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Genebank Innovator c r o p t r u s t A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3 When we lose crop diversity we lose options for the future. Marie Haga Executive Director, Crop Trust Published in The Hindu, Nov. 2013 “Plant genetic material is one of the most valuable resources on earth. Far too little understood – far too little discussed. In the next 10 years, we need to feed 1 billion more people.” Marie Haga, Crop Trust Executive Director Letter from the Chair of the Executive Board Letter from the Executive Director The Crop Trust at a Glance 2004 - 2013 Timeline The Global System CGIAR Research Program (CRP) for Managing and Sustaining Crop Collections Information Systems The Vault Crop Wild Relatives A Brief Look Back: The Global System Project The Crop Trust Now Governance Future Directions Our Supporters Crop Trust Call to Action Financial Statements Crop Trust Highlights There’s a special kind of change that doesn’t feel like change – when an organization grows to meet the vision with which it began. Walter Fust Executive Board Chair, Crop Trust here’s a special kind of change that doesn’t feel challenges facing crop diversity conservation like change – when an organization grows and use have not become any easier – much the to meet the vision with which it began. This has opposite! – but the Crop Trust has learned, and been the feeling shared by all of us on the Board grown, and gained the momentum it needs to of the Crop Trust this year. secure the system that was its original inspiration. It has been a pleasure working with Marie, our All of us who have been involved for these fellow Board member turned Executive Director. past years are filled with pride to see this It has been an honor to welcome everyone who happen, and we are delighted to share last joined the conservation effort in 2013: new staff, year’s accomplishments with our friends and new Board members, new donors and an ever- collaborators. This Annual Report describes growing number of new partners. And it has the start of our project to secure all of the been deeply gratifying to see the Crop Trust move international crop collections of CGIAR over the into a new Headquarters and a new role in the very long term; our role in the race to find and CGIAR Research Program. Taking it all together, conserve the climate-resilient wild relatives of it’s clear that we have gone through a significant crops; and as an ultimate failsafe, our ongoing transformation in these twelve months. backup of the world’s seed banks in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It will take you from the Now that the transformation has been made, islands of the Pacific to the Andes to the Arctic we can look back and ask: what is really “new”? Circle, all of which play a part in the everyday While the developments are major ones, it business of the Crop Trust today. seems as though the Crop Trust is becoming the organization it was always intended to be. These stories should make clear It started small, but has never taken on small tasks. It began with a global vision of crop that there is no other organization diversity conserved forever and accessible to like the Crop Trust. And that is all: an enormous goal that demanded a smart, exactly why we are here. independent and fast-acting organization. The 1 All of our partners focus on making crop diversity better understood, better protected, better shared, and better used. Marie Haga Executive Director, Crop Trust he Crop Trust began this year with something of challenges the global community is facing in very special: its own address. Platz der feeding an increasing population in the midst of Vereinten Nationen 7 in Bonn now feels like climate change. We know that crop diversity, as home, and we remain ever grateful to the the very foundation of food security, will play a German government for hosting us here on the pivotal role in meeting the challenges. historic banks of the Rhine. Our job to conserve and make Of course, the work described in this Annual Report takes much more than just an office – it available crop diversity for our takes a global system. The Crop Trust Secretariat as well as future generations is as now has an address in Germany, but the global obvious as it is important. But the task of conservation we are pursuing depends on partnerships with so many different people all over foundation is still far from secure. the world. Credit goes to all the research institutions, genebanks, universities and donors; the member In a way it feels as though there is just as much countries of the International Treaty on Plant urgent work to be done now as there was at Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the start of the year, when I took on the role of the Treaty’s Secretariat; and the dedicated genebank Executive Director. Our new ten-year strategic staff, scientists, plant breeders, farmers, campaigners work plan adopted by the Executive Board in and policymakers who share our belief in the global October confirms we still have a big job to do. commons of crop diversity. All of these partners However, our progress in 2013 charts a hopeful focus on making crop diversity better understood, course. better protected, better shared, and better used. Let me say a great Thank You to our Executive Here in Bonn, we just have to walk out our Board, all partners around the globe and not front door and go next door to the Secretariat least to our very competent and dedicated staff. of the United Nations Framework Convention Please take a look at how much we accomplished on Climate Change, to be reminded of the scale in this one year and join us in saying Yes - we can get there. 1 2 the Crop Trust t a time when unprecedented demands are being The Crop Trust was made on our natural environment, it is all the established in 2004 to more critical to conserve crop diversity. A greater diversity of crops, stored in genebanks and available ensure the conservation to all through an efficient global system, is required to secure and availability of crop the future food supply at stable and affordable prices without diversity essential for expanding agriculture’s footprint. Ensuring biodiversity in – and around - agriculture is a prerequisite for food security. food and agriculture, forever. It operates Only long-term, predictable financial support can secure crop in the context of the diversity forever. International Treaty The Crop Trust is working to establish and fund a cost- on Plant Genetic effective and rational global system for the conservation Resources for Food and of crop diversity through an endowment fund, the Crop Diversity Fund, the income from which would provide such Agriculture, of whose sustainable funding. funding strategy it is an The Crop Trust is committed to build a Crop Diversity Fund of essential element. USD 850 million that will provide adequate, sustainable funding of the global system for the conservation of crop diversity. 2004 2005 2006 2007 The Treaty comes into Crop Trust is Cary Fowler becomes The first long-term Crop Trust begins work force on 29 June 2004, founded by UN Executive Director of partnership in support on project on Securing ninety days after forty FAO and Bioversity Crop Trust. of an international the Biological Basis of governments have International (on collection is signed with Agriculture. ratified it. behalf of CGIAR) in the International Rice Rome, Italy. Geoff Research Institute. Hawtin becomes first Executive Director. TIMELINE 3 Each unique crop sample housed in both a genebank maintaining international standards and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault Key collections of global significance managed and curated to international standards Comprehensive information systems in place The Crop Trust is working to help create a global Timely, uncomplicated provision of quality system for the conservation and availability of crop material diversity. This global system will be cost effective and Reliable, long term Funding efficient, and will have the following features: How the Crop Trust supports the development of the Global System International Collections Under Article 15 Information Systems The Crop Trust manages a project jointly with the The Crop Trust collaborates with international and CGIAR Consortium which funds, together with the national collections of crop diversity to strengthen Crop Diversity Fund, the international collections crop diversity data management sharing. of crop diversity maintained by Page 9 the CGIAR and by SPC. Page 5 Svalbard Global Overcoming Seed Vault bottlenecks Together with NordGen and the The Crop Trust has undertaken two Government of Norway, the Crop Trust major projects aimed to address critical provides the ultimate insurance policy for constraints to the development and the world’s crop diversity. functioning of the global system. Page 10 Page 11 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 The Svalbard Global The Crop Crop Trust Crop Trust moves to Seed Vault opens. Diversity begins Bonn, Germany. Marie Endowment implementation Haga becomes Executive Fund surpasses of project on Adapting Crop Trust and CGIAR Director of Crop Trust. USD 95 million. Agriculture to Climate enter into five-year New ten-year Strategic Change: Collecting, agreement for the Work Plan and Fundraising Protecting and CGIAR Research Strategy approved by the Preparing Crop Wild Program on managing Executive Board. Relatives. and sustaining the world’s international crop collections. 3 4 The CGIAR genebanks are stewards of a genetic commons that can’t be bought or sold.
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