In 1983, FAO established an intergovernmental forum: the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources (now the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture). The Commission has since developed a Global System for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of PGRFA. The objectives of the Global System are to ensure the safe conservation and promote the availability and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources, for present and future generations, by providing as flexible framework for sharing the benefits and burdens.

Please click on the diagram above to access the various components of the Global System, or click here (362Kb) for a general overview of the system.