Crop Trust Roundtable: Safeguarding Crop Diversity for Climate Resilience and Food Security

25 June 2026 in Brussels. The Crop Trust Roundtable: Safeguarding Crop Diversity for Climate Resilience and Food Security brought together representatives of the Crop Trust, the European Commission, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) of South Africa, the South African Embassy to the European Union, policymakers and research partners to highlight the strategic importance of crop diversity for resilient agrifood systems. 

The meeting emphasized that crop diversity, conserved through national and international genebanks, provides the genetic resources needed to develop crop varieties capable of withstanding climate change, emerging pests and diseases, and changing nutritional demands.
Participants discussed how safeguarding these genetic resources is fundamental to ensuring long-term global food security while supporting sustainable agriculture and innovation.

A central objective of the roundtable was to position crop diversity as a strategic priority within the European Union's next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034). 

Discussions explored how investment in plant genetic resources contributes to the European Green Deal, biodiversity conservation, biotechnology, and resilient food systems, while strengthening Europe's competitiveness and international partnerships. Particular attention was given to strengthening cooperation between Europe and Africa through enhanced support for genebanks, research collaboration, capacity development and agricultural innovation, recognizing that both regions face common challenges related to climate resilience and food security.

Agenda:

• Gareth Rees, Chargé D’Affaires Of South Africa to the European Union, Belgium, and Luxembourg
• Petronella Chaminuka ARC South Africa
• Declan Kirrane, ISC and AERAP, Moderator
• Crop Diversity: A Foundation for Food Security and Resilience - Stefan Schmitz, Executive Director of the Crop Trust
• Crop Diversity and EU Strategic Priorities - Leonard Mizzi, DG International Partnerships at the  European Commission
• EU and Africa: Partnering for Food Security, Resilience and Innovation - Lebogang Madubanya, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, ARC South Africa
• Building a Coalition for Crop Diversity - Prof Michael Bairu, Principal Researcher and Research Team Manager, ARC South Africa

Beyond raising awareness, the meeting sought to generate concrete policy and partnership outcomes.
Participants aimed to contribute to a policy paper on "Crop Diversity and Europe's Strategic Future," identify opportunities to integrate crop diversity into future EU financing mechanisms, strengthen synergies across European Commission Directorates-General (including DG INTPA, DG AGRI, DG RTD and DG ENV), Member States and the European Parliament, and establish a Brussels-based coalition advocating sustained investment in crop diversity conservation. The roundtable therefore served not only as a policy dialogue but also as a platform for building long-term international cooperation around crop genetic resources as critical infrastructure for climate resilience, agricultural innovation and future food security.