Nordiskt GenresurscenterNordiskt Genresurscenter

NordGenNordGen

Presentation of

April 2011

NordGen is a Nordic institution for conservation and sustainable use of plants, farm animals and forest trees.

NordGen’s main task is to contribute to secure a broad diversity of genetic resources connected to food

and agriculture.

Base

• CBD – Convention of Biological Diversity

• Kalmar Declaration (2003) (IT-PGRFA, plant treaty, Bonn guidelines)

• TRIPS - Framework for legal rights on living organisms /EU-dir

• FAO State of the World and the Global Plan of Action for AnGR

• Interlaken Declaration, september 2007

• State of the World’s Forest GR (FAO, june 07)

The Nordic countries are committed to conserve the biological diversity. This is regulated in several international agreements.

Genetic diversity

It is important to conserve a broad biodiversity for the future. Genetic diversity is required in order to secure future food production when new diseases or climate changes appear.

Why conserve genetic resources?

A variety of plants, farm animals and forest trees are the base for all food and agricultural production on earth.

Breeding enable new varieties and breeds with a higher return. But this can result in the loss of other varieties or land races.

Biological diversity is a key factor for both mitigation and adaptation in a changing climate.

Each country has a national responsibility. Through NordGen the Nordic countries take this

responsibility and work together for a cost efficient solution.

NordGen secures the biological livelihood of present and future generations.

Young organization with long experience

NordGen • was established the 1st of January 2008 as a result of a merge of

three organizations. • is built on 30 years of Nordic collaboration. • is an institution under the Nordic Council of Ministers (NMR)• is a regional resource centre for the Nordic countries• Consists of three sections: Plants, Farm animals and Forest

• Two locations (Alnarp and Ås, Norge)

NordGen Plants• Works with conservation and sustainable use of cultivated plants and

their wild relatives. This includes both conserving the seeds, supplying researchers and others with seeds and their associated data as well as general information work about the value and importance of plant genetic resources.

• Facilitates the accessibility of genetic resources and related information for plant breeders, researchers and other users.

• Exchanges knowledge by participating in research and education in both the Nordic countries as well as in other parts of the world.

• Observes international trends within research and politics with the aim of influencing international decision makers within the plant genetic resources area.

NordGen Farm AnimalsNordGen Farm Animals is an information and knowledge center that contributes to the categorization, conservation and sustainable use of farm animal genetic resources in the Nordic countries.

The section promotes the value of maintaining a great diversity of farm animal genetic resources. NordGen Farm Animals also activates awareness about the historical, cultural and social values and provide tools for maintaining genetic variation.

We loose one farm animal breed each month, globally.

NordGen Forest

Works mainly in networks and through a council and a working group.

The NordGen Forest Council seeks to increase the availability of suitable forest reproductive material and to promote successful forest regeneration in the Nordic countries.

The working group's objective is to ensure cooperation on conservation and use of genetic resources of forest trees among the Nordic countries.

Conservation

There are two ways of conserving genetic resources:

• Ex situ means conservation outside the natural environment, for instance in a gene bank or a chlonal archive.

• In situ means conservation on site, in its natural environment.

Ex situ (seed bank)

• Active collection (Sweden, Alnarp)– Distribution, characterisation, regeneration, germination tests

• Base collection (Denmark, Årslev)– Long-term storage, rejuvenation of the material

• Back-up collection (Svalbard Global Seed Vault)– Copies of base collection seeds

Chlonal archives (inkluding the Baltic chlonal archives)

Ex situ - chlonal archivesfor plants that do not propagate through seeds.

Countries Locations

Norway: 20Sweden: 15Finland: 4Denmark: 4Iceland: 2

In situ

• In the forest• On the meadow• In nature reserves• On the farm/in agriculture or horticulture

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Was inaugurated in February 2008

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

• Norway owner• Administered by NordGen under an

international commitee• Partly financed by the Global Crop

Diversity Trust

• Is not an ordinary gene bank but a safety store

• Seeds conserved in “black box” conditions

• Seeds are not distributed unless the material is lost or dies in the origin country

• The safety store is run according to international agreements.

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

www.nordgen.orgwww.nordgen.org