Bioversity International

Bioversity International is one of 15 agricultural research centres supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). It is dedicated to the conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity to improve the livelihoods of poor people. The organization is highly decentralized, with about 320 staff working from 16 offices worldwide. Headquarters is in Maccarese, outside Rome, Italy, with five regional offices: Aleppo, Syria; Cali, Colombia; Nairobi, Kenya; Maccarese, Italy; and Serdang, Malaysia.

Bioversity undertakes research for development, but it is not a development agency.

History

The organization was established in 1974 by the CGIAR as the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) in response to growing alarm over the rapid loss of crop biodiversity and the threat this posed to agricultural growth and food security. IBPGR was established to coordinate an international programme for plant genetic resources, to include organizing collecting missions as well as building and expanding genebanks at national, regional and international levels.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) acted as the IBPGR secretariat. In 1991, IBPGR became the International Plant Genetic Research Institute (IPGRI), an independent organization supported by the CGIAR. In 1994 IPGRI merged with the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) based in Montpellier, France. In 2006, IPGRI and INIBAP adopted the new name Bioversity International.

Background

The organization’s various name changes reflect a change in focus. At first it worked on the emergency collection of plant genetic resources. Then came a phase of promoting the conservation of plant genetic resources through use. Now, Bioversity says it is researching agricultural biodiversity to improve the lives of poor people. It has also expanded its focus from strictly plant genetic resources to include animals, microbes and other aspects of agricultural biodiversity.

The organization takes the view that the diversity of plants and animals offers opportunities not only through breeding but also by delivering many other benefits. Some are direct, such as the better nutrition and greater sustainability that come with locally adapted crops. Others are indirect, like the ecosystem services delivered by healthy populations of pollinators, biological control agents, and soil microbes. Bioversity works with partners to provide evidence of the wider benefits of agricultural biodiversity for human well-being and to explore what types of diversity can make the greatest contribution and in what ways this can be done.

Governance

Bioversity is governed by a [http://www.bioversityinternational.org/About_Us/Board/index.asp Board] of 12 Trustees, including one nominated by the host country (Italy) and one nominated by FAO. The Board appoints the Director General, who is responsible for operations and management and for assuring that its programmes and objectives are properly developed and carried out. The Director-General is an ex-officio member of the Board.

Partnership

Bioversity does not have any laboratories or field sites of its own. Instead, it works very closely with a wide range of partners to undertake research. More information about partnerships can be found [http://www.bioversityinternational.org/About_Us/Partnerships/index.asp here] .

Networks

Networks represent a special kind of partnership. Members share the costs of specific research projects, each receiving the benefits of the results. Members also use networks to seek and disseminate best practices, calling on more expertise than they could on their own. Bioversity works extensively with many different kinds of networks, and provides a coordinating secretariat for several. The organization offers a page of links to the networks that it works with [http://www.bioversityinternational.org/Information_Sources/Networks/index.asp here] .

Global Partnerships Programme

A specific programme supports collaboration among international players in agricultural biodiversity. It works to create a conducive policy environment through contributions to global agendas and participation in international fora. Bioversity is also home to multi-partner initiatives such as the CGIAR System-wide Genetic Resources Programme ( [http://www.sgrp.cgiar.org/ SGRP] ), the Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Species ( [http://www.underutilized-species.org/default.asp GFU] ) and the Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research (PAR). Bioversity International is also a co-founder and co-sponsor of the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

External links

* [http://www.bioversityinternational.org Bioversity International]
* [http://www.cgiar.org CGIAR]
* [http://www.croptrust.org/main/ Global Crop Diversity Trust]
* [http://www.bioversityinternational.org/Information_Sources/Networks/cogent/index.asp Coconut Genetic Resources Network]
* [http://www.ecpgr.cgiar.org/ European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources]