CGIAR, a global research partnership focused on the needs of smallholder farmers, has announced a $17 million gift from the Bezos Earth Fund in support of Future Seeds, a new CGIAR genebank.

CGIAR’s genebanks provide plant genetic material free of charge to researchers working to breed new varieties of crops, including those with improved productivity and nutritional value, pest and disease resistance, and climate resilience from threats such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, and salinity exposure. One of 11 genebanks in the CGIAR network, Future Seeds houses the world’s largest collection of beans, cassava, and forages. Funding will be used to support the genebank as well as climate change mitigation science that emphasizes carbon sequestration using plants’ root systems.

According to CGIAR, an estimated 75 percent of agricultural biodiversity was lost in the 20th century. “We are in a race against time to conserve crop biodiversity, which is the foundation of our crop research, our food supply, and ultimately of humanity itself,” said Marco Ferroni, chair of CGIAR’s system board. “This newest genebank shows how CGIAR is playing a pivotal role, working with national and regional partners, and leveraging global science to deliver impact.” 

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Gonzalo Calle Asprilla)