Genebank Operations and Advanced Learning (GOAL) Master Class

November 10, 2015

Global issues such as climate change and population growth are creating significant challenges for food productivity and security in the Asia Pacific region. Breeders are aiming to develop new varieties to improve yield, resistance and resilience of crops in this challenging environment.

To develop these new varieties, breeders need information about the plant genetic resources being stored in genebanks. This is facilitated when national genebanks manage the genetic resources in their care, in line with international standards.

To this end, the Crawford Fund and Australian and international partners are supporting Genebank Operations and Advanced Learning (GOAL), to be held in New Delhi between 15 and 20 November. The 21 participants will include personnel from up to 15 national genebanks from the Asia Pacific region.

The Master Class will improve capacity in information management, quality control and standard operating procedures in national genebanks, in support of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).

“It is important to national and global crop biodiversity conservation and use that genebank personnel can collect, manage and document plant genetic resources using international standards to ensure transparency and sustainability ,” said Dr Michael Mackay of the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, who is facilitating the training.

The Crawford Fund is pleased to be working with the Global Crop Diversity Trust, Bioversity International and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, to support the training. It is anticipated that further training, together with an inter Master Class mentoring arrangement, will be provided where required.

To learn more about the importance of quality management of crop diversity collections, see the Crop Trust’s videolink below.