The Role of Crop Diversity For Food Security with GIZ

The Crop Trust in cooperation with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)

14:00-16:30 hrs GIZ-Haus, Reichpietschufer 20, 10785 Berlin

Agriculture is facing its biggest challenge ever in its 13000 years of history. We need to feed more people on less arable land, with less water and less energy, and under more unpredictable weather conditions. We must go back to the basic building blocs of agriculture and work systematically on adaptability and increased nutritional value.

The Information Event on 11 June will discuss the role of plant genetic resources in attaining global food security and in enabling a sustainable, climate-smart agriculture sector. The event follows a morning presentation on 11 June 2014 of IFPRI’s 2013 report on “Global Food and Development Policy”, calling for an end to hunger and malnutrition by 2025.

2014 marks the 10-year Anniversary of the establishment of the Global Crop Diversity Trust. The Crop Trust works to conserve and make available the world’s variety of crop seeds, so that farmers and breeders have the means to feed a growing world population despite climate change. In 2013, the Crop Trust relocated from Rome to Bonn, Germany.

Purpose

To consider how plant genetic resources and crop breeding activities contribute to increasing agricultural productivity, providing more nutritious food, helping to ensure world food security, and furthering economic development.

To discuss how global agriculture can adapt to rising challenges resulting from climate change, thus increasing sustainability and resilience of the food and agriculture system world-wide, by drawing on available crop diversity. To inform about the work of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in supporting global crop collections, representing an essential element of the funding strategy of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

The event will be attended by representatives from public institutions and diplomatic missions, international organizations, foundations and associations, private companies and the media, with participants from Germany and across Europe.

* Interpretation will be provided into English and German.
** Discussants will review the topics of food security, adaptation of agriculture to climate change, biodiversity and rural economic development as they relate to crop diversity.

Download the Program

Crop Trust Berlin Event Program

Category: Food Security