Gene Bank Day Ecuador: Innovation and conservation was declared this Wednesday, October 23, 2024. He did it at an event at the Santa Catalina experimental station, which is located on the Panamericana Sur, kilometer 1, at the height of Cutuglagua, in the Mejía canton.
This was organized by the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIAP), the Inter-American Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture-IICA and Crop Trust. The objective is to highlight the importance of the conservation and use of phytogenetic resources in INIAP for the benefit of Ecuador and the world.
We are also looking for:
- Disseminate knowledge about the role of the INIAP germplasm bank in the conservation of biodiversity, as a contribution to food security, adaptation to climate change and the resilience of agricultural systems.
- Make visible the unique collections preserved in the INIAP and their importance as a source of genes for genetic improvement programs and for restitution to agricultural communities.
- Promote recent advances in the implementation of Quality Management Systems within the germplasm bank and its impact within it.
- Strengthen collaboration between national and international institutions, as well as with local communities, for the conservation and sustainable use of the RFAA.
For 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 phytogenetic resources for food and agriculture (RFAA) constitute the main resource that feeds the world. It is made up of thousands of species and their genetic variability that allow it to adapt to extreme climatic conditions.
In this context, INIAP is a leader in Ecuador in issues of management and conservation of RFAAs that are necessary to achieve food security and meet the nutritional needs of present and future generations. It has contributed for more than 40 years to the conservation and sustainable use of the RFAA through the National Department of Phytogenetic Resources (Denaref).
Also the ex situ conservation through the germplasm bank that currently manages approximately 28,894 accessions of 390 genera and more than 926 species of cultivated plants and their wild relatives that are preserved in several INIAP Experimental Stations on the Coast, Sierra and Amazon.
Currently Denaref is in a process of integral improvement, by starting its implementation processes of a Quality Management System, which has led it to make significant improvements in the facilities, personnel, documentation and link with users. This with international cooperation and government funds.
With the Day of the Germplasm Bank Ecuador, we seek to demonstrate the fundamental role played by germplasm banks in the preservation of agrobiodiversity, which is vital for food security and the sustainability of ecosystems.
WHO IS GERMO?
He is the friendly and charismatic guardian of agro-diversidy. Its mission is to protect, preserve and disseminate the importance of the seeds and plants stored in the INIAP germplasm bank. Germo has a deep knowledge about seeds, their importance and their role in sustainable agriculture, and is the bridge between the public (children and adults) and the world of genetic conservation through a friendly and entertaining approach.
At the event, a tour of the Germplasm Bank was made. It included the visit to the seed laboratory, cold rooms in addition to the in vitro laboratory and cryoconservation.
Article taken from Ecuavisa media
