Category: Policy

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Genebank data at a crossroads

Is genebank data having a moment? Well, it’s a pretty big thing that the botanic gardens community have basically said that they need a Genesys too, and in a hugely co-authored “Perspective” article in Nature Plants to boot. 1

Here we have focused on the living collections data ecosystem, because many aspects to managing these collections are unique within the broader collections sector. But we can look to the more advanced and better-networked accession-level data systems of ex situ agricultural gene banks (for example Genesys), not only for inspiration but with a view to lessons learned, and ultimately as future partners in building an even broader integrated global system for ex situ conservation resources.

Hey, we’re just sitting here waiting for you to decide to join us.

And there’s other stuff going on too. The Australian Virtual Seed Bank Portal has had an update and looks just great, for example. And the Old Vine Registry‘s database has passed 4000 entries. Ok, that covers old vineyards rather than genebank collections, but same difference, don’t @ me. Anyway, would love to see it mashed up with the European Vitis Database one day.

But back to genebanks. People are even building interfaces to their data, to get cool visualizations. And they’re analyzing the data to get a handle on the composition of collections 2, to develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks 3, and to identify gaps and challenges 4. And yes, that includes challenges in data management itself.

Documentation and data management systems required more attention in all genebanks in the study, with no genebank having full passport and inventory data in a searchable data management system, although minimum passport data on 82% of accessions was publicly available in searchable databases, including WIEWS and Genesys. Good quality, well-managed and searchable data on genebank operations are important for accurate and timely decision-making. A common issue was a backlog of data entry, with eight of the genebanks in the study relying to some extent on data retained in paper copy, field books and data sheets. Searching for accession-level data is time-consuming, and paper data sheets may be lost or damaged. Data were also stored in Excel files, making it difficult to query, or genebanks had their own customized data management system that required external support to resolve problems or make improvements. Engels and Ebert (2024) recognized the weak information management systems and online accessibility of accession-level data in national genebanks as a challenge to rationalization, as well as to cost-efficient and effective conservation and use. Despite the increasing use of digital object identifiers for accessions to link accession-level data, the Third Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources concluded that progress in the area of documentation has been limited, and training is needed for data managers and genebank managers to adopt available improved data management systems (FAO 2025c).

So, we still have work to do. But imagine what we could achieve if we teamed up with the botanic gardens. And herbaria for that matter.

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Agriculture rooted in genebanks, kinda

Diverse Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) are an important aspect of biodiversity and greater investment in both in-situ and ex-situ conservation of genetic material will be important. PGRFA are essential for agriculture to adapt to environmental stresses, climate change, and changing markets. In 2022, 5.7 million accessions were reportedly conserved in 831 gene banks by 114 countries including through the International Treaty Benefit Sharing Fund. Continuing to meet funding commitments is critical. Cooperation between informal farmer seed systems and gene banks to maintain genetic material could be scaled up.

Could not have put it better myself. And the fact that it comes from a World Bank report (Agriculture Rooted in Biodiversity) advocating for more sustainable agriculture makes it all the sweeter. Check out p. 71 for the agrobiodiversity section. Then on p. 114 you’ll find a recommendation to: “Support in-situ and conservation of plant and animal genetic material for food and agriculture (PGRFA).” Which is a bit weirdly phrased but makes ex situ conservation a bit more explicit when you look at its components:

  • Develop partnerships between gene banks and community seed funds to exploit the potential of farmer seed systems to maintain genetic material in-situ and share with gene banks (see case studies in Annex 15).
  • Support local seed companies that create markets for locally adapted varieties saved by farmer seed systems (e.g., matching grants to facilitate access to finance for improved seeds facilities.
  • Conduct an inventory of breeds and assess extinction risks.
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Nibbles: Ukraine duplication, Mexican native maize, Andean agriculture double, Campanian crops double, Pacific cryobank, Moringa promotion

  1. A little more safety for Ukraine’s seeds, thanks to a new genebank.
  2. A little more safety for Mexico’s native maize, thanks to Pres. Sheinbaum.
  3. A little more safety for Andean agriculture, thanks to Ecuadorian Indigenous women and Inside Mater in Peru.
  4. A little more safety for Ischia’s zampognaro bean and Amalfi’s lemons, thanks to local people (and GIAHS).
  5. A little more safety for Pacific crops, thanks to cryopreservation. Breadfruit next?
  6. A little more safety for moringa? At least in Africa with all its “opportunity crops”?
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An enhanced MLS (hopefully) beckons

The Multilateral System (MLS) of the Plant Treaty must deliver the fair and predictable monetary benefits it promised. If, that is, we want crop diversity to continue to be available with minimal friction to all who want to use it to help ensure the world’s food security.

That at least has been the premise of the past two years of negotiations by the Plant Treaty’s Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning of the Multilateral System. With the 11th Session of the Governing Body coming up in November in Lima, Peru, the report of the Working Group is now up on the Plant Treaty’s website. 5

What does it say? Are we there yet?

Well, it’s not easy reading, but let me give you what I see as the key points. Summarizing such a dense and technical document in a few sentences is tricky, so I hope I don’t misrepresent anything. Please let me know if I have, and I will make any corrections needed.

Countries agree that a subscription model would generate more, and more predictable, user contributions than the current pay-per-use approach. There also seems to be a shared view that more crops should be brought under the MLS (beyond the ones currently listed in Annex 1), to reflect importance and interdependence. But also that countries should be allowed to carve out exemptions. And finally, there is general agreement that benefits derived from the use of Digital Sequence Information (DSI) must be addressed in the MLS framework. Somehow.

Still unclear, however, are the level, timing, and conditions of payments under the subscription model. And indeed debate continues over whether pay-per-use should remain available as an option, and under what terms. There are also different views on how DSI contributions could be embedded in the subscription system; and around how to amend Annex 1, whether to include all PGRFA or adopt a phased approach. The view of the seed sector was recently well summarized in Seed World. A predictably somewhat different view comes from Third World Network.

So, though there’s definitely been a lot of progress, without bold decisions and compromises in Lima (and thereafter), the reform package could still fall short of the needs of farmers and future generations. Fingers crossed.

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Nibbles: Millennium Seed Bank 25th, NPGS, Maize germplasm, Breadfruit genebank, Banana genebank

  1. King Charles III talks about seeds with Dr Elinor Breman of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank and…
  2. …Cate Blanchett.
  3. Or read about it in The Economist.
  4. Or watch a nice video.
  5. The seed banks of the National Plant Germplasm System in the USA are for farmers, not just researchers.
  6. How to get stuff out of the NPGS.
  7. Laurajean Lewis: from an NPGS genebank to CIMMYT’s.
  8. I’m sure she and Chris Mujjabi will get to know each other soon.
  9. Diane Ragone: Not all genebanks are seed banks.
  10. Not a lot of breadfruits in Belgium but, surprisingly, lots of bananas.