International Development Grant

Support to the Global Crop Diversity Trust 2003 - 2013

Project Number: CA-3-M011669001

Status: Closed

Country/Region: Unknown

Regional Focus:

Africa 50%
America 15%
Asia 30%
Europe 5%

Maximum Contribution: $10,000,000.00

Start Date: December 22, 2006

End Date: July 18, 2019

Duration: 12.6 years

Project Description

This grant represents Canada’s institutional support to the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT). The GCDT is a mechanism that supports the conservation of crop diversity making it available to key users including farmers in developing countries. The GCDT promotes the rescue understanding use and long-term conservation of valuable plant genetic resources. Key activities include the development of regional and global conservation strategies for individual crops the conservation of key crops such as yam and sweet potato and their storage for future use.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of May 2014 include: (1) creating the largest system of genebank conservation in existence by coordinating eleven CGIAR centres across the world managing over 725 000 accessions of plants used in food production; (2) the rescue of 79 725 crop varieties stored at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault; (3) a total of 801 752 seed varieties stored in the Svalbard Seed Vault; and (4) a gap analysis of wild relatives completed for 81 crops.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
Crop Trust

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Agricultural policy and administrative management 10%
Agricultural research 50%
Agricultural services 40%

Aid Type: Core support to NGOs other private bodies PPPs and research institutes

Collaboration: Bilateral core contributions to NGOs and other private bodies / PPPs

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP

Policy Markers
Level 2 Biodiversity
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2003-04-01 to 2004-03-31 $10,000,000 CAD
Geographic Information
000
Project Number: CA-3-M011669001