Regional Workshop on Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security in West and Central Africa

26-30 April 2004

The Council for Agricultural Research and Development in West and Central Africa (CORAF/WECARD) and the Genetic Resources Network for West and Central Africa (GRENEWECA/ROCAREG) in partnership with IPGRI, IITA, ICRISAT, WARDA, FAO, ICRAF and a number of national agricultural research institutions of West and Central Africa, are organizing a conference entitled ‘’ Regional workshop on plant genetic resources in West and Central Africa’’.
GRENEWECA was established in 1998 under the umbrella of CORAF/WECARD to support the conservation and use of genetic resources in the region. The secretariat of the network is hosted by IPGRI in its sub region office in Cotonou, Benin.

Workshop Goal and objectives

The main goal of this workshop is to address issues related to conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for the livelihoods of people in West
and Central Africa.

The specific objectives are:
• To assess the state of plant genetic resources conservation and use in West and Central African countries
• To explore mechanisms for management and sustainable use of plant genetic resources in the region.
• To enhance awareness on new global and regional plant genetic resources developments and policy frameworks, with special emphasis on the International
Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Global Plan of Action.
• To establish mechanisms and strategies for promotion of collaboration and coordination at regional and country levels on plant genetic resources conservation, management and policies in the sub-region.
• To strengthen framework for partnership and networking (through GRENEWECA) in plant genetic resources conservation and use within the sub-region.

Intended Participants

Participants will come from a broad range of institutions and organizations:
• national plant genetic resources centers/institutions (including gene banks)
• national agricultural research systems
• commodity networks, and plant genetic resources networks
• international agriculture research institutions
• forestry and agroforestry research institutions
• non-governmental organizations
• community representatives
It is estimated that 80-100 people will attend the workshop.