This company has no active jobs
Bioversity International
Bioversity International is a global research-for-development organization. We have a vision – that agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet. Bioversity International’s mission is to deliver scientific evidence, management practices and policy options to use and safeguard agricultural biodiversity to attain sustainable global food and nutrition security. Bioversity International is a CGIAR Research Centre.
In June 2014, Bioversity International celebrated its 40th anniversary.
The organization’s focus has changed over time. Early work focused on the emergency conservation of crop genetic resources in genebanks. Today we deliver scientific evidence, management practices and policy options to use and safeguard agricultural biodiversity to attain sustainable global food and nutrition security.
How IBPGR became IPGRI became Bioversity International
- In 1974, Bioversity International was established as the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) to coordinate an international plant genetic resources programme including emergency collecting missions, and building and expanding national, regional and international genebanks. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) acted as secretariat.
- In 1991, IBPGR became the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and in January 1994, IPGRI began independent operation as a CGIAR center and at the request of CGIAR, took over the governance and administration of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP).
- In 2006, IPGRI and INIBAP became a single organization and subsequently changed their operating name to Bioversity International. The new name reflects an expanded vision of its role in the area of agricultural and forest biodiversity and research-for-development activities.
Some highlights from 1974 to today
- 1974 - Started a major effort to collect genetic resources as the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR)
- 1987 - Initiated a research programme on the conservation and study of plant diversity
- 1991 - Became the International Plant genetic Resources institute (IPGRI)
- 1994 - Merged with the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP)
- 2002 - Founded the Global Crop Diversity Trust together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- 2004 - Served as technical support in negotiations for the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
- 2005 - Started work with partners and smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to conserve and use the African Cherry Tree in a sustainable way
- 2006 - INIBAP and IPGRI begin working under the name Bioversity International
- 2006 - 'Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition' initiative launched at the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference
- 2009 - Developed 'Seeds for Needs' to help farmers adapt to climate change
- 2012 - Became a co-organizer of the international collaboration 'Landscapes for People, Food and Nature' led by Ecoagriculture Partners
- 2012 - Launched a new research agenda and strategic priorities
- 2012 - Contributed to an international effort on sequencing one of the founding genomes of banana
- 2012 - Co-published 'Biodiversity and Sustainable Diets' with FAO
- 2014 - Refreshed Strategy
- 2015 - Launched three new research initiatives:
