Global Crop Diversity Summit 2023

Under the patronage of the German Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Crop Trust, in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Plant Treaty), will host the Global Crop Diversity Summit ‘Empowering Seed Banks to Combat the Climate and Biodiversity Crises’ in November this year. The Summit will address the urgent need for more productive, sustainable, resilient and healthy agri-food systems in the face of major global challenges such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, malnutrition and conflict.

This Summit will bring together key stakeholders from around the world: representatives of governments, civil society and indigenous communities, the private sector and the agricultural research community, as well as seed bank managers. They will engage in a lively dialogue on the crucial role of seed banks in transforming our agri-food systems.

The goals of the Summit are to raise political awareness of the importance of crop diversity for opportunities, livelihoods and development, to strengthen cooperation among seed banks around the world, and increase their impact.

The Summit will contribute to preparations for the Climate COP 28 in December 2023 in Dubai, where key findings on the importance of crop diversity for mitigation and adaptation to climate change will be presented to the negotiators.

The key output of the Summit will be a communique to be shared with the Governing Body of the International Plant Treaty, which will meet in Rome the following week, 20-24 November 2023. This communique will include:

• A shared understanding that the transformation of agri-food systems will need to rely on the full range of crop diversity, including so-called neglected and underutilized crops.
• Recommendations to policymakers on how to strengthen seed banks as sources of crop diversity for researchers, plant breeders and farmers.
• An invitation to interested stakeholders to strengthen collaboration among international, national and community-based seed banks. Seed banks need to work together more – they must truly become a system. This will lead to higher overall efficiency and effectiveness, and more impact on the system as a whole.
• The launch of an annual Crop Diversity Day, to be organized by the Crop Trust.

Event Program

Stay tuned to learn more about our speakers!

Presented by:

     

Satellite Events:

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^{Crop Trust’s Executive Board Meeting}

^{15-16 November 2023}

^{The Executive Board is the principal decision-making body of the Crop Trust. The Members of the Executive Board convene twice a year, in the Spring and in the Fall, and work on ensuring that the policies of the Crop Trust are in line with its mission, including support for the Plant Treaty, and that the Crop Trust is managed effectively by the Executive Director in harmony with the agreed objectives, programs, and budgets, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.}

^{Ms. Catherine Bertini currently chairs the Crop Trust’s Executive Board.} 

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^{Leadership Training with Genebank Managers: Developing genebank teams that thrive} 

^{13 November & 15 November 2023} 

^{Genebank managers are leaders in crop diversity conservation in their respective countries. They work with a diverse team of professionals to effectively manage, document, conserve, and safety-duplicate crop diversity and make it available to users. Participants are expected to reflect on the essential elements of great teamwork and a leadership approach that empowers genebank team members to deliver their best and make change happen. Through this leadership workshop, the Crop Trust aims to nurture the leaders who ensure the security of our food, forever.}

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^{28th Meeting of the Crop Trust Donors' Council}

^{13 November 2023} 

^{The Donors’ Council of the Crop Trust consists of public and private donors who have made a sizable contribution to the Crop Trust. The Council acts as an innovative mechanism to bring government donors, foundations, and private companies together in a genuine public-private partnership with a shared interest in the Crop Trust. Meetings of the Donors’ Council are convened twice a year. The Fall 2023 meeting will take place in Berlin on the 13th of November.} 

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^{*Photo courtesy of INIAP Genebank, Ecuador}