22/10/2018

Rome, Italy, 27 September 2018 - Genebank curators and researchers of the major Italian agricultural research institutions together with representatives of Civil Society’ Organizations involved in agrobiodiversity conservation and management met at FAO on 27 September 2018 to discuss implementation of the International Treaty, which Italy ratified on 6 April 2004.

"Italy is committed to the protection and sustainable use of crop genetic resources, and this meeting marks the first of a series of technical discussions aimed at enhancing collaboration between the International Treaty Secretariat and the main Italian institutions that conserve plant biodiversity,” explained, Kent Nnadozie, Secretary of the International Treaty. “This first technical meeting with Italian experts provides information on accessing and exchanging plant genetic material in support of food security.”

The meeting focused on the use and reporting of material obtained through the online application “Easy-SMTA,” on the development of new documentation tools, and on how to increase the visibility of the Italian plant genetic collections by registering them in the International Treaty’s Global Information System.