Access to genes: linkages between genebanks and farmers’ seed systems

Genebanks conserve key resources for handling current and future challenges to food production and security. The role of genebanks has evolved from primarily serving plant breeders to include long-term biodiversity conservation and distribution to a wider user community. International policy frameworks stress the complementarity of ex situ and in situ conservation and management, but a dichotomy prevails in the public and scholarly agricultural development discourse. This paper presents a study of existing linkages between the two conservation and management approaches, their challenges and future options. First, the study shows that farmers, farmer organizations, and NGOs comprise a considerable user group of genebank material. Second, the article maps and categorizes approaches to introduce genebank material into farmers’ seed systems. Finally, the paper discusses challenges related to scale, sustainability and legal frame conditions and point out opportunities to realize synergies to achieve the ultimate goal of the ex situ conservation agenda and the farmers’ rights agenda, namely to strengthen farmers’ access to suitable seeds.