Event
Empowering Seed Banks to Combat the Climate, Biodiversity and Food Crises
Join us for lively dialogue, thought-provoking keynotes and dynamic panels to spur action to transform our food systems.
What: Bringing together key stakeholders from around the world, the Summit will provide a forum to engage on the crucial role seed banks play in securing a nutritious food future in the face of multiple crises.
When: 14 November 2023
Where: Französischer Dom, Berlin
Event Overview
The world is facing a multitude of serious, interconnected challenges: climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty and inequality, food and nutritional insecurity, as well as increasing conflict and injustice. To face these challenges, we must address the urgent need for more productive, sustainable, resilient and healthy agri-food systems.
The Crop Trust, in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Plant Treaty), will promote action to transform our food systems by hosting an in-person and virtually transmitted Global Crop Diversity Summit on 14 November 2023 under the patronage of the German Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The Summit will be held at the Französischer Dom in Berlin and will raise political awareness of the important role that crop diversity plays in securing nutritious agri-food systems for us all, and strengthen cooperation among seed banks around the world to increase their impact.
The Summit will contribute to preparations for Climate COP 28 in December 2023 in Dubai, where the Crop Trust will present key findings on the importance of crop diversity for mitigation and adaptation to climate change the negotiators.
Event presented by:
Farmer inspecting sunflowers at Lusitu Bridge Camp in southern Zambia. (Photo: Neil Palmer for the Crop Trust)
Food market in Cao Phong District, Hoa Binh, Vietnam. Photo: Michael Major for Crop Trust
Conference communique
Post-event, a conference communique will be shared with the International Plant Treaty at the Tenth Session of the Governing Body (GB 10) in Rome, 20-24 November 2023. The communique will include:
- A shared understanding that the transformation of agri-food systems will need to rely on the full range of crop diversity, including so-called neglected and underutilized crops.
- Recommendations to policymakers on how to strengthen seed banks as sources of crop diversity for researchers, plant breeders and farmers.
- An invitation to interested stakeholders to strengthen collaboration among international, national and community-based seed banks leading to higher overall efficiency, effectiveness, and impact.
- The launch of an annual Crop Diversity Day to convene key stakeholders globally.