Crop Conservation Strategies and the International Plant Treaty

The data, results and recommendations of the global crop conservation strategies (GCCS) contribute to the evidence base for the International Plant Treaty’s work, and can also facilitate implementation of its provisions. As a result of the project’s activities, the Crop Trust, the Secretariat of the International Plant Treaty and the Treaty’s Ad Hoc Technical Committee on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) are now looking to set up an International Technical Advisory Committee for the GCCS to help review priorities for the development of future strategies, and monitor progress in implementation. 

The Crop Trust also assisted Contracting Parties to register their collections in the Multilateral System (MLS), the benefit-sharing mechanism of the International Plant Treaty. In 2024, through the technical support provided by the project, more than 12,000 accessions from three countries were notified as available in the MLS.

Morocco’s national genebank, at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), received support from the project to develop standard operating procedures to determine the MLS status of its accessions. This will allow it to register digital object identifiers (DOIs) for all its accessions in the International Plant Treaty portal and notify as available most of its Annex 1 crops.

“By developing standard operating procedures for registering MLS status, the INRA genebank ensures Morocco's invaluable genetic resources are not only preserved but can also contribute transparently and effectively to global food security and innovation under the International Plant Treaty,” said Ali Sahri, Manager of INRA’s genebank.