Staff Writer
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has stepped up regional efforts to conserve plant genetic resources, with approximately 82,000 accessions now safeguarded to strengthen food security, agricultural biodiversity and climate resilience.
The progress was highlighted during a meeting of the SADC Subcommittee on Plant Genetic Resources Conservation held on 2 November 2026, which reviewed regional initiatives aimed at conserving and sustainably utilising plant genetic resources.
The meeting, chaired by Dr Noluthando Netnou-Nkoana of South Africa, noted significant progress by Member States in collecting, conserving and safeguarding plant genetic resources through national genebanks and long-term storage at the SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC).
Dr Netnou-Nkoana highlighted the importance of plant genetic resources in developing improved crop varieties and strengthening agricultural resilience against climate change.
She urged Member States to continue prioritising conservation initiatives, noting that preserving agricultural biodiversity was essential for future generations.
In remarks delivered on his behalf by Dr Justify Gotami Shava, Head of SPGRC, SADC Director of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Fahari Marwa said plant genetic resources were fundamental to resilient seed systems and sustainable agrifood systems.
“Plant genetic resources are the foundation of resilient seed systems and sustainable agrifood systems,” said Marwa.
He called for innovative policies, stronger partnerships and increased investment to support conservation, capacity-building and the sustainable utilisation of plant genetic resources across the region.
The subcommittee also welcomed the expansion of community-based conservation initiatives, with the number of community genebanks increasing from 58 in 2025 to 67 in 2026.
The growth reflects increasing participation by local communities in safeguarding agricultural biodiversity and preserving valuable plant genetic resources.
Participants commended the SADC Secretariat and its partners for advancing conservation efforts, which continue to strengthen the region’s position in plant genetic resources conservation.
The meeting further received an update on the outcomes of the inaugural Africa Seed Summit held in Eswatini, where Ministers of Agriculture adopted the Ezulwini Declaration on Resilient and Sustainable Seed Systems for a Food-Secure Africa.
The ministers also endorsed the Farmer-Managed Seed Systems Policy for Africa, a development welcomed by the subcommittee as an important milestone in strengthening sustainable and resilient agrifood systems across the continent.
SADC’s conservation initiatives are aimed at protecting valuable agricultural genetic resources while supporting improved crop production, sustainable agriculture and long-term food security.