The Crop Trust team is excited to participate in the International Seed Federation World Seed Congress in Lisbon. Bringing together business leaders, policymakers, scientists and partners from across the value chain, the Congress is a unique platform for dialogue, collaboration and knowledge exchange.
We look forward to engaging in discussions, building partnerships and contributing to conversations that drive innovation, sustainability and a more resilient, food-secure future.
#ISFWSC #SeedCongress #CropDiversity #FoodSecurity
Genesys, the world's largest portal for genebank data supported by the Crop Trust's Endowment Fund, has welcomed three new data providers and expanded access to valuable collections from the Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique, the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research AGROSAVIA and the Irish Seed Savers Association.
These new partnerships provide greater access to plant genetic resources data, advancing research, innovation and global food security. Read more via the link in the bio.
Tomatoes are enjoyed around the world, but the diversity behind them is not equally safeguarded. 🍅 A new Crop Trust report reveals that thousands of tomato samples are conserved in genebanks globally, yet gaps remain in documentation, safety duplication, and access.
Stronger global coordination is essential to ensure this diversity remains available for research, breeding and future demand. Explore the full report via link in the bio.
Phenotyping, the process of measuring how crops perform under real conditions, has long relied on manual field notes, which are time-consuming and prone to error.
New digital app, GridScore NEXT, is changing this by enabling researchers to capture accurate field data on mobile devices, even offline. Developed by The James Hutton Institute with support from the Scottish Government and the Crop Trust’s BOLD Project, it is already changing how scientists worldwide collect, manage and share crop trait data.
Read more via the link in the comments.
Crop Trust lanza la Convocatoria de Propuestas del Poder de la Diversidad, con €2,2 millones disponibles en financiamiento.
Esta convocatoria busca propuestas para fortalecer las cadenas de valor de los cultivos de oportunidad: cultivos nutritivos, resilientes al clima y subutilizados, con potencial para mejorar los sistemas alimentarios.
Buscamos iniciativas en Colombia, Kenia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda y Zambia que contribuyan a:
Incrementar la productividad agrícola
Fortalecer las capacidades de poscosecha y procesamiento
Mejorar el acceso a mercados y fortalecer la eficiencia de las cadenas de valor
Fortalecer la sensibilización y el conocimiento de los consumidores sobre estos cultivos
Los proyectos deben demostrar impacto, potencial de escalabilidad y colaboración con actores relevantes, incluyendo bancos de germoplasma nacionales.
Fecha límite: 3 de julio de 2026
Más información y aplicación: /3zax2buk
The Crop Trust is calling for proposals for the Power of Diversity Grants, with €2.2 million in funding available.
This call seeks proposals that strengthen the value chains of opportunity crops – nutritious, climate-resilient and underutilized crops that can improve food systems and livelihoods.
In Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Colombia, we are looking for initiatives that:
🚜 Increase on-farm productivity
⚙️ Strengthen post-harvest and processing capacities
📈 Improve market access and enhance value chain efficiency
📣 Enhance consumer awareness.
Projects should demonstrate a clear pathway to impact, scalability, and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including national genebanks.
Deadline: 3 July 2026
More information and application details via the link in the bio.
Last week, we welcomed a new colleague, Colin Khoury, who joins us as Coordinator of the Global Consortium for the Conservation of Food Plants.
This new initiative, led by the New York Botanical Garden in collaboration with the Crop Trust and partners, brings together botanic gardens, genebanks and researchers worldwide to conserve and sustain food plant diversity.
Our team also visited the Bonn Botanical Gardens to explore opportunities for collaboration with German botanical institutions. We thank Markus Radscheit, Felix Dominik and Maximilian Weigend for the insightful tour and look forward to building strong partnerships ahead.
In Colombia, chontaduro is deeply rooted in culture and an important part of local food systems. The next step is to expand its reach by attracting new consumers, entering new markets and diversifying its uses.
To support this, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the Crop Trust’s #PowerOfDiversity Funding Facility work to strengthen value chains by identifying key challenges and opportunities for this opportunity crop. Learn more via the link in the bio.
The Crop Trust’s Global Genebank Partnership brings together genebanks from around the world to conserve and share crop diversity more effectively. With stable funding, shared standards and technical cooperation, this initiative ensures vital genetic resources are protected, backed up and remain accessible to support nutritious and healthy food systems and resilient agriculture.
Read more via the link in the bio.
🌱✨ Meet amaranth. A traditional crop packed with protein, fiber, and iron, helping make everyday meals more nutritious. 🥬💪
🫓 Chapati + amaranth = nutrition upgrade.
Would you try it? 👀
Opportunity crops are essential for local diets, livelihoods and cultural heritage, yet they remain largely overlooked by research, policy and markets.
Baobab, a tree known for its iconic trunk, thrives in dry savannahs and is widely regarded as a symbol of resilience and sustenance in arid regions. It also holds strong potential within local food systems, from production and trade to consumption.
Learn more about baobab and other opportunity crops in our Knowledge Hub, supported by the BOLDER Initiative of the Crop Trust's BOLD Project. Link in the bio.
The future of the seed sector depends on access to crop diversity. In this article for the Seed World, our Executive Director Stefan Schmitz outlines practical ways to strengthen the sector's ability to respond to future challenges - from supporting genebanks to enhancing global collaboration.
Read more to discover why crop diversity is a strategic asset worth protecting. Link in the bio.
