News published: 3 December 2025

A BGCI delegation took part in the FAO’s International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) governing body meetings.

BGCI, along with partners, attended the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB-11) of the ITPGRFA held last week in Lima, Peru. The delegation was led by New York Botanic Garden as part of the newly launched Global Conservation Consortium for Food Plants (GCCFP).

This was the first time that BGCI participated in the ITPGRFA and marks an important milestone for the GCCFP, BGCI and the Global Conservation Consortium (GCC) programme. The GCCFP is helping highlight the importance of the conservation and biodiversity of food plants and also bringing the botanic garden community’s value to the GB-11 process.

At the start of the week, the GCCFP hosted a successful side event prior to the main sessions. During the governing body meeting, BGCI along with support from Canada and other delegations was successful in a resolution for the Treaty to support the GCCFP and recognise the importance the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC 2025) alongside promoting sustainable agriculture in harmony with the CBD. Draft wording was as follows:

“Further welcomes the launch of the Global Conservation Consortium for Food Plants (GCCFP), encourages the Secretary to continue the collaboration with the relevant partners to support the work of the GCCFP through active engagement in accordance with the objectives of the International Treaty, and requests the Secretary to provide the Governing Body with regular updates on the implementation of the initiative.”

This is positive news and shows in practice how the GCC model can effectively and quickly make an impact on a global scale in the conservation advocacy and policy space.

Learn more about the GCCFP and our partners 

About the Global Conservation Consortium for Food Plants: The Global Conservation Consortium for Food Plants (GCCFP) mobilizes a global network of botanical gardens, gene banks, and research institutions to collaboratively develop and implement comprehensive conservation strategies for food plant species and their wild relatives, ensuring their preservation both in repositories and natural habitats.

About the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is a legally binding global agreement that provides a framework for the conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of benefits arising from plant genetic resources. Its objectives are to safeguard agrobiodiversity, enhance food security, and promote sustainable agriculture in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

About the Global Crop Diversity Trust: The Crop Trust is an international organisation working to conserve crop diversity and safeguard global food and nutrition security. At its core is an endowment fund dedicated to guaranteeing long-term support to key gene banks worldwide. The Crop Trust supports the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and coordinates major projects worldwide. It is recognized as an essential element of the funding strategy of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.