Presentation of
Nordiskt Genresurscenter
NordGen
April 2011
NordGen is a Nordic institution for conservation and
sustainable use of plants, farm animals and forest trees.
NordGen’s main task is to contribute to secure a broad
diversity of genetic resources connected to food
and agriculture.
Base
The Nordic countries are committed to conserve the biological
diversity. This is regulated in several international agreements.
•
•
•
•
•
•
CBD – Convention of Biological Diversity
Kalmar Declaration (2003) (IT-PGRFA, plant treaty, Bonn guidelines)
TRIPS - Framework for legal rights on living organisms /EU-dir
FAO State of the World and the Global Plan of Action for AnGR
Interlaken Declaration, september 2007
State of the World’s Forest GR (FAO, june 07)
Genetic diversity
It is important to conserve a broad biodiversity for the
future. Genetic diversity is required in order to secure
future food production when new diseases or climate
changes appear.
Why conserve genetic resources?
 A variety of plants, farm animals and forest trees are the
base for all food and agricultural production on earth.
 Breeding enable new varieties and breeds with a higher
return. But this can result in the loss of other varieties or
land races.
 Biological diversity is a key factor for both mitigation and
adaptation in a changing climate.
 Each country has a national responsibility.
 Through NordGen the Nordic countries take this
responsibility and work together for a cost efficient
solution.
NordGen secures the biological livelihood
of present and future generations.
Young organization with long
experience
NordGen
• was established the 1st of January 2008 as a result of a merge of
three organizations.
• is built on 30 years of Nordic collaboration.
• is an institution under the Nordic Council of Ministers (NMR)
• is a regional resource centre for the Nordic countries
• Consists of three sections: Plants, Farm animals and Forest
• Two locations (Alnarp and Ås, Norge)
NordGen Plants
• Works with conservation and sustainable use of cultivated plants and
their wild relatives. This includes both conserving the seeds,
supplying researchers and others with seeds and their associated
data as well as general information work about the value and
importance of plant genetic resources.
• Facilitates the accessibility of genetic resources and related
information for plant breeders, researchers and other users.
• Exchanges knowledge by participating in research and education in
both the Nordic countries as well as in other parts of the world.
• Observes international trends within research and politics with the
aim of influencing international decision makers within the plant
genetic resources area.
NordGen Farm Animals
NordGen Farm Animals is an information and knowledge center that
contributes to the categorization, conservation and sustainable use of
farm animal genetic resources in the Nordic countries.
The section promotes the value of maintaining a great diversity of farm
animal genetic resources. NordGen Farm Animals also activates
awareness about the historical, cultural and social values and provide
tools for maintaining genetic variation.
We loose one farm animal breed each month, globally.
NordGen Forest
Works mainly in networks and through a council and a working
group.
The NordGen Forest Council seeks to increase the availability of
suitable forest reproductive material and to promote successful
forest regeneration in the Nordic countries.
The working group's objective is to ensure cooperation on
conservation and use of genetic resources of forest trees among
the Nordic countries.
Conservation
There are two ways of conserving genetic
resources:
• Ex situ means conservation outside the natural
environment, for instance in a gene bank or a
chlonal archive.
• In situ means conservation on site, in its natural
environment.
Ex situ (seed bank)
• Active collection (Sweden, Alnarp)
– Distribution, characterisation, regeneration, germination tests
• Base collection (Denmark, Årslev)
– Long-term storage, rejuvenation of the material
• Back-up collection (Svalbard Global Seed Vault)
– Copies of base collection seeds
Ex situ - chlonal archives
for plants that do not propagate through seeds.
Countries
Locations
Norway:
Sweden:
Finland:
Denmark:
Iceland:
20
15
4
4
2
Chlonal archives (inkluding the Baltic chlonal archives)
In situ
•
•
•
•
In the forest
On the meadow
In nature reserves
On the farm/in agriculture or horticulture
Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Was inaugurated in February 2008
Svalbard Global Seed Vault
• Norway owner
• Administered by NordGen under an
international commitee
• Partly financed by the Global Crop
Diversity Trust
Svalbard Global Seed Vault
• Is not an ordinary gene bank but a
safety store
• Seeds conserved in “black box”
conditions
• Seeds are not distributed unless the
material is lost or dies in the origin
country
• The safety store is run according to
international agreements.
www.nordgen.org