At the Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN) in Wageningen, millions of seeds are safely stored to protect the world’s agricultural biodiversity. From indigenous landraces on the brink of extinction to modern hybrid varieties, these collections are vital for research, resilience, and the development of future-proof crops.

Maintaining such a genebank is an enormous task, and CGN cannot do it alone. This is where public-private collaboration becomes essential. Through partnerships with breeding companies, CGN gains much-needed capacity for activities such as seed regeneration, while companies gain early insight into valuable genetic traits, including disease resistances and new diversity from collecting missions.

This collaboration shows how shared responsibility, mutual trust, and clear agreements can create a true win-win situation. Together, genebanks and the private sector help ensure plant genetic resources remain available for both current innovation and future generations.

For more inspiration, explore the other videos, or take a look at SeedNL’s 7 Guiding Principles.