Wednesday, October 23, 2024 was decleared as the Gene Bank Day at INIAP-Ecuador, with the slogan: Innovation and conservation. The event was held at the Santa Catalina experimental station, which is located on the Panamericana Sur, kilometer 1, Cutuglagua parish, in the Mejía country.
This was organized by the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIAP), the Inter-American Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture-IICA and the Crop Trust. The objective is to highlight the importance of the conservation and use of plant genetic resources by INIAP for the benefit of Ecuador and the world.
The event also aims to:
- Disseminate knowledge about the role of INIAP´s gene bank in the conservation of biodiversity, as a contribution to food security, adaptation to climate change and resilience of agricultural systems.
- Showcase the unique collections preserved at INIAP and their importance as a source of genes for genetic breeding programs and for restitution to agricultural communities.
- Promote recent advances in the implementation of Quality Management Systems within the gene bank.
- Strengthen collaboration between national and international institutions, as well as with local communities, for the conservation and sustainable use of the GRFAA.
According to Raúl Jaramillo, executive director of INIAP, preserving a wide variety of seeds ensures that food is available for future generations, even in the face of challenges such as climate change.
During the event it was also highlighted that plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (RFAA) constitute the main resource that feeds the world. PGR are made up of thousands of species and their genetic variability which will allow their adaptation to extreme climatic conditions.
In this context, INIAP is leader in Ecuador regarding the management and conservation of GRFAAs, which are necessary to achieve food security and meet nutritional needs of present and future generations. This genebank has contributed for more than 40 years to the conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA through the National Department of Plant Genetic Resources (Denaref).
This includes ex situ conservation through the gene bank that currently manages approximately 28,894 accessions of 390 genera and more than 926 species of cultivated plants and their wild relatives preserved in several INIAP´s Experimental Stations on the Coast, Andean highlands and Amazon.
Currently Denaref is in a process of integral improvement, by starting its implementation of a Quality Management System, which has led to make significant improvements in the facilities, personnel, documentation and link with users, supported by the international cooperation and government funding.
Ecuador Gene Bank Day aims to demonstrate the fundamental role that gene banks play in the preservation of agrobiodiversity, which is vital for food security and ecosystem sustainability.
WHO IS GERMO?
Germo is the friendly and charismatic guardian of agro-diversity. His mission is to protect, preserve and disseminate the importance of the seeds and plants conserved at the INIAP gene bank. Germo has a deep knowledge about seeds, their importance and their role in sustainable agriculture. He is the bridge between the public (children and adults) and the world of genetic conservation through a friendly and engaging approach.
At the event, a tour to the Gene Bank was made. It included the visit to the seed laboratory, cold rooms, in vitro laboratory and cryoconservation.
Article taken from Ecuavisa tv media
