News
SVALBARD GLOBAL SEED VAULT NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
10/03/2026
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of its role in safeguarding the world’s crop diversity and strengthening the foundations of global food security. The nomination also acknowledges the organizations supporting this global effort: NordGen, FAO, Crop Trust and CGIAR.
Seeds, Data and Knowledge: International Treaty Secures Global Crop Heritage in the Arctic
26/02/2026
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture marked two historic milestones this week in the Arctic: new deposits at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and the first-ever deposit of official International Treaty materials in the Arctic World Archive (AWA). Together, these actions safeguard not only the seeds that feed the world, but also the knowledge, legal texts and lived stories that sustain their use.
Guatemala makes its first deposit to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, safeguarding national and community seed heritage
25/02/2026
Guatemala has taken a historic step in safeguarding its agricultural biodiversity by making its first deposit to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the world’s most secure backup facility for crop diversity. The deposit includes more than 930 seed accessions of crops fundamental to national food systems, notably maize and beans, as well as squash, amaranth and teosinte.
Heads of Biodiversity-related Conventions Meet in Rome
20/02/2026
Secretary Kent Nnadozie of the International Treaty met with other Executive Heads of biodiversity-related conventions at FAO Headquarters in Rome today for a meeting of the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions (BLG), which was held back-to-back with the Sixth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-6) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Governing Body Concludes with Renewed Global Commitment to Safeguarding the Foundation of World’s Food Basket
30/11/2025
The Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB-11) of the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture concluded past midnight after a week of intense deliberations, marked by strong engagement from all delegations and resulting in the adoption of 16 resolutions to guide Treaty activities over the next biennium, and the unanimous nomination of Ms Estela Fernanda Millicay Resquin of Argentina as the Chair of the Twelfth Governing Body Session (GB-12).
Youth and Agrobiodiversity: Sowing the future
25/11/2025
The side event “Youth and Agrobiodiversity: Sowing the Future from the Territories” formally platformed, for the first time, young voices at a Governing Body session of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Delegates from Around the World Gather in Lima
24/11/2025
The Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB-11) of the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture opened today in Lima, Peru, co-hosted by the Governments of Peru and Switzerland, under the theme “Fostering Biodiversity & Food Security: Preserving Heritage, Cultivating a Shared Future.”
Safeguarding Edible Biodiversity
24/11/2025
Global leaders in food security, biodiversity conservation, and gastronomy innovation gathered in Lima to launch the Global Conservation Consortium for Food Plants (GCCFP) ahead of the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB-11) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Integrating Peru’s Megadiversity into Sustainable Food Systems: Scaling up successes from food processing industries
24/11/2025
An event showcasing how Peru’s extraordinary biodiversity drives innovation and resilience in global agrifood systems was held during the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB-11) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).
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International Partners Launch Immersive Exhibition at GB-11 of the International Treaty’s Governing Body
24/11/2025
The Governments of Peru and Switzerland, together with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and leading international partners, today inaugurated a new exhibition at the Lima Convention Center.
New Network of International Germplasm Collections Comes Together to Contribute to Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
22/11/2025
Representatives of many of the most important field collections of crops in the world met today in Lima, Peru, days before the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB-11) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, to strengthen their alliance for plant food production.
ITPGRFA Secretary Inspects on-site Arrangements for the Eleventh Session
27/10/2025
The Secretary of the International Treaty, Kent Nnadozie, conducted an official visit to Lima to assess the on-site arrangements for the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB-11), scheduled to take place in Lima, Peru, from 24 to 29 November 2025, and held discussions with representatives of the co-hosting governments of Peru and Switzerland on the progress of the Session’s arrangements.
Peru and Switzerland Deposit Seeds at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault Ahead of International Treaty’s Governing Body
21/10/2025
Two research institutions from Peru and Switzerland deposited seed samples at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, marking a symbolic gesture of cooperation ahead of their co-hosting of the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (GB-11) in Lima, Peru, this November.
BARBADOS JOINS THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY
20/10/2025
Barbados has officially acceded to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, becoming the 155th Contracting Party today.
Treaty Youth Talk About the Seeds that Feed the World
20/10/2025
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture took centre stage at this year's World Food Forum Flagship event, also commemorating the 80th anniversary of FAO, hosted at the FAO headquarters. Youth speakers spoke to visitors about the importance of seeds and agrobiodiversity in ensuring a sustainable future.
From Seeds to Foods
13/10/2025
From seeds to plates, stories, flavors, people and heritage came together at the First FAO Global Exhibition: From Seeds to Foods, held in Rome from 10 – 13 October 2025 as part of the FAO’s 80th Anniversary celebrations.
New Global Partnership to Conserve Food Plants
01/10/2025
Partners from around the around the world gathered at FAO Headquarter in Rome today to announce an exciting new initiative aimed at protecting edible biodiversity for future generations: the Global Conservation Consortium for Food Plants (GCCFP).
Highlights from the Second Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights in the Philippines: Honoring Heritage, Cultivating our Shared Future
19/09/2025
The Government of the Philippines hosted the Second Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights (GSFR-2) in Manila from 16 to 19 September 2025, convening more than 250 participants from 44 countries and an additional 8 000 following online.
Farmers’ Rights: Honoring Heritage, Cultivating Our Shared Future
15/09/2025
As the world gathers in Manila for the Second Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights, generously hosted by the Government of the Philippines, we are called to reflect not only on the les...
Ad Hoc Technical Committee on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Meets in Qatar
11/09/2025
The tenth meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Committee on Conservation and Sustainable Use (ACSU-10) of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) was held in Doha, from 8 to 11 September 2025, generously hosted by the State of Qatar.