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The importance of genebanks

Conservation of within and across breed genetic diversity in genebanks (ex situ) is a complementary strategy of the in situ conservation to maintain a broad genetic base for future breeding and research. It is important to safeguard farm animal genetic di-versity (both local and mainstream breeds) for future generations, in particular in the global context of food and nutrition security and climate change.

EUGENA, the European Genebank Network for animal genetic resources

The European Genebank Network for AnGR (EUGENA) is a network of Member Genebanks in European countries with the aim to support the ex situ conservation and sustainable use of AnGR, and to facilitate the implementation of the FAO Global Plan of Action at national and pan-European level.

Exchange of knowledge and experiences, and facilitating access to information about genebank collections in Europe are the main objectives of EUGENA. Development of EUGENA was initiated by the ERFP in 2016, and since then the net has grown constantly in terms of number of countries, Member Genebanks and information about genebank collections.

EUGENA itself does not constitute a legal entity but operates by its Member Genebanks collectively to reach the main objective to drive the collaborative work between all the ex situ collections of AnGR in Europe, and promote the relevance of the genebanks in the conservation of AnGR. EUGENA is working on
the basis of a Terms of Reference (ToR) and is governed by the General Assembly of ERFP.