The INIA National Center for Plant Genetic Resources (CRF) is aware of the need to integrate in situ and ex situ conservation activities, as well as create synergies and concrete collaborations. Therefore, in the context of the activities of the First Action Plan of the National Program for the Sustainable Conservation and Use of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Order APA/63/2019), INIA is implementing an initiative to incorporate farmers, their associations and relevant companies as associate members of the national ex situ collection network, so that they can collaborate in primary germplasm evaluation. CRF will make available to them germplasm to grow in the actual conditions of cultivation, so that these associate members can collaborate by providing different kinds of data: on yield, for example under low input conditions, on performance under adverse weather conditions, pests, diseases or weeds, as well as on organoleptic quality; this will support, in addition to its conservation on the farm, the use of diversity and the incorporation of new users. ((My translation, let me know if you spot mistakes.))
Great initiative from CRF in Spain, will be keeping an eye on it.