Genetic resources and breeding

Genetic resources play a crucial role in agricultural and forest-based activities. They hold the key to diverse and healthy diets and to the adaptation of plants and animals to a changing and more variable climate.

This potential is not sufficiently used and current farming modes increasingly rely on a limited number of plant and animal species. Three major crops (rice, wheat and maize) provide more than 50% of the world’s plant-derived calories. Reversing this trend and increasing the resilience of farming and forestry is critical and of global concern, especially now in an era of accelerated climate change and an ever increasing population.

Research an innovation activities aim to halt the further loss of genetic diversity by tapping into the vast gene pool of plant and animals and making it available to breeders, farmers and ultimately consumers.

Breeding efforts are also being undertaken to broaden the genetic base of cultivated crops and create varieties that meet the variety of demands related to quality, resilience and sustainability.