Celebrating 20 Years of the Crop Trust
2024 Annual Report
Genebanks are more crucial than ever. They are the foundation for resilient food systems.
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The year 2024 marked a significant milestone for the Crop Trust – our 20th anniversary as the world’s only global organization solely dedicated to supporting the conservation of crop diversity in genebanks. Thanks to the support of our donors, partners and staff, we have made remarkable strides over the past two decades in safeguarding global food security. Yet, our mission is far from complete.
As the climate changes and environmental pressures grow, genebanks are more crucial than ever. They are the foundation for resilient food systems. These repositories of crop diversity are vital to ensuring the world’s growing population can be fed on a warming planet. The Crop Trust works closely with genebanks to protect crop diversity, enabling breeders and researchers to develop resilient crop varieties that can withstand heat, drought, pests and diseases – challenges that are becoming increasingly severe.
In our anniversary year, we were particularly proud to see two of the Crop Trust’s most influential pioneers receive well-deserved recognition for their contributions. In October, the World Food Prize Foundation honored Dr. Geoffrey Hawtin and Dr. Cary Fowler with the 2024 World Food Prize for their exceptional leadership in safeguarding the world’s crop diversity.
As the first two Executive Directors of the Crop Trust, Geoff and Cary have been leading figures in crop diversity conservation for decades. They played instrumental roles in establishing the Crop Trust and establishing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the world’s ultimate backup facility for crop diversity. Their dedication and vision have left an indelible mark on global food security. We were also honored to welcome Geoff back to the Crop Trust in 2024 as a member of the Executive Board alongside new appointees Dr. Josette Lewis, Mr. Juan Lucas Restrepo and Mr. Kaved Zahedi.
In 2024, we also made remarkable progress in securing the financial sustainability of our mission. The Endowment Fund grew from USD 305 million to USD 357 million. This sustainable financing mechanism ensures that crop diversity is protected for future generations and relies on the far-sighted generosity of donors to support the essential work of key genebanks worldwide.
We are deeply grateful for significant new funding received in 2024, including from the Governments of Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Norway and Ireland, along with Groupe Limagrain and others. We also deeply appreciate Dr. Fowler and Dr. Hawtin’s contributions to the Endowment Fund from their World Food Prize award, which further cements their legacy with the Crop Trust.
The new contributions to the Endowment Fund allowed us to expand our long-term support to genebanks. Following an external review of its genebank, one of our CGIAR partners, AfricaRice, became eligible for a Long-term Grant Agreement to support its genebank’s essential operations.
We congratulate AfricaRice and all recipients of long-term support from the Endowment Fund for their dedication to preserving crop diversity forever, for the benefit of future generations. We must also recognize outstanding work by our project partners in 2024, which strengthened the global network of genebanks.
As we reflect on 20 years of the Crop Trust, and map the road ahead, we extend our deep gratitude to everyone who contributes to the conservation of crop diversity. Your commitment, whether through financial support, advocacy, research or work with the genebank community, is essential to achieving our shared goal, a world free from hunger and malnutrition.
Many thanks,
Catherine Bertini
Chair of the Executive Board
Crop Trust
Together, through crop diversity, we can build a world where no one needs to go to bed hungry.
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Tonight, as I write this, 735 million people went to bed hungry. They will do so again tomorrow night, and the night after that. More suffer from malnutrition, straining both communities and economies. Our task is clear. We must grow more food and make it better.
How to do so took center stage at the 2024 conferences for the UN Rio Conventions, where the urgency of securing our global food future was underscored. Biodiversity loss, climate change and desertification threaten our ability to feed the world. But the good news is there is a solution – conserving and using crop diversity to develop more resilient and nutritious food systems.
In 2024, the Crop Trust built on the momentum of the first-ever Crop Diversity Summit, highlighting the need for food system transformation with crop diversity at its core. We championed collaboration and called for increased funding. Our partners and donors answered the call.
Thanks to this collective effort, we expanded our Endowment Fund, ensuring stable, long-term funding for key international genebanks. We also strengthened the global network of genebanks by enhancing data management systems and increasing the number of crop samples available through our Genesys platform and safety duplicated in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
Our projects also advanced in 2024. Seeds for Resilience supported national genebanks in Africa by implementing tailored action plans. The Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods and Development (BOLD) project deepened its work with genebanks, explored ways to make more crop diversity accessible to farmers and explored how genebank can work with seed systems. BOLD partners deposited seeds in Svalbard and there was increased focus on opportunity crops. The BOLDER initiative of BOLD identified underutilized crops that can potentially open economic and nutritional opportunities for Africa. We also launched the Power of Diversity Funding Facility to further unlock the potential of opportunity crops.
The Crop Trust took the opportunity of our 20th anniversary in 2024 to actively engage in global dialogues. Key moments included hosting a Crop Diversity Day in Rabat, launching the African Vegetable Biodiversity Rescue Plan with the World Vegetable Center at the 2024 Africa Food Systems Summit, and engaging around the Rio Convention conferences convened by the UN. Every event reinforced a fundamental truth we have championed for two decades – crop diversity is food security.
The year concluded with two landmark celebrations. In October, our first two Executive Directors, Dr. Geoffrey Hawtin and Dr. Cary Fowler, were honored as the 2024 World Food Prize Laureates at the Borlaug Dialogue. Then, in November, we celebrated our 20th anniversary with many friends at Villa Hammerschmidt near our headquarters in Bonn. These occasions remind us that with visionary leadership and the unwavering support of donors, partners and staff, the Crop Trust is moving us ever closer to securing the future of food.
I invite you to explore this report, reflect on our achievements in 2024, and join the global genebank partnership. Because together, through crop diversity, we can build a world where no one needs to go to bed hungry.
Sincerely,
Stefan Schmitz
Executive Director
Crop Trust
The Year In Numbers
CROP DIVERSITY CONSERVED
CROP DIVERSITY SAFELY BACKED UP
CROP DIVERSITY DOCUMENTED
CROP DIVERSITY USED
CROP DIVERSITY HIGHLIGHTED
CROP DIVERSITY FINANCIALLY SECURED
Highlights of the Year
January
Nikolai Vavilov: The Father of Genebanks
A Seed Hero profile on Dr. Nikolai Vavilov kicked off the 2024 series about visionaries from around the globe, whose unwavering dedication have shaped the landscape of crop diversity conservation.
February
A Date with the Future
In February the Crop Trust and KIADPAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop a comprehensive global strategy for the conservation and use of date palm diversity.
March
Celebrating the BOLD Women Behind Crop Conservation
On International Women’s Day we honored the vital role of women in agricultural research, spotlighting four inspiring genebank leaders who are preserving crop diversity and driving change from Uganda to Cuba.
April
Risky Business: Safeguarding Crop Diversity in Genebanks
Genebanks protect our food future – but without stronger risk management, their treasures are at risk. It’s time to invest in resilience.
May
The Crop Chronicles Campaign
Crop Chronicles sheds light on the challenges, triumphs, and innovations shaping the future of agriculture through the lens of seven crops.
June
How Genebanks Act as Guardians Against Climate Uncertainty
In a Devex op-ed, Dr. Geoff Hawtin OBE and Dr. Stefan Schmitz write about the magic of seeds and crop diversity as a tool in battling multiple challenges that affect us today.
July
Crop Trust Joins VACS
The Crop Trust joined the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) initiative to champion nutritious, climate-resilient crops and help build a more secure, sustainable global food system.
August
Pre-breeding Explained: A Project by Minerva University Students
The Crop Trust partnered with Minerva University to create an infographic about pre-breeding, a technique used by the BOLD project to reintroduce genetic diversity into the everyday crops found in local supermarkets.
September
The Crop Trust in El País
Wild Wheat - The Key to Food Security in a Warming World
October
Crop Trust at the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue
In 2024 the World Food Prize was particularly special for the Crop Trust with two former leaders of the institution receiving the award.
November
Alta Sierra Alfalfa Gives High Hopes to Farmers in the Atacama Desert and Beyond
In Chile’s Atacama Desert, Indigenous farmers grow Alta Sierra – an ancient, drought-resistant alfalfa with vital potential for climate-resilient agriculture.
December
Crop Trust at UNCCD COP16
Crop Diversity as a Path to Combat Desertification and Ensure Food Security.
