National Plant Genetic Resources Center (NPGRC)

The Crop Trust is a non-profit international organization dedicated to conserving crop diversity and making it available for use globally, forever, for the benefit of everyone.

We work with donors and partners to lead global projects that protect crop diversity, conserve crop wild relatives and develop technology to make this diversity accessible worldwide.

We seek professionals with a passion for global food security and a strong drive to contribute to our mission of conserving crop diversity for future generations.

Headquarter: Zambia Website: https://www.agriculture.gov.zm/landing-page/zambia-agricultural-research-institute/

Location

Chilanga, Lusaka Province, Zambia

Overview

The National Plant Genetic Resources Centre (NPGRC), under the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), is Zambia’s national facility responsible for the conservation, documentation, and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. It was established to safeguard the country’s rich crop diversity, promote agricultural resilience, and contribute to regional and international efforts to conserve biodiversity.

Located at the Mount Makulu Central Research Station, the NPGRC operates as a key node of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC) network. The Centre manages the national seed genebank, field genebanks, and regeneration and evaluation sites, ensuring both ex situ and in situ conservation of Zambia’s crop diversity.

The Centre conserves germplasm of major staple crops like rice, beans and maize, as well as opportunity crops. In addition to long-term seed storage, the NPGRC maintains clonally propagated crops, such as cassava, sweet potato, and taro, in field genebanks.

The NPGRC’s activities include collecting, regeneration, seed viability monitoring, documentation, distribution, and support for breeding and research programs. It also engages in on-farm conservation, capacity building, and community outreach, linking conservation efforts with rural livelihoods and climate change adaptation.

Mission

To contribute to the welfare of the Zambian people through the provision of technologies and knowledge that enhance household food security and equitable income-generating opportunities for farming communities and agricultural enterprises, while ensuring the maintenance of the natural resource base.

The Collection

The national genebank currently holds 6,653 seed accessions from 49 different crop species and 311 clones of vegetatively propagated crops, along with crop wild relatives and other useful plant species (Genesys).
The main conventional crops conserved include rice (Oryza sativa) with 461 accessions, pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) with 459 accessions, sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) with 518 accessions, maize (Zea mays) with 444 accessions, and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) with 295 accessions (Genesys).
Most accessions are conserved as seeds under long-term storage, while clonally propagated and non-orthodox species are maintained in field genebanks.

Opportunity Crops in Zambia

The most widely grown opportunity crops in Zambia are finger millet (Eleusine coracana), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Finger millet is cultivated in drought-prone areas for its resilience and long storage life. Cowpea is a protein-rich legume valued for both its leaves and grains, commonly grown by smallholder farmers. Sorghum is a hardy cereal that performs well in semi-arid regions and serves as an important staple food and livestock feed.

The NPGRC conserves and promotes traditional and underutilized crops that are critical for food security, nutrition, and resilience in Zambia. These include sorghum, millets, Bambara groundnut, cowpea, pigeon pea, among others. These crops are drought-tolerant, nutrient-dense, and adapted to local conditions, making them essential for climate-smart agriculture and community livelihoods. Through on-farm conservation initiatives and collaborative research, NPGRC encourages the use of local landraces and indigenous species, contributing to diversified diets and sustainable production systems.

Related Projects

Seeds for Resilience is a five-year initiative supporting the national genebank of Zambia to meet international standards and safeguard seed diversity. Through participatory trials and user-driven approaches, it empowers farmers to select seeds best suited to local conditions, enhancing food security and climate resilience across sub-Saharan Africa.
The Darwin Sweetpotato Project was a three-year initiative focused on conserving sweetpotato diversity in Madagascar and Zambia, while promoting its use by farmers to strengthen resilient local agricultural systems.