Genetic resources for food and agriculture are the raw materials upon which the world relies to improve the productivity and quality of domesticated plant and animal populations as well as to maintain healthy populations of wild species, including those used in forestry and fisheries. The conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture is therefore at the core of food security and nutrition. Conserving and using a wide range of diversity – both among species and within species – means securing options to respond to future challenges.
FAO's role in genetic resources
The diversity of agricultural genetic resources – which include plants, animals and microorganisms that have actual or potential value for the production of food and other products – plays a crucial role in meeting food and nutritional needs. Agricultural biodiversity is essential for maintaining and enhancing the efficiency and the resilience of agrifood systems, as well as for healthy diets and the delivery of ecosystem services, such as pollination and pest and disease regulation.
FAO contributes to international policy through the work of its Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
- The Commission, which is the only intergovernmental body that specifically addresses all levels of biodiversity for food and agriculture, oversees and guides the preparation of periodic global assessments and negotiates global action plans, codes of conduct and other instruments relevant to conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity and the various types of genetic resources.
- Through the International Treaty, which is the only legally-binding instrument covering all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, countries and users can gain access to genetic resources for research, training and breeding, as well as participate in the benefits derived from their use.
From assessments to policy
The Commission’s global assessments are country-driven and based on national assessments of the state of genetic resources, their use, the drivers of change affecting them and the challenges and opportunities involved in conserving and using them in a sustainable manner to contribute to food security, health and economic livelihoods.
To address the main gaps and challenges identified in the assessments, the Commission negotiates Global Plans of Action, which are policy instruments that guide the implementation of actions on the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural genetic resources at community, national, regional and international levels.
Exchange of genetic resources
All countries depend on the biodiversity from other countries and regions.
International cooperation and open exchange of genetic resources are therefore crucial for food security and resilient agrifood systems.
The global operational systems of the International Treaty, which include the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing and the Global Information System on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, facilitate the exchange of plant genetic resources and relevant information.
The work of FAO in this area contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 12, 13 and 15.
Key facts
In 2024, of a global total of 8 811 mammalian and avian breeds used for food and agriculture, 2 323 were classified as being at risk of extinction, including 531 as extinct
There are over 350 000 plant species
There are about 58 000 tree species 1 600 species of woody bamboos and nearly 500 species of rattan in the world
There are over 160 000 species of fish, and aquatic molluscs, crustaceans and plants
Almost 90% of flowering plant species depend, to varying degrees, on pollinators (vertebrate or invertebrate)
Microorganisms and invertebrates are the most numerous groups of species on Earth. However, 99% of bacteria and protist species remain unknown
Publications
FAO Biodiversity Knowledge Hub
