The Trust makes a vital contribution to one of the most important issues facing agriculture - the conservation of its biological base. Globally, current arrangements for conserving crop diversity are failing to provide adequate security. The international community therefore funds the conservation of crop diversity in a patchwork of individual commitments and arrangements, yet does not have the reassurance that the overall job is being done.

• The Trust, as the sole dedicated worldwide funding organization for the conservation of crop diversity, is uniquely placed to view this work globally, rather than institutionally.



• The Trust applies rigorous standards to donations whilst avoiding the competition and duplication inherent in current funding arrangements.



• The Trust removes funding uncertainty from the conservation of crop diversity as a whole, without removing the need for individual institutions to perform.



• The Trust is positioned to promote the effective, goal-oriented, economically efficient and sustainable global system which the conservation of crop diversity requires.

For further information, please download the paper: "The Role of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in Helping Ensure the Long-Term Conservation and Availability of PGRFA'' here.

Why is the Trust building an endowment?
The Trust is a direct response to the current funding situation in genebanks across the world. The conservation of crop diversity is by its nature a very long-term task, requiring consistent and reliable funding. Uncertainties in funding for genebanks place collections at risk, and even short-term interruptions in funding can result in the loss of unique varieties. The current funding approaches - a reliance on annual funding from central treasuries and on traditional 3-5 year grants - are evidently failing, despite the importance to development of a well-funded system of genebanks worldwide.

There is a focus from most donors on short-term impact, though shortfalls in genebank funding can reduce options forever. In the long-term nature of genebanks’ work, a 3-5 year grant provides very little meaningful security. Only an endowment fund can provide the requisite guarantees of truly long-term funding, which will insulate the vital work of genebanks from budget cuts and changes in funding fashions, while still exposing them to the rigours of effective project management, external review and proper accountability.