The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute

The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) is the world’s largest international institute dedicated solely to the conservation and use of plant genetic resources. It has a staff of over 200, operating from 16 offices around the world. IPGRI has a special responsibility for banana and plantain, two of the developing world’s most important crops. IPGRI is a Future Harvest Centre supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an informal association of donor agencies, development banks and other organizations.

Why plant genetic resources matter
Plants make three vital contributions to the development of human society. They are the key to food security, providing a vast array of cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits and other foods for human consumption in addition to feeding the animals that supply us with meat, milk and eggs. They contribute to the eradication of poverty, both by providing cheaper food and raw materials for poor consumers and by raising and diversifying the incomes of rural producers and processors. And they protect and enhance the environment, through enriching the soil, preventing erosion by wind and rain, sustaining birds, insects and animals and absorbing atmospheric carbon.

The multiple uses of plants made by human beings depend on a crucial characteristic of plant life -- its diversity. This diversity helps to sustain and stabilize production systems as well as ensure their productivity. Genetic diversity, the different combinations of genes in plants, in particular, confers on plants their ability to resist such stresses as pests and diseases, or drought.

Today, the diversity of the earth’s plant life is under threat as never before. In agriculture, the widespread adoption of a few improved varieties has narrowed the genetic base of important food crops and led to the disappearance of hundreds of landraces. In the forests, which are home to much of the world’s remaining plant diversity, between 2 and 8% of all plant species are expected to disappear over the next 25 years.

Conserving and recycling plant genetic diversity is vital to meeting the world’s future development needs. The earth’s population is expected to reach 9 billion before it stabilizes late in the 21st century. This 50% increase in global population will place enormous pressure on the natural resource base, as well as requiring a huge increase in the production of food and non-food commodities.

IPGRI's mission
To encourage, support and undertake activities to improve the management of genetic resources worldwide to eradicate poverty, increase food security and protect the environment. IPGRI focuses on the conservation and use of genetic resources important to developing countries and has an explicit commitment to specific crops.

IPGRI operates largely by stimulating, supporting and collaborating in activities carried out by its partners around the world. IPGRI's partners include a wide range of national and international institutions, non-governmental organizations, universities, advanced research institutes, private sector companies, farmers and community groups.

Strategic choices
IPGRI has chosen to concentrate its efforts on eight areas of work: All are essential to the fulfilment of IPGRI’s mandate and reflect strong demand from IPGRI’s partners.

Strengthening national systems Supporting improved germplasm management strategies and technologies; providing training and assistance in capacity-building; giving advice and information on policy.	Managing and communicating information Improving germplasm documentation; supporting SINGER and the Musa germplasm information system; providing technical information; increasing public awareness.
Working with networks Supporting established regional, crop and thematic networks and helping to develop new ones to strengthen international collaboration.	Addressing socio-economic and policy issues Determining links between diversity and socioeconomic factors; meeting gender concerns and increasing participation of all stakeholders; valuing genetic resources; supporting improved policy-making.
Improving conservation strategies and technologies Understanding the extent and distribution of diversity; supporting collecting of genetic resources; improving ex situ and in situ conservation and developing integrated approaches.	Conserving and using specific crops Determining links between diversity and socioeconomic factors; meeting gender concerns and increasing participation of all stakeholders; valuing genetic resources; supporting improved policy-making.
Increasing the use of plant genetic resources Improving methods of using ex situ conserved germplasm; supporting conservation through use; supporting increased use of diversity in production.	Conserving and using forest genetic resources Determining links between diversity and socioeconomic factors; meeting gender concerns and increasing participation of all stakeholders; valuing genetic resources; supporting improved policy-making.

 

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