked The mountain slopes are home to selected large scale; and working to implement a with local leaders among farmers and varieties and wild relatives of almond, supportive policy environment. forest users to establish demonstration apple, apricot, cherry plum, currants, orchards and nurseries. These had two fig, grape, mulberries, peach, pistachio, A crucial element in the project’s success purposes. First, to inform others in the pomegranate, pear, sea buckthorn, walnut was the way it was organized. There community of the ways they might use and others. were local site committees, a national biodiversity on their own lands and in steering committee in each country and food production businesses. Secondly, In 2006, to safeguard these genetic a regional steering committee. This gave to supply the planting material vital to

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making more use of biodiversity. In part, this is because farmers and Muhabbat Turdieva scientists were able to influence Overall, nurseries inspired by the project policymakers. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan 2006–today: Regional Project Coordinator have distributed hundreds of thousands introduced measures that protect the 1999–2005: Forest Genetic Resources Scientist of saplings across the region. Expanded project’s target species, while Tajikistan plantings of fruit trees have improved and Uzbekistan now favour farmers who livelihoods and food availability, and plant orchards that include local or old helped to restore degraded environments, varieties. because their root systems help to bind the soil and reduce erosion. The benefits Perhaps the greatest impact of the project, have been particularly marked in however, is that the activities it catalyzed, unirrigated and drier areas, where fruit such as the nurseries, are continuing to orchards have proved more resilient than expand long after the end of funding other crops. The project also helped to support. raise awareness of the importance of the forests that harbour the wild relatives of the target species, and these are now better protected than they were.

125 Part 03 - PRODUCE Empowering farmers in the Sahel

Farmers in Sahelian West Africa that is then transferred to farmers who farmers using them successfully. (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger) are poor are deemed to need the package. Instead, in conventional terms, but possess two we adopted a farmer-focused strategy Working with local farmers, the project core assets: locally adapted seeds and based on working with the farmers to introduced a range of varieties adapted to the farmers’ associated knowledge of identify and promote local crop and tree pests and diseases and climate variability. plant diversity. Our project, ‘Empowering genetic resources. This paradigm shift is We noted a reduction in crop failures, Sahelian Farmers to leverage their crop gaining ground in the Sahelian countries increased average crop yields, and less diversity assets for enhanced livelihood because support to local initiatives variability in yield from year to year — all strategies’, built on that, operating on and innovations often proves a more of which improve food and livelihood the basic assumption that the fight to sustainable way to tackle poverty. security. Women farmers have created overcome rural poverty should be led by new enterprises to domesticate and sell the rural poor themselves. Smallholder To begin with, we wanted answers to seeds of novel vegetable crops such as farmers can be empowered to develop some basic questions, like what makes Senna tora and Ceratotheca species. more effective livelihood strategies that farmers adopt practices they see other lessen shocks, increase the value of their farmers using, and whether taking part The project produced social benefits too. assets and create new opportunities for in diversity fairs increases the diversity Regular meetings of farmers at seed living healthy and productive lives in on their farms. It turned out that farmers and crop diversity fairs strengthened high-risk environments like the Sahel. trust each other far more than well- interpersonal relations and cemented intentioned outsiders, and rapidly adopt village cohesion. In Mali, local authorities This approach entails a paradigm shift. new technologies such as new seed made use of farmers gathering at diversity Conventionally, development produces varieties, new crop management and new field forums to mediate in disputes. a package of technology and knowledge post-harvest technologies if they see other

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It is hard to measure the impact of the Raymond Sognon Vodouhe “Bioversity International project because its very strength — that 2001–2014: Regional Coordinator, West and Central has sensitized, motivated and farmers adopt from one another — means Africa strengthened our capacities for that innovations can spread far beyond conservation and development of our the project’s view. Nevertheless, at the end 1997–2000: West and Central Africa Plant Genetic genetic resources in a participative of a project meeting, one farmer said that Resources Network Coordinator in the past farmers had been too ‘small’ way. Our community genebank is a in front of researchers and had hidden 1978–1994: National Scientist model in our region. We now have their innovations. The project offered expertise that we share with other opportunities to share their knowledge farmers.” and innovations. These farmers have become experts in their community and Mr M. Matchirè Dembélé, Farmer and Chair of are now sought by other development Diversity Field Forum in Bolimasso, Northern projects to train their peers. The overall Mali approach is now being scaled up and Mr Amadou Sidibé, National Coordinator of mainstreamed into national agricultural Plant Genetic Resource Management at IER, Mali extension programmes in Sahelian West Africa.

127 Part 03 - PRODUCE Ecological solutions give banana production a boost

Improving grower income and food In 2003, Bioversity International (as of over 500 organisms with potential to security through crop density, frequency INIBAP –the International Network for enhance plant growth and tolerance of of replanting, associated crops and the Improvement of Banana and Plantain) different kinds of stress. Characterizations agronomic practices emerged as an introduced soil health to the banana world of the plant and soil microbiome in important area of research as scientists through a state of the art publication contrasting production systems by from the International Network for the produced at a pioneering symposium. Bioversity and partners have pioneered Improvement of Banana and Plantain A follow-up field project identified this frontier in soil and plant health for (INIBAP) and the networks became more key biological, physical and chemical banana. versed with smallholder production indicators of soil health linked to banana system diversity globally. productivity in commercial banana Since 2008 intensification strategies – in production in Latin America. Bioversity which yields are increased through An early focus was the use of frequent banana scientists have continued to harnessing ecological processes – have replanting at high densities with high- explore strategies to manage Fusarium provided the basis to improve diverse quality, clean planting material (see wilt disease using soil amendments and smallholder banana systems. Bananas photo). With national scientists from crop rotations to improve soil health in cultivated in shade-grown coffee across Latin America and Asia, my predecessors Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia the globe provide a regular supply of food developed guidelines to improve yields and the Philippines. Protecting the soil and cash income. Groundbreaking work for high price seasons and maintain and building soil biological activity in Latin America addressed optimum banana production in areas with reduces the spread of Fusarium wilt light and nutrient management among banana bunchy top disease. Recently we and increases the useful life of banana overhead trees, bananas and coffee to have shown that yields can be further plantations. Screening the diversity of get the most from the system. In Central improved by using planting material from bacterial and fungal organisms in 25 Uganda, goats fed on leguminous shrubs superior and elite mother plants. banana types has generated a collection planted along field borders and within the

128 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

field as much as tripled on-farm manure efficient, resilient and profitable banana Charles Staver supply for bananas, leading to increased production systems are still expanding bunch size and shorter production cycles. with great promise for improved 2016–today: Honorary Research Fellow Participating farmers observed that they smallholder livelihoods. 2004–2016: Coordinator Sustainable Banana had goats and shrubs prior to the project, Production and Marketing but gained valuable insight about how to connect them through ecological analysis for greater productivity. Intercropping “Bioversity’s scientific cooperation banana and beans and screening for contributed to an understanding of shade- and drought-tolerant annual and ecosystem interactions in organic cover crops are providing new options export banana and how growers can for ecologically intensifying production of banana types grown in East Africa. In use this knowledge to orient practices the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and which benefit soil health and limit Peru, we showed that organic banana harvest losses due to red rust, an yields could be improved by up to 25% important cosmetic damage to by strategically placing banana residues banana fruits.” and fertilizers to create hot spots of root growth and biological activity.

The frontiers for the use of Myriam Arias de López (right) Rosa Elena Corozo agrobiodiversity and ecological Ayovi (left), Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones intensification for more productive, Agropecuarias (INIAP) Ecuador

129 Part 03 - PRODUCE Battling a devastating banana disease

Xanthomonas wilt is a devastating banana sterilize their tools when moving from than 80% of the stems were infected. disease besetting banana farmers across one plant to another. Although time- Incidence of the disease plunged to below the east and central African highlands. consuming and tedious, farmers were 2% within three months and to below For many years only prevalent in Ethiopia, encouraged to uproot the entire mat, from 0.5% within ten months. the disease jumped to central Uganda and which several banana stems may emerge, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo at the first sign of the disease. Research SDSR has the potential to bring the (DRC) about 20 years ago. Xanthomonas by scientists at Bioversity International disease under control within a year wilt is caused by a bacterium that is and the International Institute of Tropical while saving labour and money. More easily spread by contaminated tools and Agriculture revealed that the bacteria do importantly, it increases the options infected planting materials, as well as by not easily move from one stem to another available to farmers, who can choose flying insects, bats and birds, and small through the tissues that connect them in management approaches depending ruminants browsing on the banana plants. a mat. In fact less than a quarter of the on conditions on the farm, farming In some areas, the disease infected the stems attached to a visibly infected stem system, household details and livelihood majority of farms within a year of arrival. develop symptoms of Xanthomonas wilt. strategy. SDSR works well for smallholder All bananas currently grown in affected These results prompted a new control subsistence farmers who often have very zones are susceptible to the wilt. In the technology; remove only visibly diseased large mats of more than five stems in their worst affected areas, the whole production stems, by cutting them off at soil level. fields. Market-oriented farmers, who often of bananas can be wiped out. prefer mats with only three to four stems Researchers tested this single diseased and have access to labour, might choose Initially the control strategy focused on stem removal (SDSR) approach in the complete mat uprooting. early male bud removal to prevent spread village of Katana centre, in South Kivu, by insects, and persuading farmers to eastern DRC, in banana fields where more

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In order to improve banana disease Guy Blomme recognition, speed up surveillance and enhance the application of control 2008–today: Scientist Integrated Banana and Enset strategies, researchers are evaluating the Systems use of drones and machine learning to identify diseased stems. Smartphone apps “The SDSR method to control will help to quickly detect the disease banana Xanthomonas wilt helped and spread information not only about my family to rehabilitate our banana the disease, but also about options to plantations which were destroyed control it. The current main disease front is slowly moving from the eastern DR by the disease. I wrote on one of the Congolese highlands into the adjacent living room walls of my house the Congo basin. Drone-based surveillance date I harvested the first bunch after and smartphone-based apps will come starting to apply the SDSR method, in handy to raise awareness and curb because I will never forget the disease spread. importance of SDSR and Bioversity in helping me to rebuild my banana beer business.”

M’Cihimbi Helene Namazuba, farmer

131 Part 03 - PRODUCE Diversity bugs pests

Worldwide, farmers lose more than 25% (posed by reducing genetic vulnerability genetic diversity, pathogens and pests, of their annual crop harvest to pests within farmers’ fields) to new mutations and supported the implementation of and diseases. Low-income countries of the pathogen population within the on-farm experimental trials. Ministries experience the greatest devastation. farmers’ field or migrations of new of Agriculture, national agricultural Breeders are in a constant race to develop pathogens. research systems and local governments new varieties with resistance to new provided policy support and allocation forms of pests and diseases as they evolve. The pest and disease work was built of staff and students to work with farmer on Bioversity International’s on-farm communities. Researchers and farmers Integrated Pest Management (IPM) conservation research programme, with tested the use of this intraspecific strategies focus primarily on using a large interdisciplinary team of local to diversity linked to good agronomic agronomic management techniques national organizations in China, Ecuador, management practices on farm, on to reduce pesticide use, modifying the Morocco and Uganda. Together, the team station and the materials evaluated in environment around predominantly developed and implemented common laboratories. One result of the research modern cultivars, using biotic control. protocols for agreed host–pest pathogen was strengthened access to high-quality These methods, however, tend to exclude systems for rice, maize, common and faba diverse planting materials and improved the potential for poor farmers of using beans, banana and plantain, and durum capacity, particularly of woman farmers to within-crop diversity as a means to wheat, assessing and using high levels of use crop genetic diversity to reduce crop regulate pest and diseases. In addition, diversity of traditional and commercial loss. Adopting variety-rich approaches the majority of IPM strategies concentrate varieties to reduce pests and diseases. increased farmers’ crop yields on farm. on reducing current loss to pest and The national researchers trained site- diseases. They are not yet oriented to level personnel in common participatory We worked with local partners to reducing the risk of future crop loss approaches and technical assessments of make more diversity available through

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diversity fairs, demonstration trials, target crops have increased to include Devra Jarvis community seedbanks, diversity kits, high-elevation rice, common bean and 2012–Present: Principal Scientist, Genetic Diversity participatory variety selection and buckwheat in Nepal, barley and durum Productivity and Resilience community meetings. In the context wheat in Ethiopia, temperate fruit tree of the project, students (50% of which diversity in Uzbekistan, and sorghum and 2000–2011: Senior Scientist, Agricultural were women) achieved 20 bachelor, 29 millet diversity in Mali. Biodiversity and Ecosystems master and 11 doctorate degrees in on- farm management, mixture trials and 1996–1999: Scientist, In Situ Conservation diversity analyses. Over 30,000 farmers (around 45% women) have been trained to “The local varieties display a good produce and store clean seeds. In China quality in terms of taste, good the villagers of Bada are now promoting productivity and adaptation to the use of intraspecific crop diversity climate changes. They resist drought and sharing their experiences with other farmers at the local market. In Ecuador, and disease incidences. In addition farmers are requesting planting materials they produce large quantities of straw of traditional banana varieties that they that are used in animal feeding” have seen in on-farm trials to be resistant to black Sigatoka. N. Ourdghiri, farmer, Morocco

With new partners joining the original project over the last few years, the

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Biodiversity, a means or an end?

Agricultural research for development In the 1990s, ecosystem services that the nutrition community had done is challenged with how to feed a emerged as a concept that emphasizes much of the work for us, and were already continuously and rapidly growing global biodiversity’s contribution to people – not doing trait-based assessments of foods population expected to reach 10 billion replacing the approach of biodiversity as in diets. Measures of functional dietary by 2050. In the face of this acute need, a conservation goal, but complementing diversity were born, which supported much research for development has it by recognizing biodiversity as also a the role of dietary diversity in improving focused on ensuring that food production, means to the end of human well-being. human health, and flagged the need for notably calorie production, keeps pace more nutrition-based outcomes to guide with population demand. This strategy Agroecology teams at Bioversity agriculture. has been successful, and food insecurity International have, since 2010, been has significantly decreased globally. focused on functional ecology to At landscape scales, Bioversity research However, this has come a significant cost understand how these services work teams learned from nutrition and to the environment and pits biodiversity in nature, increasing their use and increasingly sought stakeholders in the conservation and food security as efficiency in the field, and testing what field to first understand what benefits opposite if not incompatible goals. In species traits or types of biodiversity are were being sought, then working the face of rational fears about hunger, most important for securing services. backwards to understand how arranging biodiversity most often loses. Today’s food The struggle by ecologists to synthesize vegetation diversity in agricultural systems are wreaking havoc on both wild countless species traits and understand landscapes contributed to reducing crop and agricultural diversity. their contribution to farm-scale services losses from pests and diseases, improving was rather infuriating – until we realized water quality and energy generation.

134 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

The team increasingly worked across a rational means and an end. Notably, Fabrice DeClerck scales, from farms to landscapes – and the report, Food in the Anthropocene: the in collaboration with nutrition teams EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets 2016–today: Senior Scientist, Bioversity on ‘nutrition-sensitive landscapes’ with from sustainable food systems, emphasizes International/Science Director, EAT that globally, fruit, vegetable and nut communities globally to understand 2012–2015: Programme Leader and Scientist how integrating multiple stakeholder consumption, and thus production, goals at landscape scales might produce need to nearly double by 2050 to agricultural landscapes that benefited provide healthy diets for all. The dietary both conservation and development shifts needed to secure human health, outcomes. accompanied by productivity increases required place agricultural diversity and In 2019, in collaboration with EAT, we dietary diversity front and centre in the have published what might be the first global development challenges of the science-based targets for food complete coming decades. with dietary guidelines for healthy foods, and environmental guidelines for sustainable food systems. These science targets recognize that conservation and production do not need to be at odds with Fabrice with team. From left to right: Sarah Jones, each other, and that biodiversity is both Fabrice, Natalia Estrada Carmona, Roseline Remans

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Home gardens

Genebanks and in situ conservation crops and fruits that are valued in the gardens are ecologically complex niches projects provide much information on local food culture and health traditions, where people create and manage a multi- the rich agricultural biodiversity in but often poorly known and scarcely story plant community that can be wild or farmers’ fields, its richness, distribution documented. Traditional crop varieties cultivated. They often look wild, probably and threats. However, in the mid-1990s, being displaced from markets and fields because they were deliberately mimicking we noticed some gaps in our agricultural were being safeguarded in home gardens a natural environment. For many biodiversity knowledge. for those unique taste and health traits creatures, such as migratory birds, home that were fancied and valued by women gardens are a more important habitat First, the central role of women in and their families. Global research has than threatened and diminishing forests the management of genetic resources now shown that these gardens are major and fields. Home gardens thus create a was often ignored. Second, the small sources of fruits and vegetables and link between wildlife conservation and niches and micro-environments where herbal medicine for a majority of rural plant genetic resource conservation. distinctive agricultural biodiversity is communities. This enabled Bioversity International to developed, exchanged and conserved forge and strengthen partnerships with were often overlooked. The places are Culturally, gardens are important spaces. the global environmental conservation home gardens, usually tended by women Often the women in charge of the home community. and children, where a mix of trees, shrubs, gardens were grandmothers, looking after flowers, herbs, vines and roots produce children, while younger men and women Bioversity’s 10-year global home garden the kinds of vegetables, herbs, starchy worked in the fields or off farm. Home study, including Cuba, Ethiopia, Ghana,

136 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research

Guatemala, Nepal, Senegal, Venezuela in Cuba with nominally the same varieties Pablo Eyzaguirre and Vietnam, developed methods to stored ex situ showed them to be quite survey such diverse habitats and then different. 2015–today: Honorary Research Fellow expanded to other countries in areas 1995–2014: Senior Scientist, Anthropology, of high and low natural biodiversity. Home gardens are now a nexus for work Ethnobotany and Socioeconomics In Vietnam, home gardens are often on biodiversity conservation, household experimental areas to try out new crops food and nutrition security, family and such as chayote (Sechium edule), which child health, as well as the maintenance of had more diversity there than in its home healthy ecosystems. While we focused on in Central America. By contrast, in areas rural areas, the lessons are proving useful of limited biodiversity, such as in dry in promoting the use of biodiversity areas of Ghana, home gardens preserved in urban farming as well. This work culturally important indigenous crops, ultimately stimulated Bioversity like millet, which was being replaced in International’s interest in taking a more farmers’ fields by maize and sorghum. direct approach to diversity for nutrition.

Home gardens allow varieties to continue to adapt to changing environments: comparing beans grown in home gardens

137 Part 03 - PRODUCE Community forestry: a win-win solution

Tree diversity can be conserved only To answer the first question, we collected enthusiastic advocates of conservation in populations of living trees, so leaves and seeds from mahogany trees in and restoration of these forests. Bioversity International’s research logged and unlogged forests to analyze on conserving tree genetic resources their genetic diversity directly. We also Another recent project focused on the focuses on sustaining the forests where sowed samples of the seeds in community tropical forests of Cameroon, Gabon the trees grow. Most of these forests are nurseries and measured germination and the Democratic Republic of Congo. dedicated to timber production; almost percentages, which indicate levels of There, the state owns the forest and half are managed by communities and genetic diversity. Economic answers grants timber-harvesting rights to export the rest are largely under state control, were obtained through interviews of industries, but the forests are also home to with concessions granted to the timber participants in three forestry associations. millions of villagers who depend on forest industry. resources. Results showed that harvesting In Guatemala, we focused on mahogany timber had not diminished Working with local partners, we focused 800,000ha of tropical forest in the Maya the genetic diversity of mahogany and on fruits and edible caterpillars from Biosphere Reserve, where community that communities earned enough from five valuable timber species. We asked associations have the right to harvest forestry to raise households above the whether villagers collect fruits and timber. We wanted to know whether poverty line; forestry is a win-win. caterpillars from within the timber logging affects the genetic diversity of Non-governmental organizations are concession, how many trees of each mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), the now using this information to argue species are found within 10km of the most valuable timber species, and to that community concessions should be villages and how many are found in the measure economic returns of timber renewed after their first 25 years: the timber concession, and whether logging is harvesting for the communities. In other concessions have effectively safeguarded depleting the availability of these foods. words, is community forestry a win-win the forest while improving the lives of Our analyses revealed that villagers solution for both conservation and rural the residents there. Community women collected mostly within 5km of their development? who had watered the seeds and counted villages, only sometimes venturing onto the seedlings that germinated became the timber concession. The density of

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government agencies that sustainable trees around villages and on concessions Laura K. Snook forest management carried out in varied by species and also by size class. the multiple use zone of the Maya Concessionaires left standing many trees 2018–today: Honorary Research Fellow Biosphere Reserve guarantees the of harvestable size, which continued to 2015–2018: Research Team Leader, Forest resource long term. We hope this provide fruits or caterpillars. Management and Restoration will convince them to extend the These insights provide the foundation 2012–2015: Programme Leader, Forest Genetic community concession contracts.” for management plans to ensure that Resources Conservation and Sustainable Use villagers have access to these foods Julio Madrid of ACOFOP – Asociación de 2005–2012: Programme Director, Understanding without impeding timber concessionaires Comunidades Forestales del Peten from harvesting trees. In addition, more and Managing Biodiversity than a dozen students from the three countries obtained graduate degrees and “At ACOFOP we greatly appreciate co-authored their first articles through the how research done in collaboration project. with Bioversity International has helped us to document the

sustainability of our forest management activities, and to better understand the economic benefits that this brings to communities, as well as the risks we have to face to maintain the benefits of community forest management for communities. The research allows us to demonstrate to

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Regreening degraded landscapes

“That’s the topic that has the least to do important, but genetic diversity within results showed that sourcing sufficiently with genetic diversity”. species is more important in restoration diverse tree seed is a widespread than initially assumed. Genetic diversity problem in restoration. Four-fifths of This was the general belief when, in 2010, is vital for the growth and survival of projects obtained seed from the nearest the Food and Agriculture Organization seedlings, productivity, resistance to remaining natural forests, typically with of the UN (FAO) commissioned Bioversity pests and diseases and adaptiveness little attention to habitat degradation or International’s Forest Genetic Resources to environmental change. It relies on fragmentation, which reduce the viability team to write a thematic study about the seed collectors collecting diverse seed. of seed. Using a narrow genetic diversity use of native tree species in forest and Second, the perception that genetic of seed was a problem especially in large landscape restoration. diversity was irrelevant to restoration was projects and those aimed at mitigation understandable: only a handful of studies of climate change. Four out of five The restoration study was for the first had been published about the genetic respondents had trouble finding seed report on the State of the World’s Forest diversity of restored forests. Three- for their projects in markets. In almost Genetic Resources, covering topics from the quarters of these indicated that poor seed half of the projects, these problems had effects of forest management on genetic collection practices led to significantly resulted in higher costs, delays in project diversity and the use of tree genetic lower germination, higher mortality or implementation, having to restore the resources for livelihood improvement slower growth in restored than natural same site again, or all of the above. to adaptation to climate change. FAO forest. In the context of a required annual and national partners suggested that the investment of US$34 billion in forest The Secretariat of the Convention on restoration study focus on native species restoration, these high failure rates were Biological Diversity invited us to share the in restoration and ways to increase those startling. thematic study findings through regional as a means of biodiversity conservation. capacity strengthening workshops in Asia, We surveyed forest and landscape Europe and Latin America. And in 2014, Diving into the literature, two things restoration practitioners worldwide to find the 12th Conference of the Parties to the became clear. First, species diversity is out what was behind these findings. The Convention adopted a resolution calling

140 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research for all parties to consider genetic diversity Riina Jalonen Evert Thomas in restoration. 2017–today: Scientist 2007–today: Scientist, Latin American Forest Genetic Resources Bioversity now runs a whole research 2013–2017: Associate Scientist programme on tree seed for restoring degraded landscapes. It explores quality, 2013–2009: Associate Expert availability of and access to tree seed and “The results achieved have provided the potential for large-scale restoration great progress for the communities´ opportunities to generate jobs and income livelihoods and the increase of for local communities as seed collectors or environmental goods and services nursery entrepreneurs. available to them. Bioversity provided This work is sorely needed, as world us with tools that [guide] restoration leaders have committed to restoring 350 decisions for tropical dry forest in million hectares of degraded forests and Colombia (restoration and propagation landscapes (greater than the area of India) protocols, interactive map, among by 2030. That means sourcing genetically others). Interaction with Bioversity diverse seed for 100 billion new seedlings! also allowed us to better understand survival rates and installation costs of different restoration interventions in tropical dry forest, an area where almost no knowledge existed”

Luis Gonzalo, Forestpa

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Resilience through landscape diversity

What socioecological production system persist along with biodiversity-friendly Community Development and or combination of systems offers the agroecosystems to form an integrated Knowledge Management for the Satoyama best options for producing enough food landscape that facilitates the presence Initiative and the Institute for Global while conserving biodiversity and the and movement of wild species. Resilience Environmental Strategies, a set of ecosystem functions associated with it? depends on the environmental quality of indicators that would help communities the landscape and the capacity of local assess the elements of the system that A landscape approach helps communities to embrace innovation contribute to their resilience. We tested the us understand the ecological and yet conserve traditional knowledge. indicators in 11 different countries across interconnectedness between natural and Communities also need to have equitable different agroecological systems, from cultivated systems, and so to answer rights over natural resources and to the highland potato and quinoa plots the question. An agroecosystem with a collaborate with other communities of Bolivia and the tropical agroforestry mosaic of different sustainable land uses and stakeholders on common resource systems of Cuba to the rice paddies of and crops, including crop varieties, is management. This allows them to China and the Philippines and the coastal more resilient to climate change. Greater maintain their livelihoods and well-being landscapes of Fijian islands. variety in the landscape supports a from their agricultural activities. greater diversity of species, and a greater This research adds evidence to the diversity of species means that there is To understand the resilience of debate on land sparing vs. land sharing, increased likelihood that species will be agricultural or production systems demonstrating that small-scale, able to provide certain functions and to within a landscape framework, we sustainable agriculture is not only able adapt to changing conditions. Diversity in developed, in collaboration with the to produce enough good-quality food an agricultural landscape allows portions United Nations University Institute for but is also the best possible option for of high-diversity native vegetation to the Advanced Studies of Sustainability, biodiversity conservation. The research

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also highlights the importance of part in consultations with the managers Nadia Bergamini consultation and involvement of local of protected areas and have seen their stakeholders and communities in any role as custodians of agrobiodiversity and 2012–today: Programme Specialist, Agroecology decisions that influence landscape local knowledge recognized at the highest and Resilience levels. management. It further shows that to 2009–2011: Programme Assistant understand the complexity of landscape dynamics we need an integrated multidisciplinary approach. “The benefits I received from this project are in terms of increased Local farmers’ communities have had knowledge on farming techniques, the chance to voice their aspirations exchange of seeds with the west part for the future, to develop landscape- strengthening strategies according to of the country and the possibility to their worldview and values, and to travel abroad and meet farmers from evaluate the quality of their farms as other countries.” contributors to biodiversity conservation and to the delivery of ecosystem services. Margot, farmer from Municipio of Manuel This exercise has also helped them to Tames, Guantanamo understand the possible consequences of their actions on natural environments and thus to adjust some of their management practices. In Cuba, farmers have also taken

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Traditional crops on the rise in the mountains of Nepal

Smallholder farmers in the mountains International and its partners launched and project sites, to the communities, of Nepal depend on traditional crops for a project on ‘Integrating traditional crop who between them identified 60 superior their food and nutrition security. These genetic diversity into technology: Using a varieties for further evaluation and crops include amaranth, buckwheat, barley, biodiversity portfolio approach to buffer promotional activities. Activities include beans, different species of millet, cold- against unpredictable environmental trying the farmers’ preferred varieties tolerant rice and other minor crops. They change in the Nepal Himalayas’. The in their fields and using participatory are nutrient dense and climate resilient, project focuses on eight traditional methods to improve them. We also with unique traits of cold, drought and mountain crops in four Himalayan worked with communities to establish disease tolerance, well adapted to harsh mountain districts of Humla, Jumla, community seedbanks and to set up and risk-prone mountain environments Lamjung and Dolakha spread across the diversity field schools and biodiversity under changing climates. For generations whole country. fairs that link to food fairs, value chains marginalized mountain communities and market development. Half a dozen have relied on these crops for their The project has developed strong of the superior farmer-selected varieties food and nutrition security. However, partnerships with national institutions are now in the process of national listing their genetic diversity is threatened by and community-based organizations. We and official registration. This will allow the commercialization of agriculture, have been using participatory methods farmers to produce and distribute quality changes in food culture, outmigration and with local farmers and their communities, seed as an income-generating activity, and climate change. Moreover, these crops are to evaluate, promote, integrate and use will enhance access and benefit sharing undervalued, so research and development technologies and good practices for the for the communities. systems neglect them. traditional mountain crops. One factor constraining use of these In order to better understand and Initially we deployed a broad range of 300 traditional crops and their products is promote the diversity of these traditional traditional crop varieties, sourced from that some are difficult to prepare. The mountain crops, in 2014 Bioversity national genebanks, other research centres project is piloting processing machines

144 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Credit: IWMI/Neil Palmer

modified for dehusking minor millets, to Devendra Gauchan reduce the drudgery of women’s work. These machines also reduce the cost 2014–today: National Project Manager of production and so will make these nutritious foods more widely available. “The project provided technical support and made us aware of the The improved varieties, good practices value of local crops. We received (e.g. community seedbanks, diversity support to establish a community field schools, biodiversity fairs linking food fairs) and processing technologies seedbank in the village. The project developed in the project are reaching also made available electric machines around 20,000 small farmers in suitable for processing finger millet and proso mountain agroecosystems. More than millet, which have given great relief 60% of the people benefiting from the to women like us by reducing the project are women. We are now focusing difficult pain of manual threshing.” on boosting the integration of these new technologies for traditional mountain Ms Depsara Upadhaya, farmer from Chhipra, crops by creating a policy environment Humla that will enable and support registration, production, processing and promotion of farmer-improved varieties. These efforts are forging links among local and national government, the private sector and R&D agencies.

145 Part 03 - PRODUCE Reflections from Leadership: LeadershipThe last decade people who were well placed to advocate for greater support. That meant reducing Board meetings to a day or a day and a half in Rome, because these were busy people who could not spare more time. One benefit of that was to free time for Board visits to Bioversity projects in the field from the somewhat inflexible timing of Board meetings, so we could go at the right time of year, when there would be something valuable to see in the field.

Board visits took place every 18 months or so and it was on one of these, to look at the work on African leafy vegetables Paul Zuckerman in Kenya, that I really came to appreciate Cristián Samper the difference Bioversity was making. Board Chair I already had a first-hand appreciation Board Chair 2010–2013 of the difficulties that face small-scale 2014–2016 farmers every day, having conducted my I joined Bioversity International (as doctoral research in southwest Nigeria I had the privilege of serving on the IPGRI – the International Plant Genetic with the International Institute of Tropical Bioversity International Board for eight Resources Institute)’s Board in 2005, after Agriculture. My main interest was on how years, including three as Chair. It was a career as an agricultural economist and why small-scale farmers make their a time of change in CGIAR, as the new at the World Bank and a second career decisions, within the complex systems governance, framework strategy and in finance in the City of London. My they operate in. cross-cutting CGIAR Research Programs first contact had been with IPGRI in were established. This created a challenge 2003 when CGIAR invited me to be In Kenya, I saw that we were playing and an opportunity for Bioversity, as part of an External Programme and a role that nobody else was playing. core funding was reduced and we had to Management Review panel looking at Bioversity brought together agronomic develop a new strategy and make changes finance, governance and social sciences. advice for farmers, information on the to our operations. This enabled us to One of the panel’s recommendations was nutritional benefits of traditional foods build stronger partnerships with other that the organization strengthen the role and training in sales and marketing, CGIAR Research Centres and started of economics in its research and on its working with appropriate partners in a process that resulted in the Alliance Board, so I was delighted when, a couple each sector to promote the many values with the International Center for Tropical of years later, Bioversity asked me to join of African leafy vegetables. Small-scale Agriculture (CIAT). the Board. farming is a precarious business and farmers, many of them women these days, Some of the best memories of my tenure Much of my work as Board Chair focused have to take many decisions to minimize were the visits to see our projects in the on securing the future of Bioversity by risk. Biodiversity is an essential weapon in field. We visited communities in Ecuador broadening its support base. I pushed for their armoury. I am proud to have helped and learned about the different varieties directing fundraising at non-traditional Bioversity help those small-scale farmers. of beans they used, and how they donors. Among the changes I introduced enhanced resilience to changes in climate were reducing the size of the Board and and pests. We visited the mountains of changing its composition to include Uzbekistan to see the conservation of wild

146 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research varieties of apples and other fruits. We and agricultural systems. By making Leadershipvisited the banana germplasm banks in these connections across different global Leuven and went to the field in Uganda to challenges, the goals made it clear that see how new varieties resistant to disease our food systems are a major part of the saved the lives of farmers. In Ethiopia problem and had to be a major part of the we visited the ‘Seeds for Needs’ project, solution. which builds community seedbanks and works with farmers to test varieties across The first time I witnessed the high-level environmental gradients. dialogue on mainstreaming biodiversity for sustainable food systems turning into The quality and impact of our work action was at the Convention on Biological depends on our people and partners. I Diversity’s 13th Conference of the Parties would like to thank our staff for their in Mexico in 2016. Bioversity International dedication and commitment to our mission was there to present the Agrobiodiversity and strategy. I would also like to thank Index, a tool for countries, companies our Board members for their time, advice and projects to track and measure and support. Our donors provide critical agrobiodiversity in diets, production support to sustain our work over the years, M. Ann Tutwiler systems and genetic resources. The room and our partners are critical to leverage was packed. Policymakers, private sector these resources and have great impact. Director General representatives and many others had come 2013–2019 along to learn more and find out how this As we celebrate 45 years of work we can be new tool could help them to mainstream proud of the contributions we have made I joined Bioversity International as agricultural biodiversity into their food to CGIAR and the world, but we must Director General in 2013 and what struck and agricultural systems. continue to evolve our strategy to tackle the me most during my six-year tenure biggest challenges of our time. Our mission was how the recognition of agricultural Yet, my time as Director General also is more relevant than ever before, as we biodiversity as a solution for sustainable had its difficult moments. The upturn work to conserve agricultural biodiversity food systems became mainstream during in interest in our mission coincided and use it to improve the lives of people this time. One of the reasons for this is with a drop in funding to the CGIAR across the world in the face of challenges the mounting scientific evidence of just system, which deeply affected Bioversity like climate change . how agrobiodiversity can contribute to International, leading to three separate food systems that nourish people and rounds of painful layoffs and belt- nurture the environment, enhancing tightening. 2015 and 2016 will stand as environmental, economic and social health. two of the most difficult years Bioversity In 2017 we published our flagship book International ever faced. Mainstreaming Agrobiodiversity in Sustainable Food Systems: Scientific Foundations for an In 2019, the future is bright. We have Agrobiodiversity Index, which gathered all signed a Memorandum of Understanding this evidence together and really helped with the International Center for put the topic and Bioversity International Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) securing the on the international stage. foundations for an Alliance to deliver greater impact at scale. Also, in my last Perhaps the most significant driver of week as Director General, I attended the this sea-change occurred two years launch of ‘50 Future Foods’ – an initiative into my tenure with the adoption of the by Unilever-Knorr and WWF-UK to Sustainable Development Goals. The 17 introduce 50 nutritious, resilient and Goals connected previously standalone forgotten foods into their product range. challenges – for example, zero hunger, It is initiatives like these that really will strengthening climate resilience and turn theory into practice and lead to a halting biodiversity loss – to global food sustainable food future for all of us.

147 Part 03 - PRODUCE Staff Meet our Staff: Mateo Garzon and Nina Jakobi

Mateo Garzon

2018: The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) Intern assigned to the Lima Office in Peru

What I appreciate about Bioversity International’s work today is that it has managed to create a worldwide platform of very talented scientists that provides scientific evidence for identifying the best ways of nourishing people while caring for the planet. I find remarkable its commitment to use such scientific knowledge in favour of the development of the people; partnering with key actors in developing countries for instance, is a way to take research into action, to have a real impact on people’s livelihoods and the sustainability of the planet.

148 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Nina Jakobi

2018:Programme Programme Management Management Assistant, Officer, Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

What I appreciate about Bioversity International is not only its mission to improve the diets of those who need it most – but also the working environment that is characterized by a very humane approach and mutual respect among colleagues that motivate and support each What I appreciate about Bioversity other in striving for excellence International is not only its mission to improve the diets of those who need it in continuing the challenging most – but also the working environment work towards a better that is characterized by a very humane tomorrow. approach and mutual respect among colleagues that motivate and support each other in striving for excellence in continuing the challenging work towards a better tomorrow.

Nina Jakobi

(YEAR??) Programme Management Assistant, Leuven, Belgium

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CONSUME

Food biodiversity for better health and nutrition

Eating a range of foods from nutrition- through understanding food systems. diets. For example, in Benin we added rich food groups – fruits, vegetables, We advocate using basic metrics, such local, nutrient-dense foods to the foods pulses, nuts, seeds and whole grains – is as diet diversity of women and children, traditionally given to children, to increase a universal recommendation to help to benchmark progress, and seek new their vitamin and mineral intake. In Mali, consumers meet nutrient requirements metrics such as dietary species richness to a seasonal food availability calendar and maintain good health. Food measure the food biodiversity in our food indicates the fruits and vegetables biodiversity can be used to improve systems. available month by month, and nutrition diversity and enrich diets of all ages. education helps motivate greater uptake. At a local level, we engage with Together with local communities, we Bioversity International’s vision is to bring communities to understand locally research solutions to how these foods can back local food biodiversity to improve available food biodiversity and increase be taken up more widely. For example, nutrition and livelihoods. Updating its use to improve diet quality and we work with communities to integrate the knowledge on the nutritional value income. We use community-based local and traditional foods into school of food biodiversity is a core scientific approaches, such as seasonal food meal programmes to improve producer component of our work. With the CGIAR availability calendars, to document locally income, increase the diet quality of school Research Program on Agriculture for available foods by season and then work meals and reintroduce these traditional Nutrition and Health, we provide metrics with communities to integrate these foods to young people. With nutrition and methods to build healthy diets foods better into their food systems and clubs, we organize food fairs and cooking

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demonstrations that highlight culinary priority crops for their food systems. Gina Kennedy uses of local food biodiversity. I am privileged to work with partners in 2013–today: Senior Scientist, Nutrition and Healthy The importance of food biodiversity communities throughout Africa, Asia, Diets is gaining international recognition. the Pacific and Latin America to improve In Brazil, legislation under the Food the supply and demand for healthy food Acquisition Programme pays a premium options using food biodiversity. Some of 30% for agroecological and organic of the brightest moments are seeing products and the National School Feeding communities, such as this one in Zambia, Programme provides incentives for celebrate the bounty of local foods and linking local farmers and agricultural pass this knowledge on to their children. biodiversity. Since 2009, by law, 30% of We have seen rapid improvements in diet food procured for school feeding under diversity when agriculture and business this programme must be sourced from skills are combined with nutrition local family famers. In Asia and the education at local level. We also witness Pacific, eight countries in the Future advocacy at international level for food Smart Food Initiative have identified 39 systems to transform for better health of neglected and underutilized species as people and planet.

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African leafy vegetables

In Kenya, in the mid-1990s, despite 210 improve their contribution to nutrition By 2003, a wind of change was noticeable. documented traditional leafy vegetables, and health. People were consuming the vegetables only three dominated markets and local more, creating unprecedented demand; foods: cabbage, kale and Swiss chard. The success of the exploratory phase most supermarkets were now selling Although traditional leafy vegetables in the late 1990s led to an expanded them. Attitudes had changed, from a are important in relishes or as side programme in 2001, partnering with the source of stigma to a matter of pride. dishes in local cuisines in sub-Saharan World Vegetable Centre and 38 other The traditional vegetables were now Africa, governments and development institutions in the region. We wanted interesting to development workers agencies showed little interest in them. to get more people eating more of these and researchers. It was a good time for As African nations sought to modernize, nutritious leafy vegetables, creating women producers and vendors. Soon, these foods had become associated with demand at the same time as enabling traditional vegetables featured in menus backwardness and poverty, and their farmers and the value chain to meet that of restaurants and even in the smallest use was dwindling. And yet, African demand. country markets. leafy vegetables are a valuable source of vitamin A and other micronutrients, not Over the next six years, we gathered An impact assessment estimated that to mention being delicious and a source of germplasm of 24 priority species and the weekly gross value of African leafy income. improved it using facilities at the World vegetables in 2006 was US$1.1 million, Vegetable Centre. We multiplied and double that of 2001, and this was In 1995, I was in a team that organized distributed these improved seeds. largely the result of our work. Another the first international workshop on the Farmers on the outskirts of Nairobi assessment, in Kitui County, noted genetic resources of traditional vegetables received agronomic support, training in marked differences – both between the in Africa and laid the groundwork for a processing and links to formal markets, communities where we worked and regional strategy to conserve and promote initially the Uchumi supermarket chain. control areas, and also before and after them. For the next decade, we carried We promoted the vegetables through field our activities – in dietary diversity, out a programme in twelve sub-Saharan days, cooking demonstrations, media diversity of marketed species and countries to reverse the decline and programmes and street campaigns. attitudes towards traditional vegetables.

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Many organizations are now working Patrick Maundu with traditional vegetables in Africa and beyond. With the right approach – usually 2011–today: Honorary Research Fellow a combination of research, awareness and 2007–2010: Coordinator, Dietary Diversity Project promotion – neglected species can become part of local cuisines again and contribute 2001–2006: Coordinator, African Leafy Vegetables significantly to nutrition, health and Project income. 1992–1999: Partner and Scientist, Traditional Vegetables My work to understand African food systems better, continues today, together with Dr Yasuyuki Morimoto, focusing “I am unsure of how I would be on species documentation, dietary raising money for foodstuff for my assessments, nutrient analyses and recipe family, school fees for my grandchild, documentation. We are developing a tool and monthly contributions to our to be better able to assess and improve diets, nutrition and health using locally women’s group, if it were not for the available agrobiodiversity. terere (leaf amaranth) and managu (African nightshade) that I grow and sell in Kalundu Market”.

Emily Mbindya, Kyanika Village, Kitui County, Kenya

155 Part 04 - CONSUME Credit: LI-BIRD/S.Subedi How nutrition became part of the biodiversity agenda

The link between biodiversity, food and the World Health Organization (WHO) and by including dietary diversity, food nutrition emerged from our work on the reported that non-communicable diseases, and nutrition security as a key objective biodiversity of traditional African leafy like coronary diseases and diabetes, had of the 8th Conference of the Parties to vegetables and on the rich biodiversity emerged as the major cause of death and the Convention on Biological Diversity maintained in home gardens around disability in developing countries. The in 2006, Bioversity was able to launch the world. Farmers often cited dietary WHO noted the underlying determinants a global programme to investigate preferences and health-promoting of these diseases as the simplification of and promote the safeguarding and attributes as key factors for selecting and diets, trending to elevated consumption deployment of agricultural biodiversity maintaining crop and animal diversity of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods. in the fight against hidden hunger and on farms. Even within major staple crops Such diets may provide enough calories simplified diets. such as rice, we identified many cases in but not enough nutrition, resulting in which specific biodiversity, such as red ‘hidden hunger’. Health is an overriding and immediate varieties of rice in Nepal and Vietnam, concern for humanity; by being were considered medicinal. People chose, In order to contribute to the fight against recognized for its role in improving selected, maintained and consumed hidden hunger, Bioversity International diets, biodiversity moved from being an specific varieties for their nutritional and joined forces with nutritionists to environmental problem, to becoming a health benefits. demonstrate how and where the use of crucial component for human health. agricultural biodiversity could underpin Growing awareness that agricultural efforts to maintain and increase dietary Bioversity’s first task was to fill the gaps biodiversity was an important factor in diversity and the consumption of healthy in knowledge about the nutritional diets and health coincided with emerging plant-based foods. Working with the value of many of the species, crop global challenges to health. In 2004, UN Standing Committee on Nutrition varieties and wild plant foods that

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traditionally contribute to more diverse Much remains to be done, and the Pablo Eyzaguirre diets. Bioversity worked with Food and case for agricultural biodiversity as a Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) pillar of good health has not yet been 2015–today: Honorary Research Fellow to develop indicators for food composition adequately made. By working together 1995–2014: Senior Scientist, Anthropology, with nutritionists and health professionals and this nutritional information was Ethnobotany and Socioeconomics added to FAO’s databases of food we have been able to strengthen our own composition. Before, these databases evidence base on where, how and when had little information about traditional agricultural biodiversity can make a food species and almost none about the difference in improving the health and nutritional differences between different welfare of the rural and urban poor. varieties of the same species.

Bioversity’s work in Benin, Brazil, Kenya, Nepal and Peru and elsewhere has shown that cultural change in favour of dietary diversity, traditional foods and safeguarding biodiversity is possible. It can even become fashionable to prefer dietary diversity; ordinary people start to demand it and that in turn can influence policy.

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Biodiversity for food and nutrition

By 2006, there was enough evidence to nutrition. We also helped build effective and provided them with much-needed suggest that agricultural biodiversity partnerships to better link knowledge, resources, tools and support so that they made a valuable contribution to balanced, policy and markets and to improve could demonstrate the nutritional value healthy diets. The Cross-cutting Initiative awareness and understanding. of their country’s biodiversity. They on Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition used that knowledge to devise novel had just been approved by the Convention In each country, linking up these different and innovative policy solutions that on Biological Diversity (CBD) and set components, often dealt with individually incentivized the use of this biodiversity. out a framework for how to mainstream in the past, started the transformation to For example, links to institutional biodiversity for improved food and shift the centre of gravity from essentially markets such as schools and other public nutrition, but no country had yet explicitly uniform food production systems to food procurement, backed by dietary and intentionally attempted to do so. something that can be much more guidelines and by great awareness- diverse, resilient and healthy. This is the raising efforts, resulted in greater use of The Bioversity International-led power of the joined-up approach. A key agrobiodiversity for nutrition. Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition success factor was to have champions project asked: Can nutrient-rich for mainstreaming biodiversity who Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition agricultural biodiversity be mainstreamed possessed the vision and gravitas to leaves a legacy of achievements including to improve diets? mobilize people, partners and resources. biodiversity champions, knowledge There is no prescriptive approach, no one- systems, innovative policies, novel We worked in four countries – Brazil, size-fits-all. Instead we tailored our efforts procurement models and state-of-the-art Kenya, Turkey and Sri Lanka – each rich to local contexts and nuances, responding approaches to awareness raising as well as in biodiversity but with different political as we went along to many unanticipated a host of tools to assist other individuals and social configurations, to generate opportunities and challenges. and countries who might be interested in evidence of the potential contribution replicating our approach. of neglected food biodiversity to good We identified key national partners

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appropriate knowledge towards Ours was the first project with diet and Danny Hunter ecological organic agriculture nutrition objectives to be funded by the especially promoting African Global Environment Facility (GEF); a 2010–today: Senior Scientist, Healthy Diets from courageous move, but one that paid off, Sustainable Food Systems, and Global Project leafy vegetable in schools and in as it can be seen as a model for other GEF Coordinator, GEF/Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition communities where SINGI works.” projects to mainstream agrobiodiversity. It Project is also the first and only GEF project thus William Buluma Odhiambo 2008–2010: Global Project Coordinator, GEF/Crop far that falls under the CBD Cross-cutting Chairman SINGI Initiative on Biodiversity for Food and Wild Relative Project Field Assistant/Mobilizer Bioversity Nutrition. International “Bioversity International through the Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition has ‘Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition’ demonstrated to countries that they are project has enabled me to learn and sitting on a rich biocultural heritage disseminate information in SINGI of nutrient-rich agrobiodiversity with multiple benefits, which can be effectively outreach projects that address the prioritized and mobilized, especially problems of malnutrition and food where there is good leadership and vision. insecurity. I have also been able It has hopefully opened up a crack in the to mobilize communities, groups current food system through which countries and individuals in issues affecting can see a healthier, more diverse future. small-scale farmers, women, men, youths and self-help initiatives by disseminating effective and

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A new life for forgotten crops

Promoting neglected and underutilized on many model crops, such as rocket in Bambara groundnut, or maize and chaya. species (NUS) faces an inherent paradox: Mediterranean countries, caper and laurel The project has helped train thousands although they are marginalized by the in Syria, nigella in Yemen, oregano and of people, especially women, to prepare mainstream market, some local people mint in Egypt, minor millets in India these value-added products both to eat in nevertheless may still appreciate them and Nepal, African leafy vegetables in their own households and to market, an for their benefits for resilience, nutrition, Kenya, fonio, Bambara groundnut and jute effort that improves both nutrition and cultural identity and taste. At the heart of mallow in Mali, quinoa, amaranth and income security. our endeavours to bring back these crops cañahua in Bolivia and Peru and chaya is an effort to leverage these values, so and tepary bean in Guatemala. The project works with governments that consumers increase their demand and the private sector to develop quality for NUS, prompting markets to increase We must supply products that consumers standards that are compatible with the supply. want, so the project works with partners conservation of agricultural biodiversity. to develop new products and recipes that Farmer-producer companies and other Crucially, our projects bring together showcase the special qualities of each community-based associations have disciplines and sources of forgotten species. In India, for example, biscuits been created to provide high-quality knowledge. Local people may have and fried products highlight the crispy seeds to farmers and larger volumes forgotten how to cook and process texture of foxtail millet. Little millet seeds of products to markets, overcoming foods, farmers how to grow and market are light and puffy, ideal for fermented two common constraints. Getting NUS them, retail outlets may be unfamiliar foods like ‘idli’ and ‘dosa’, normally included in school meals and other with crops and products, while urban prepared with rice or wheat. Elsewhere, public procurement systems – as we did consumers may need to learn how to we developed novel fortified foods for millets in India’s public distribution make best use of them. Over the years, combining mainstream flours with those system – is an effective strategy to we have worked in many countries and of nutritious NUS, for example wheat and mainstream these crops.

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We also pursue sustainable and long- Stefano Padulosi term linkages among value chain actors. For example, a joint venture 2018–today: Research Team Leader, Rural Urban in Bolivia with the coffee-shop chain Agri-food Systems, Healthy Diets from Sustainable ‘Alexander Coffee’ promoted the supply Food Systems Initiative of marginalized Andean grains directly 2001–today: Coordinator, IFAD NUS Programme from poor rural farming communities and NUS focal point around Lake Titicaca. More recently, women’s associations in Guatemala are 1998–2004: Coordinator Central, West Asia and collaborating with professional chefs to North Africa Regional Project popularize protein-rich chaya in major cities. Diversity fairs, festivals, recipe 1993–1998: Coordinator, Underutilized books, rural plays, community-based Mediterranean Species Project workshops, awareness campaigns through radio, TV, the popular press, and social “Thanks to Bioversity we have learnt media help to create awareness and thus more practices to leverage diversity raise demand. for improving our lives in the village”

Mr Lastnokhel Jalong, Kweng village, Meghalaya State, India

161 Part 04 - CONSUME Food tree species in West Africa

Forest foods, including products from promoted in forest landscape restoration process involving local researchers and trees, herbs, mushrooms and animals, initiatives. We wanted to know what experts. The maps helped us see where contribute in many ways to improving role food tree species were playing in there were likely to be tree populations food security, supplying affordable and mitigating nutritional gaps and whether of particular value or regions where our often highly nutritious food. Although some food tree species were particularly targeted tree species would occur and very few communities in the world threatened and should be prioritized for would be under pressure from projected currently depend exclusively on forest conservation and restoration efforts. I climatic change and other drivers of foods for their complete diet, forest have worked particularly in Burkina Faso, change in the landscape. foods can contribute to calorie intake to identify those food tree species whose during lean seasons and at times of low edible products are most often consumed In addition, we decided to dig deeper agricultural production. Cultivating an by the rural population and that are at into understanding the genetic diversity, appropriate mix of indigenous fruit tree the same time under threat due to forest geneflow and interactions with policy species which fruit in different seasons, fragmentation, habitat loss and land and practice of one species, néré (Parkia can result in a year-round supply of key degradation processes. biglobosa), a highly valued multipurpose nutrients. They can also be sold in times tree native to African savannahs of crisis. Once we had identified priority tree with a large distribution range, from species, we generated the supporting Senegal to Uganda. Néré is appreciated Bioversity International’s research on knowledge necessary to develop specific primarily for the highly nutritious food tree species in West Africa was conservation measures, in collaboration condiment derived from its fermented designed to understand which edible with local research partners. As a basis for seeds (soumbala). We characterized the products from trees played a significant the design of conservation strategies, we genetic diversity of néré across its range, role in the diet of rural communities and generated potential distribution maps of looked at geneflow in landscapes where how priority food tree species could be food tree species, through a participatory croplands are expanding, and examined

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dissemination, and is creating links the results of tree tenure practices (usually Barbara Vinceti to networks of potential partners disconnected from land tenure). This gave us the information we needed to develop 2006–today: Scientist, Forest Biodiversity, in the area of genetic resources, a conservation strategy and characterize Understanding and Managing Diversity Team and natural resource management and sources of forest material for use in forest Europe Teams conservation.” nutrition-sensitive restoration initiatives. 2002–2005: Junior Professional Officer, Forest The approach developed for this species Dr Moussa Ouedraogo, Director of the National Genetic Resources Team has helped the National Tree Seed Center Tree Seed Centre (CNSF) of Burkina Faso of Burkina Faso to refine their collection strategy of forest reproductive material for “Our partnership with Bioversity is this species. The approach used represents good example of how international a model that can be applied to other tree research institutes and national species whose conservation is supported research institutes can work hand by the National Tree Seed Center of Burkina Faso and other stakeholders. in hand to improve the livelihoods of rural people in the West African Sahel. This synergy has helped CNSF enhance expertise of its staff through training and joint research activities, has increased CNSF visibility through the joint production of high- quality research outputs and their

163 Part 04 - CONSUME Tackling vitamin A deficiency with banana diversity

In Africa, bananas provide more than derived products compare with banana varieties rich in pVACs from the Bioversity 25% of the carbohydrates and 10% of the varieties and products elsewhere, and International Musa Germplasm Transit daily calories for some 70 million people. how could we ensure that populations Centre in Belgium, which we thought Bananas are a particularly important obtained better nutrition from the might do well, and worked with farmers staple crop in East Africa where, for bananas in their diets? to evaluate them alongside similar local example, in Rwanda and Burundi, average cultivars. The farmers were actively annual consumption is around 250kg Between 2007 and 2012, my team and I engaged in selecting their preferred to 400kg per person. The high banana first identified the contribution of bananas cultivars and experimenting with them. germplasm diversity, the versatility of to diets in Uganda, Burundi and eastern One family, for example, discovered that bananas, used in various forms and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), they preferred the variety Pisang Papan made into different products, and the where more than 60% of the people eat cooked and served with beans than as importance of banana in diets prompted banana in some form at least once a day. a dessert banana, which is how people our research to establish whether banana- Then, for the bulk of my PhD (2010– 2012), elsewhere eat it. The reverse was true for based systems could potentially support I analyzed common banana cultivars and Bira, a variety that is normally cooked not only food security but also nutrition their derived dishes to establish levels but that this family preferred as a dessert security. of pVACs retention following ripening banana and also used to brew beer. and local processing. Although the East A particular interest was vitamin A African banana varieties do contain With our partners, we have distributed deficiency, a common problem in East pVACs, levels were considerably lower more than 15,000 plantlets of pVAC-rich Africa. We knew that banana varieties than those in cultivars from Southeast varieties to farmers. We are exploring elsewhere in the world contained large Asia and the Pacific. how to make best use of these nutritious amounts of pro-vitamin A carotenoids bananas and have reached more than (pVACs – the precursors used by the This prompted us to see whether some 10,000 households with this information. body to produce vitamin A). How did of the more nutritious banana varieties We have noticed rising demand, as the nutritional content of local commonly could find a place in the farming and food farmers share the bananas and plants with consumed banana varieties and their systems of East Africa. We selected 12 their neighbours. Farmers in Burundi

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like to consume as a dessert, and I and Eastern DRC have shared hundreds Beatrice Ekesa have added it to the varieties that my of suckers. In fact a very positive sign family and I use when making beer. — at least for the project — is that some 2019–today: Scientist, Healthy Diets from Adding Bira to the bananas when farmers have been stealing plantlets of the Sustainable Food Systems making beer improves the taste and new varieties from their neighbours. 2017–2018: Associate Scientist aroma of the banana beer.” The next phase of our research will be 2012– 2016: Post-Doctoral Fellow to measure the actual effect of increased Mr Honore Mpayindavyi, farmer, Burundi 2011–2012: PhD research Fellow consumption of pVAC-rich bananas on vitamin A levels in the body, and 2007–2010: Associate Expert, Nutrition whether this is an economically and socially effective way to tackle vitamin A deficiency. “When the bananas reached maturity, my wife and I were happy with the good sizes of the bunches of the plantain cooking bananas especially Apantu. It has a good aroma and is particularly good when roasted. Although Pisang Papan is considered a dessert banana, I have tried cooking it and we actually prefer it that way, boiled and served with cooked beans. Bira, which is classified as a Mr. Honore showing some of the Vitamin A rich bananas is his field (Photo by A.Simbare/Bioversity plantain that should be cooked, we International)

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Back on the menu

What wild and underutilized foods are they were consumed more. carried out. The original community available in a particular context? How groups we worked with have now grown are they currently grown or harvested, Dietary habits are among the hardest into farmer resource centres, actively conserved, prepared, marketed and to change, and the determinants of training their fellow farmers on farm and used? What would it take to increase food choices are many and varied. So diet diversity. They are also constructing a the contributions of these foods to food how do we get people to consume these community seedbank to support access to security, dietary quality and nutrition, underutilized foods and thus improve quality seeds of underutilized nutritious especially for women and young children? their nutrition? species in Vihiga County, Kenya. Furthermore, the community seedbank We have been working on these questions Starting in 2014, our team developed an will be able to help with climate change in Turkana County, a very dry and approach whereby we took the results adaptation when needed. challenging area in Northern Kenya since of our surveys of edible biodiversity 2016. In this time, we have documented and dietary intake back to discuss with Other activities we carry out to promote 66 wild edible plant species. However, communities in western Kenya. We the use of underutilized foods include asking people to recall their dietary intake worked with community groups, guiding linking farmers who grow traditional showed that consumption of these species them to develop their own action plans leafy vegetables to institutional was very low. We found similar results in and strategies to improve how they procurement programmes such as school southern Benin, an area characterized by produce and consume traditional foods. feeding, developing supporting materials high food insecurity rates, where 35% of This was complemented with cooking such as seasonal food calendars that show children do not meet minimum levels of demonstrations and advice on nutrition. the diversity of foods available in each dietary diversity. There, we documented One year later, the proportion of children month, and distributing booklets with 146 edible plant species and 148 edible reaching minimum dietary diversity improved recipes that add biodiverse animal species, several of which have the had increased from 51% to 89%, a highly foods to common dishes. potential to improve dietary quality for significant change compared with control small children at affordable cost, if only communities where no activities were

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the rest to neighbours and market Celine Termote vendors. The money raised is added 2017–today: Scientist and Kenya Country to the family budget to cater for other Representative needs within the household.”

2015–2017: Associate Scientist, Agrobiodiversity Evans Pome Ochuto, Organizing Secretary and Diet Diversity Itumbu Community Nutrition Group, Farmer Resource Centre, Vihiga County, Kenya 2013–2014: Research Support Officer, Nutrition and Ethnobotany

“I have benefitted from Bioversity International trainings and community activities by growing traditional leafy vegetables and legumes; and keeping poultry for meat and eggs. Through these activities, my family no longer buy vegetables and seeds especially during favourable rainy seasons. Instead, we produce our own, consume some and sell

167 Part 04 - CONSUME Staff Meet our Staff: Safal Khatiwada and Sonal Dsouza

Safal Khatiwada

2014–today: National Project Assistant, Nepal

I appreciate working at Bioversity International because there is a friendly working environment and all the seniors and colleagues are very supportive and always willing to help with any work or to support your professional growth. Here we all have equal opportunities to participate in different levels of activities and there is no kind of discrimination.

168 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Staff

Sonal Dsouza forlays household emphasis nutritional on the role of andgender environmental and crops for security. the future I 2014–today: NationalCommunication Programme and SupportAssistant, Assistant, India amwhich indeed is so proud important to be aboth part India offor this household ever-evolving nutritional global What I most appreciate about organizationand environmental serving security. society I BioversityWhat I most International appreciate about witham indeed a human proud face. to be a part isBioversity that it works International at the of this ever-evolving global grassrootsis that it works level atwith the the organization serving society farminggrassroots community, level with despite the with a human face. beingfarming an community,international despite centre,being an to international help formulate policiescentre, to and help programmes formulate topolicies conserve and and programmes document valuableto conserve genetic and documentresources forvaluable food and genetic agriculture. resources The holisticfor food approachand agriculture. starting The fromholistic in situapproach to ex situ starting conservationfrom in situ to for ex immediate situ useconservation and for posterity for immediate makes Bioversityuse and for differentposterity from makes otherBioversity organizations. different from It also laysother emphasis organizations. on the Itrole also of gender and crops for the future which is so important both

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Bringing it all together Making an impact at Bioversity

When I started at Bioversity International in terms of changes in behaviour, and increase their resilience and, as a result, in 2007, the approach to impact assessment impacts over the longer term. Crucially, reduce their vulnerability. To do that, the centred on individual projects, trying to a Theory of Change includes not only Development Impact Unit works with establish evidence that the researchers what should happen but also how it researchers to define what, in different had achieved what they set out to do. should happen and who else is required instances, constitutes, say, resilience, That is a good and necessary part of to make it happen. It includes clear and and the things we need to monitor and project management, but it does not tell measurable indicators, so we can see measure to determine whether it is us whether Bioversity as an organization the mechanisms by which Bioversity changing. is achieving its strategic objectives. For research gives rise to international public that reason, starting in 2011 under the goods, and then how those international The ‘Seeds for Needs’ project, for example, guidance of Board Member Peter Hazell, public goods result in changes on the is based on the fundamental idea that if we switched to looking at the impact of ground related to our strategic objectives. farmers adopt more varieties and crops, Bioversity programmes, each of which When Bioversity moved to results- their farms will be more resilient and encompassed several projects. based management in 2013 we had the their livelihoods less vulnerable. We came additional data to factor in the resources up with a set of indicators that together At that point, each programme was devoted to various aspects of the changes give us measures of resilience and beginning to develop an individual we seek. vulnerability, and when we surveyed 600 Theory of Change, which sets out not families that had taken part in the project only the expected short-term outputs of Overall, we want to see how farmers in Bihar state in India, we found that the programme but also the outcomes, can use agricultural biodiversity to those who had adopted project varieties

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benefited from higher yields that were different countries, regardless of the Elisabetta Gotor less sensitive to climate-related shocks. methods each site is using. This more Improved stability in the productivity structured framework will allow us to 2006–today: Head, Development Impact Unit of their farms led farm families to feel draw the kind of high-level conclusions more empowered to respond to such we need about the impact of Bioversity disturbances. And though the project as a whole, over and above the impact of didn’t actually set out to affect social individual programmes. cohesion, families who took part reported a greater sense of cohesion.

So we can say that this project achieved our objectives in Bihar, but one of the great problems Bioversity faces is that the use of agricultural biodiversity is very site specific. The precise methods that work in Bihar might not work elsewhere in India or on the other continents where the project operates. So we are developing standardized assessment protocols that will work across different projects and

173 Credit: LI-BIRD/S.Subedi The Agrobiodiversity Index

Can we design an Agrobiodiversity Index Together with Bioversity’s management, Building on input from various potential that triggers action to better manage we reached out to many actors in the users, and rooted in the scientific agrobiodiversity worldwide? food system to explore this question. At evidence out there, we went backward first we were mainly interacting with and forward on the architecture of the This was the question raised by Bioversity governments and our more traditional Agrobiodiversity Index and settled International scientists in 2016. Some partners in national agricultural research on three pillars – agrobiodiversity of us worked on agrobiodiversity and systems, but along the way the idea in consumption for healthy diets, in nutrition, others focused more on triggered more and more interest among production for sustainable agriculture, sustainable agriculture, or improving companies and the finance world. This and in genetic resource management for genetic resource management systems. was because better management of future options. That was the relatively We realized that, though the components agrobiodiversity provides opportunities to easy part. Harder was the selection of the of agrobiodiversity were interconnected, better manage risk, both operational and indicators and the data and scales that we measured it in many different ways reputational. While this was very exciting we considered reliable and insightful and we lacked a tool that brings the from a user’s prospective, it did add a very enough to feed into the Agrobiodiversity multiple components of agrobiodiversity different layer of complexity to the design Index. We identified 23 indicators and together and allowed a more complete of the Agrobiodiversity Index and the related databases that were not perfect picture of what was happening with type of data that could feed into it. but could get the ball rolling. We have agrobiodiversity in a given setting. presented the initial prototype at various

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international fora and events, and it is our food systems. We really hope the Roseline Remans gaining rapid traction. Based on feedback, Agrobiodiversity Index can help put the we also included six areas of risk more spotlight on agrobiodiversity as a critical 2018–today: Senior Scientist, Productive and explicitly into the architecture of the part of the solution to make our food Resilient Farms, Forests and Landscapes & Healthy Agrobiodiversity Index, and clarified systems more sustainable. Diets from Sustainable Food systems further the role of various actors – 2014–2018: Honorary Research Fellow, Healthy farmers, consumers, governments and Diets from Sustainable Food systems & Productive food and agro-businesses. and Resilient Farms, Forests and Landscapes We are now applying the Agrobiodiversity Index to a growing number of countries and companies. We keep learning by doing and therefore improving the methodology, the data, the various applications and the communications. We think it is a unique tool as it brings science and action together, as well as multiple sectors and multiple actors of

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If you want to know more SAFEGUARD France. https://www.bioversityinternational. Cryopreservation org/fileadmin/user_upload/Cogent_ bourdeix_2018.pdf 60 years of plant cryopreservation: from Bananas freezing hardy mulberry twigs to establishing • Websites Community seedbanks reference crop collections for future generations. Panis B. 2019. Acta Hort The reports and catalogues for all of Community seedbanks in Nepal: Past, present, Bioversity’s banana collection missions can future. Proceedings of a national workshop, Cryopreservation of Musa germplasm: 2nd be found on the MusaNet website (www. 14–15 June 2012, Pokhara, Nepal. Shrestha P, edition, Panis B. 2009. in Engelmann F, Benson musanet.org). Vernooy R, Chaudhary P (eds). 2013. Local E (Eds.), Technical Guidelines No. 9, Bioversity Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and International, Montpellier, pp. 1–48. ProMusa is a platform for sharing, examining Development, Pokhara, Nepal, and Bioversity Droplet vitrification of apical meristems: a and debating news and information on International, Rome, Italy. http://www. cryopreservation protocol applicable to all bananas. http://www.promusa.org/ bioversityinternational.org/uploads/tx_news/ Musaceae. Panis B, Piette B, Swennen R. 2005. Community_seed_banks_in_Nepal__past__ Musapedia (www.promusa.org/musapedia) is Plant Science, 168(1), 45-55. present_and_future_1642.pdf an online compendium that taps into the vast Securing plant genetic resources for collective knowledge on banana. Community Seedbanks: Origins, Evolution perpetuity through cryopreservation. Panis and Prospects. Vernooy R, Shrestha P, Sthapit • Papers B, Swennen R, Rhee J, Roux N. 2016. Indian B (eds.) 2015. Earthscan for Routledge, London, Journal of Plant Genetic Resources 29 (3), 300-302 Global strategy for the conservation and UK. https://www.bioversityinternational.org/ use of Musa genetic resources (Laliberté fileadmin/user_upload/Community_Seed_ Forest and tree genetic resources B, compiler). MusaNet 2016. Bioversity Banks.pdf International, Montpellier, France. https:// Special issue of Forest Ecology and Management The roles of community seedbanks in climate www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/ on Global Forest Genetic Resources: Taking change adaptation. Vernooy R, Sthapit user_upload/Global_Musa_Strategy_2016.pdf Stock Edited by Loo J, Souvannavong O, B, Otieno G, Shrestha P, Gupta A. 2017. Dawson I. 2014. Volume 333, Pages 1-98 Collection of new diversity of wild and Development in Practice 27:316-327. http:// https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ cultivated bananas (Musa spp.) in the dx.doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2017.1294653. forest-ecology-and-management/vol/333 Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Sardos J, Christelová P, Cizková Crop wild relatives The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources. FAO (Food and Agriculture J, Paofa J, Sachter-Smith G, Janssens SB, Rauka • Websites G, Ruas M, Daniells JW, Dolezel J, Roux N. Organization). 2014. Rome, Italy. http://www. 2018. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Information, models and tools for crop fao.org/3/a-i3825e.pdf 65(8):2267–2286. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/ wild relatives can be found at the crop s10722-018-0690-x wild relatives global portal: http://www. Neglected and underutilized species cropwildrelatives.org/ (NUS) How INIBAP was born. Nestel B. 2005. Ethiopian Journal of Biological Sciences • Papers • Webpages 14(1):32–33. http://www.musalit.org/seeMore. Agrobiodiversity Conservation: Securing The NUS community website is an on- php?id=18075 the Diversity of Crop Wild Relatives and line platform for sharing research results, Cacao Landraces. Maxted N, Dulloo ME, Ford-Lloyd development news and policy advice BV, Frese L, Iriondo J, Pinheiro de Carvalho regarding the use and conservation of • Websites MAA. 2012. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, neglected and underutilized species, or NUS UK. for short: http://www.nuscommunity.org/ The Cocoa of Excellence Programme recognizing the work of cocoa farmers and Conserving Plant Genetic Diversity in • Papers celebrating the diversity of cocoa flavours: Protected Areas. Iriondo J, Maxted N, Dulloo Fighting poverty, hunger and malnutrition www.cocoaofexcellence.org ME (eds.). 2008. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, with neglected and underutilized species UK. A global network for Cacao genetic resources (NUS): needs, challenges and the way – CacaoNet: www.cacaonet.org Conserving the Wild Relatives of Crops. Hoyt forward. Padulosi S, Thompson J, Rudebjer P. 2013. Bioversity International, Rome. 56 pp. • Papers E. 1988. IUCN, IBPGR and WWF ISBN 978-92-9043-941-7. http://bit.ly/1Pjg7Ad Core Descriptors for In Situ Conservation of A global strategy for the conservation and use Crop Wild Relatives V.1. Thormann I, Alercia Holistic approach to enhance the use of of cacao genetic resources, as the foundation A, Dulloo ME. 2013. Bioversity International, neglected and underutilized species: the for a sustainable cocoa economy (Laliberté Rome, Italy case of Andean grains in Bolivia and Peru. B, compiler). CacaoNet. 2012. Bioversity Padulosi S, Amaya K, Jäger M, Gotor E, Rojas International, Montpellier, France. Crop Wild Relatives. A Manual of In Situ W, Valdivia R. 2014. Sustainability 2014 (6). Conservation. Hunter D, Heywood VH (eds.). 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COGENT. pp663–684 Cost-effectiveness targeting under multiple 2018. Bioversity International, Montpellier, conservation goals and equity considerations

178 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research in the Andes. Narloch U, Pascual U, Drucker ONE 12(9): e0184457. https://doi.org/10.1371/ of-resilience-in-socio-ecological-production- AG. 2011. Environmental Conservation 38(4): journal.pone.0184457 landscapes-and-seascapes/ 417-425. Tree diversity for restoration http://www. Development of a cost-effective diversity- restool.org/en/tool.php maximising decision-support tool for in situ PLANT • E-learning crop genetic resources conservation: The case of cacao. Samuel A, Drucker AG, Andersen SB, Bananas Online course about mainstreaming Simianer H, van Zonneveld M. 2013. 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Thank you to our partners

Bioversity International works around services; timber concessionaires; The list below names partners related to many partners around the world. Our conservation organizations;, and farmers. the highlights of our work included in this partners make it possible for us to work book. Of course, this is just a small sample towards achieving our vision: a world in Bioversity International is a CGIAR of the many, many partners who we have which agrobiodiversity nourishes people Research Centre. CGIAR is a global worked with over the last 45 years and we and sustains the planet and we wish to partnership for a food-secure future. extend our appreciation to all of them. thank them for their support throughout Its science is carried out by 15 Research the last 45 years and looking ahead. Centres in close collaboration with hundreds of partners across the globe. Partners include: research institutes; universities; development agencies; We also work in close partnership governments; national agricultural with the United Nations Rome-based research systems; national plant genetic organizations: Food and Agriculture resources programmes; NGOs; the Organization of the UN (FAO), private sector; schools; women’s groups; International Fund for Agricultural international and national genebanks; Development (IFAD) and the World Food local, national and global agri-food value Programme. chain actors; agricultural extension

184 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Research and • Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) • Centre for African Bio-Entrepreneurship (CABE) implementation • Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) • Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture partners • Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) • Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) • Crop Trust • East African Community (EAC) • Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) CGIAR Research Programmes • European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources Bioversity International is proud to be a CGIAR Research Centre. (ECPGR) Over the last 45 years, we have collaborated with our partners at • European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) our sister CGIAR Research Centres, and more recently, through • Fairtrade International CGIAR Research Programs and Platforms including: • Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) • Global Partnership Initiative for Plant Breeding • CGIAR Genebank Platform • Hivos • CGIAR Integrated Breeding Platform • Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food • CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture Sovereignty (Indigenous Partnership) • CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and • Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Health • Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Africa • CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems • Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) • CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture • Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and and Food Security Ecosystem Services (IPBES) • CGIAR Research Program on Drylands • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) • CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry • International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry • CGIAR Research Program on HumidTropics Areas (ICARDA) • CGIAR Research Program on Maize • International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) • CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutes and Markets • International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid • CGIAR Research Program on Rice Tropics (ICRISAT) • CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas • International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) • CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) • CGIAR Research Program on Wheat • International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) • CGIAR System-wide Genetic Resources Programme • International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) • CGIAR System-wide Program on Collective Action and • International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center Property Rights (CAPRi) (CIMMYT) • Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in • International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative Central Africa (CIALCA) • International Potato Center (CIP) • International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) This work is supported by contributors to the CGIAR Trust Fund • International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) Donors • International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and www.cgiar.org/funders/ Agriculture Secretariat (ITPGRFA) • International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) • International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Global/Multiple countries • ISEAL Alliance • African Union Commission • Latin American Forest Genetic Resources Network • Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme (LAFORGEN) (APFORGEN) • Rainforest Alliance • Banana Asia-Pacific Network (BAPNET) • Regional network for West and Central Africa (MUSACO/ • Banana Research and Development Network for Latin America Innovate Plantain) and the Caribbean (MUSALAC) • Save the Children International • Banana Research Network for East and Southern Africa • Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (BARNESA) • Secretariat of the Governing Body of the International Treaty • Catholic Relief Services (CRS) on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture • Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) • Sub-Saharan African Forest Genetic Resources Programme • Central American Agricultural Council (SAFORGEN)

185 • Trocaire Bosnia and Herzegovina • UN Development Programme (UNDP) • University of Banja Luka • UN Environment • UN Standing Committee on Nutrition Botswana • United Nations University (UNU) • Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) • World Agricultural Heritage Foundation (WAHF) • World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) Brazil • World Food Programme • Brazilian Biodiversity Fund (FUNBIO) • World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) • Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa) • WorldFish • Ministry of Health • Ministerio do Meio Ambiente, Secretaria de Biodiversidade e Algeria Florestas • National Agricultural Research Institute Burundi Armenia • Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU) • Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia • National Agricultural Research System Burkina Faso • Centre National de Semences Forestières (CNSF) Australia • Commission Nationale de Gestion des Ressources • Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Phytogénétiques (CONAGREP) • Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) • Institut de l’Environnement et de la Recherche Agricole • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (INERA) • University of Queensland (UQ) • Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT) Austria • SNV World • Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW) • Tiipaalga • Graz University of Technology • University of Ouagadougou • University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) • University of Vienna Cambodia • Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute Bangladesh • Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute Cameroon • Unnayan Bikalper Nitinirdharoni Gobeshona (UBINIG) • African Research Centre on Bananas and Plantains • Institute of Agricultural research for Development, Ekona Belgium • University of Dschjang • Botanic Garden Meise • Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) Canada • KU Leuven • Commonwealth of Learning • University of Gembloux • University of Ghent Central African Republic • University of Liege • Central African Agricultural Research Institute Benin China • Cercle de Sauvegarde des Ressources Naturelles (CeSaReN) • Chengdu Institute of Biology of Chinese Academy of Sciences • Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB) • Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) • University of Abomey-Calavi • Chinese Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR) of the Center for Natural and Bhutan Cultural Heritage (CNACH) • National Biodiversity Centre • Farmers’ Seed Network • Green Seed Ecological Cultural Development Bolivia • Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan • National Agricultural Research System • Liangshan Prefecture Xichang Agricultural Research Institute • Fundación Promoción e Investigación de Productos Andinos • National Genebank (PROINPA) • Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences • Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences

186 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research • Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences Ethiopia • Yunnan Agricultural University (YAU) • Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI) • Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI) Colombia • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research • AGROSAVIA • Mekelle University • Federación Nacional de Plataneros de Colombia (FEDEPLATANO) Fiji • Forestpa • Ministry of Agriculture • Universidad Nacional (Medellin and Palmira) • Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) Comores Finland • Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, la Pêche et • University of Helsinki l’Environnement (INRAPE) France Congo, Democratic Republic of the • Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) • Institut National pour l’Etude et la Recherche Agronomique • Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA) (INERA) • Université Catholique du Graben, Butembo Gabon • Université de Kisangani (UNIKIS) • Cenarest • University of Kinshasa • Research Institute for Tropical Ecology (IRET) Costa Rica Germany • Corporación Bananera Nacional (CORBANA) • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit • Comisión Nacional de Semillas (GIZ) GmbH • Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) • Hohenheim University • National Agricultural Research System • Humboldt Institute • Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) Côte d’Ivoire • Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research • Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA) (IPK) • University of Côte d’Ivoire • University of Bonn Cuba Ghana • Centro Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (CNAP)/Ministerio de • Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente (CITMA) • Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) • Instituto de Investigaciones Fundamentales en Agricultura Tropical (INIFAT) Guadeloupe • Research Institute of Tropical Root and Tuber Crops (INIVIT), • National Agricultural Research Council from the Agriculture Ministry of the Cuban Republic Guatemala Czech Republic • Action Against Hunger • Institute of Experimental Botany (IEB) • Asociación de Comunidades Forestales de Petén (ACOFOP) • Asociación de Organizaciones de los Cuchumatanes Dominican Republic (ASOCUCH) • Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y • Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) Forestales (IDIAF) • Mancomunidad Copanch’orti’ • Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food (MAGA) Ecuador • National Agricultural Research System • Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecurarias (INIAP) • Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG) Egypt Honduras • National Agricultural Research System • La Fundación para la Investigación Participativa con Agricultores de Honduras (FIPAH) El Salvador • National Agricultural Research System • National Agricultural Research System

187 India Jamaica • Action for Social Advancement (ASA), Bhopal, Madhya • Banana Board Pradesh • Centre for Advanced Research and Development (CARD) Kazakhstan • Deendayal Research Institute Krishi Vigyan Kendra • Academy of Agricultural Sciences • Dindori Tribal Farmer Producer Company • Foundation for Development Intergration, Assam Japan • Gene Campaign • Faculty of International Agriculture and Food Studies, Tokyo • GPS Institute of Agricultural Management University of Agriculture • Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti, Rajasthan • Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) • Green Cause Foundation • Himalayan Research Group, Himachal Pradesh Kenya • Humana People to People • Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research • IFAD Loan Tejaswini Rural Women Empowerment (ACIAR) Programme, Madhya Pradesh • Centre for African Bio-Entrepreneurship (CABE) • Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) • Colby College • Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) • Egerton University • Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chhatisgarh • Fairtrade Africa • IORA Ecological Solutions • Food and nutrition linkages group, Ministry of Health, • Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) Nutrition department • Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Raisen • Fresh Studio • LIFE Trust • Genetic resources Research Institute (GeRRI) • Lok Chetna Manch, Uttarakhand • GIZ Kenya • M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) • Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology • Madhyabharat Consortium of Farmers Producer Company (JKUAT) Limited (MBCFPCL) • Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization • Maheshmati Tribal Farmer Producer Company (KALRO) • Mandla Tribal Farmers Producer Company • Kenyatta University • Mount Valley Development Association, Uttarakhand • Kyanika Adult Women’s Group (KAWG) • National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) • Locally operating NGOs, Vihiga County • National Institute of Nutrition • Lutheran World Relief • National Research Centre on Banana (ICAR-NRCB) • Maseno University • North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society, • Ministries of Health and Agriculture in Vihiga and Turkana Meghalaya State Counties • Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Madhya • Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya Pradesh • Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Vihiga • Research Institute of Horticulture, Viticulture and Wine- County making named after acad. M. Mirzaev • Ministry of Health Vihiga County • Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and • National Genebank of Kenya, Kenya Agricultural Research Technology (SKUAST-K) Institute • Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology • National Museums of Kenya • University of Horticultural Sciences (UHS), Bagalkot, • Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Karnataka Africa (SANREM-AFRICA) • YSR Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh • University of Nairobi • WeRATE (Western Region Agriculture and Technology Indonesia Evaluation) • Agricultural Environment Research Institute • Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) Korea, Republic of • Rural Development Administration Italy • Rete Semi Rurali Kyrgyzstan • Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna • Kyrgyz Innovation Centre of Phytotechnologies • University of Naples • Kyrgyz National Agrarian University • University of Roma TRE • Università degli studi di Milano (UniMi) Lao People’s Democratic Republic • World Biodiversity Association • National Agricultural Research System

188 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Lebanon Nicaragua • American University of Beirut • Nicaragua National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) • Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua (UNAN) Luxembourg • Universidad Nacional Agraria • Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) Nepal Madagascar • Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development • National Center for Applied Research on Rural Development (LI-BIRD) (FOFIFA) • Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) • Service d’Appui à la Gestion de l’Environnement (SAGE) Netherlands Malaysia • Agrofair/TASTE – Technical Assistance for Sustainable Trade • Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute & Environment • Centre for Development Innovation, Wageningen University Mali • Centre for Genetic Resources the Netherlands (CGN), • Association Aide au Sahel et l’Enfance Malienne Wageningen University and Research • Association des Conseillers Agricoles du Sahel • ILEIA • Environnement et Développement du Mali (ENDA) • Nestlé Research Center (NRC) • Fondation pour le Développement au Sahel (FDS) • Directorate-general of Development Cooperation (DGIS), • Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) Ministry of Foreign Affairs • Unité Service Coopération (USC) • Original Beans • Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) Malawi • Wageningen University • Agricultural Research Council • Small Producers and Transporters Association (SPRODETA) Nicaragua • Lilongwe University of Agriculture (LUANAR) • National Agricultural Research System Malaysia Niger • Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute • Abdou Moumouni University (MARDI) • Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger • National University of Malaysia (UKM) (INRAN) • Sarawak Biodiversity Centre • Universiti Putra Malaysia Nigeria • National Horticultural Research Institute Mali • Association Salvan-Enfants (ASEM) Panama • Centre d’Appui à l’Autopromotion pour le Développement • Instituto de Investigación Agropecuaria de Panamá (IDIAP) (CAAD) • National Agricultural Research System • Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) • National Agricultural Research System Papua New Guinea • Kokonas Industri Koporisin (KIK) Mauritius • National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) • Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU) • Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute Peru (FAREI) • Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria (INIA) • University of Mauritius • Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agricultural (IICA) Mexico • Ministerio de Agricultura y Riego (MINAGRI) • Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrí¬colas y • Ministerio del Ambiente (MINAM) Pecuarias • National Forest Service and Wildlife (SERFOR) • Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional Morocco • Oikos – Cooperation and Development, Peru • Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II • Original Beans • National Agricultural Research Institute • Regional Government (GORE), Cusco • Regional Government (GORE), Puno Myanmar • Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental • Department of Agricultural Research • Universidad de Piura (UDEP) • Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (UNALM) • Universidad Nacional del Altiplano (UNA)

189 Philippines Sudan • Bureau of Agricultural Research • Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and • Bureau of Plant Industry Research Centre (APGRC) • College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS/UPLB) • Kiangan Community Multi-Purpose Development Cooperative Sweden • Philippine Coconut Authority • EAT Foundation/Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen) • Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural • Stockholm Resilience Centre Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) • University of the Philippines Los Baños Switzerland • Clarmondial AG Portugal • Institut Universitaire d’Etudes du Développement • Banco Português de Germoplasma Vegetal • Nestec Ltd./Nestlé • Nestlé Research Center Puerto Rico • Pro-Specie Rara • USDA Tajikistan Rwanda • Institute of Horticulture – Tajik Academy of Agricultural • Gardens for Health International (GHI) Sciences • Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) • Scientific-Production Association ‘Bogparvar’ Samoa Tanzania • Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries • National Plant Genetic Resources Centre • Sokoine University of Agriculture Senegal • Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute • Centre pour le Developpement de l’Horticulture • Zanzibar Agricultural Research Institute • Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles Thailand Serbia • Biodiversity-Based Economy Development Office (BEDO) • Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops • National Agricultural Research System • PASD – Pgaz K’Nyau Association for Sustainable Development Slovenia • Agricultural Institute of Slovenia – Kmetijski inštitut Slovenije Tunisia (KIS) • Association for the Safeguard of the Medina of Gafsa (ASM Gafsa) Spain • National Agricultural Research Institute • Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA) Turkey • Aegean Agricultural Research Institute South Africa • Akseki Chamber of Agriculture (Antalya) • Agricultural Research Council – Roodeplaat Vegetable and • Alaçatı Art and Culture Association Ornamental Plant Institute/ Tropical and Subtropical Crops • Association of Siyez Producers Division • Association of Turkish Dieticians • Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries • Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, General Directorate of Agricultural Research Sri Lanka • Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MFAL) • Information and Communication Centre (ICC), Department of • Ministry of Health Agriculture • University of Akdeniz • Ministry of Environment • University of Gazi • Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment • University of Selçuk • National Agricultural Research System • Plant Genetic Resources Centre (PGRC) Turkmenistan • Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan

190 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Uganda Yemen • Arizona State University • National Agricultural Research System • Entebbe Botanic Gardens • International Foundation of Science Zambia • Makerere University • Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) • Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development • McGill University • Ministry of Health • Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock • National Agricultural Organization’s Plant Genetic Resources • Naliendele Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) • National Agricultural Research Laboratories • Self Help Africa • National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) • University of Zambia (UNZA) • National Agriculture Research Institute • Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI)

United Kingdom Zimbabwe • East Malling Research • Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) • King’s College London • Horticultural Research Institute, Morondera • Leeds University • National Plant Genetic Resources Center • Millennium Seed Bank • Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE) • Newcastle University • Royal Botanical Garden, Kew • University of Birmingham • University of Bristol • University of East Anglia • University of Reading

United States of America • Earth Institute at Columbia University • Lutheran World Relief (LWR) • National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) • National Genebank • Natural Capital Project, Stanford University • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) • University of California, Berkeley • University of Minnesota • Versant Vision • Washington State University

Uzbekistan • Institute of Genetics and Plant Experimental Biology • Uzbek Republican Scientific and Production Centre of Ornamental Gardening and Forestry • Uzbek Research Institute of Horticulture Vietnam • Center of Agriculture Research and Ecological Studies (CARES) • Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI) • Hanoi Agricultural University (HAU) • HealthBridge Foundation of Canada in Hanoi • National Agricultural Research System • National Institute of Nutrition

191 Funding partners Foundations and private sector • AJE Group • Barry Callebaut • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • Biovision Foundation • Christensen Fund CGIAR • CocoaTown • CGIAR Trust Fund (includes: Asian Development Bank • David and Lucile Packard Foundation (ADB), African Development Bank (AfDB), Arab Fund, • Ecopetrol Austria, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bill & Melinda Gates • Federation of Cocoa Commerce Foundation, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Chad, China, Colombia, • Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco Crop Trust, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, • Ford Foundation Egypt, Ethiopia, European Commission, Food and Agriculture • Fresh Studio Holding Limited Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Finland, Ford • Gatsby Foundation Foundation, France, Germany, Ghana, Gulf Cooperation • German Foundation for International Development (DSE) Council, Honduras, International Fund for Agricultural • Guittard Chocolate Development (IFAD), India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Islamic • Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Development Bank, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kellogg • Mars Foundation, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, • McKnight Foundation Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, • Nestle Nepal, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, The • New Field Foundation OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Pakistan, • Puratos/Belcolade Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, South Africa, • RSF Social Finance Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syngenta Foundation, Tanzania, • Seguine Cacao, Cocoa and Chocolate Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Nations Development • Swift Foundation Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme • World Cocoa Foundation (UNEP), United Kingdom, United States of America, World • WYG International Limited Bank) • Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) • HarvestPlus • International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) • International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) • International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) • International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) • International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) • International Potato Center (CIP) • International Water Management Institute (IWMI) • System-wide Genetic Resources Policy • Generation Challenge Program • Worldfish •

192 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research Governments, • Catholic Relief Services (CRS) • Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigaction y Ensenanza (CATIE) intergovernmental • China -- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences -- Chinese Ministry of Agriculture institutions and -- Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology -- National Natural Science Foundation • Colombia other funding -- Empresas Públicas de Medellín -- Government of Antioquia partners • Cocoa Research Centre of the University of the West Indies • Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) • Congo Basin Forest Fund • Convention on Biological Diversity • Croatia • Albania -- Ministry of Agriculture -- Agricultural University of Tirana • Crop Trust • Algeria • Cyprus • Armenia -- Agricultural Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture -- Ministry of Agriculture • Czech Republic • Asian Development Bank (ADB) -- Ministry of Agriculture • Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in • Democratic Republic of Congo Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) • Denmark • Association of Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries -- Ministry of the Environment and Food of Europe -- Nature Agency • Australia • Drivers of Food Choice -- Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research • Ecuador (ACIAR) • Estonia -- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade -- Ministry of Agriculture -- Grains Research and Development Corporation -- Ministry of the Environment -- University of Queensland • European Commission • Austria • European Cocoa Association (ECA) -- Austrian Development Agency (ADA) • European Union -- Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) • European Union - African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of -- Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism States (EU-ACP) • Azerbaijan -- Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation -- Institute of Genetic Resources (CTA) • Belarus • Finland -- National Academy of Sciences of Belarus -- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry • Belgium -- Ministry of Foreign Affairs -- Directorate General for Development Cooperation and • Fontagro (Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology) Humanitarian Aid (DGD) • Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) -- KU Leuven • Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN/Global -- Service Public de Wallonie Environment Facility (FAO-GEF) -- Service Public Federal Sante Publique • France -- VLIR-UOS -- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche • Bosnia and Herzegovina Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) -- Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations -- Ministère de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation • Brazil • Georgia -- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) -- Academy of Agricultural Sciences • Bulgaria • Germany -- Institute of Plant Genetic Resources ‘K. Malkov’ Burundi -- Advisory Service on Agricultural Research for Development • Canada (BEAF) -- Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) -- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit -- International Development Research Centre (IDRC) GmbH (GIZ) -- McGill University -- Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture

193 • Global Environment Facility (GEF) • Philippines • Global Environment Facility (GEF)/UN Environment -- Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural • Global Environment Fund Research (DA-BAR) • Greece • Poland -- Agricultural Policy and Management of European Funds, -- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry of Rural Development and Food -- Ministry of the Environment • Hungary • Portugal -- Department of Forestry and Game Management, Ministry of -- Instituto Nacional de Investigacao Agraria e Veterinaria Agriculture (INIA) • Iceland • Programme de Promotion de L’Exploitation Certifiée des Forêts -- Icelandic Forest Service (PPECF) -- Ministry of Industries and Innovation • Romania • India -- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development -- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) • Republic of Korea • Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) -- Forest Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (FERI) • InterAmerican Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) -- South Korea Rural Development Administration • International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) • Rwanda • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) • Serbia • International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and -- Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Agriculture (ITPGRFA) Directorate for Forests • IORA Ecological Solutions • Slovakia • Ireland -- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the -- COFORD Slovak Republic -- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Marine • Slovenia • Israel -- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food -- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development -- Ministry of the Environment • Italy • Spain -- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA) -- Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y -- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Alimentaria (INIA) -- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation • South Africa • Japan • Sri Lanka • Kenya • Sweden -- Kenya Society of Ethnoecology -- Ministry for Rural Affairs, Animal and Food Division • Latvia -- Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation -- Ministry of Agriculture -- Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency • Lithuania (SIDA) -- Ministry of the Environment • Switzerland -- State Forest Service -- Federal Department of Economic Affairs FDEA • Luxembourg -- Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) -- Nature Conservation Agency, Minister of the Environment -- Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) • Malaysia • Thailand -- Sarawak State Government • Trócaire • Mali • Tunisia -- Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) • Turkey • Moldova -- Ministry of Agricultural Researches and Policies -- Forest Research and Management Institute -- Ministry of Forest and Water Affairs, Forest Tree Seeds and • Montenegro Tree Breeding Research Directorate -- Phytosanitary Directorate, Government of Montenegro • Uganda • Morocco • Ukraine • Netherlands -- National Centre of Plant Genetic Resources, National -- Centre for Genetic Resources, The Netherlands (CGN) Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Ukraine -- Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) • United Kingdom -- Wageningen University ALTERRA -- Darwin Initiative • North Macedonia -- Economic and Social Research Council and the Department -- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy for International Development (ESRC-DFID) • Norway -- Forestry Commission -- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy (NIBIO) -- Genetic Resources Department for Environment, Food and • Peru Rural Affairs

194 Bioversity International - Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research • United Nations Environment Programme/Global Environment Facility (UNEP-GEF) • United Nations Development Programme - Global Environmental Finance (UNDP-GEF) • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) • United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) • United Nations University • United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Studies of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) • United States of America -- Cornell University -- National Science Foundation (NSF) -- Oregon State University -- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute -- United States Agency for International Development (USAID) • World Bank • World Resources Institute (WRI)

195 th Production team 45 Editor: Arwen Bailey anniversary Editorial assistance: Nora Capozio, Samantha Collins, Mirna Franic,´ Carlo Angelico, Jeremy Cherfas

Design, concept, realization: Pablo Gallo

Bioversity International is a global research-for-development organization. We have a vision – that agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet.

We deliver scientific evidence, management practices and policy options to use and safeguard agricultural and tree biodiversity to attain sustainable global food and nutrition security. We work with partners in low-income countries in different regions where agricultural and tree biodiversity can contribute to improved nutrition, resilience, productivity and climate change adaptation.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives.

Bioversity International and CIAT are CGIAR Research Centres. www.cgiar.org

Citation Bioversity International (2019) Celebrating 45 years of agrobiodiversity research. Rome (Italy): Bioversity International 200 p. ISBN: 978-92-9255-129-2 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/101366

Unless otherwise stated, all photographs in this book are Bioversity International’s.

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