Biodiversity International

About

Bioversity International is a global research-for-development organization. They have a vision – that agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet.

They deliver scientific evidence, management practices and policy options to use and safeguard agricultural and tree biodiversity to attain sustainable global food and nutrition security.

They work with partners in low-income countries in different regions where agricultural and tree biodiversity can contribute to improved nutrition, resilience, productivity and climate change adaptation.

History

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 they 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.