Held under the theme “Empowering Seed Banks to Combat the Climate, Biodiversity and Food Crises,” this Summit will allow a broad range of stakeholders to reflect on the role seed banks may play in achieving food security in the face of interlinked global challenges such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, malnutrition, and conflicts.

Panel discussions will focus on:

• interlinkages between people and planet, highlighting the rationale for a transformation towards more productive, sustainable, resilient, and healthy agri-food systems;
• the role of crop diversity in fostering a nutritious and resilient food future;
• how seed banks contribute to securing crop diversity; and
• concrete measures to support the work of seed banks and enhance their worldwide impact.

A communiqué will capture key messages and serve to inform discussions in multilateral fora such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

The Summit is organized by the Crop Trust, a non-profit international organization dedicated to conserving crop diversity and making it available for use globally, forever, for the benefit of everyone. The Trust was established in 2004 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and Bioversity International, on behalf of CGIAR.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers for this meeting are Jennifer Bansard and Tomilola Akanle, Ph.D. The Digital Editor is Franz Dejon. The Editor is Nienke Beintema.