FAO holds the 20th Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
The 20th Regular Session of the FAO's CGRFA in Rome discusses the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources to address biodiversity loss and threats.
Rome will host the 20th Regular Session of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) from 24 to 28 March. This meeting will bring together representatives of member countries to address strategic and cross-cutting issues related to biodiversity and agri-food systems.
The CGRFA is the only permanent intergovernmental body dedicated to all components of biodiversity for food and agriculture, including plants, animals, aquatic resources, forests, micro-organisms and invertebrates. The Commission is responsible for leading and overseeing the development of global assessments of genetic resources and, on the basis of these reports, defining policy responses that promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
During the session, two key reports will be presented: the Third Report on the State of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which states that 42% of the plant species assessed have disappeared from areas where they were previously cultivated or grew naturally; and the Second Report on the State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources, which warns of the loss of genetic diversity in many tree species due to deforestation, diseases and invasive species.
As representatives of the EUFORGEN Secretariat, Michele Bozzano and Anna-Maria Farsakoglou will attend the 20th regular session taking place in Rome. For more details on the discussions taking place at the session, you can contact them directly (see contact details here) or send us an email to euforgen@efi.int.
