The Plant Genetic Resources Strategy for Europe
Europe is rich in plant genetic resources, which are essential for feeding Europe and enabling an innovative bioeconomy. These resources occur on farms, in gardens and in nature (in situ), and are conserved in many European field, seed, and in vitro genebanks (ex situ). However, these resources are not always adequately conserved ex situ, rarely conserved actively in situ and on-farm, and often barely accessible. Additionally, recent reports on worldwide losses in biodiversity call for urgent action to preserve genetic diversity. In order to provide direction for and guide policymakers and other stakeholders in their decision-making in line with the European Green Deal, the Genetic Resources Strategy for Europewas produced in the context of the GenRes Bridge project.
In parallel, and linked to this strategy, the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) elaborated a domain-specific strategy that addresses issues unique to PGR and highlights needs and required actions. The process was started in the summer of 2020 and involved a drafting team composed of ten National Coordinators and a large number of contributors from the plant genetic resources community, who offered comments and revisions at different stages of the drafting. A final document entitled ‘Plant Genetic Resources Strategy for Europe’ (PGR Strategy in short) was endorsed by the ECPGR Steering Committee.
The PGR Strategy articulates an urgent call to action for conserving and sustainably using European plant genetic resources. Section one sets the context, highlighting the urgency of action. Section two outlines issues and proposed approaches associated with conserving and sustainably using European PGR. Sub-sections include: i) Expanding in situ conservation of crop wild relatives and wild food plants; ii) On-farm European PGR conservation and management; iii) Consolidating and sustaining European ex situ PGR conservation; iv) Promoting sustainable use of European PGR; v) Strengthening the germplasm information system that supports conservation and use of European PGR; and vi) Monitoring progress in PGR conservation and use. Section three covers international cooperation within and beyond Europe. Section four explores how best to enable the transition to a fully functional European system for conserving and using its PGR in terms of policy framework and infrastructure, and proposes establishing a European Coordination and Information Center on Genetic Resources to this end. Finally, section five offers overarching conclusions.
The Strategy is addressed to all relevant stakeholders, including the European Commission, with an invitation to strive for its endorsement and implementation.
The full implementation of the PGR Strategy along with the European Genetic Resources Strategy and other domain-specific strategies elaborated by the animal and forest domains will be a key factor in effectively harnessing the agricultural potential of Europe in the coming decades and enable continuing sustainable production. It will also increase Europe’s capacity to meet its commitments towards its Green Deal and under several international agreements—notably the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the 2nd Global Plan of Action of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
You can view the full PGR Strategy document here.
