Strengthening Genebanks Through Regional Collaboration in CWANA: LinkedIn Promotional Post

December 9, 2025 marked the opening of the CWANA Genebank Managers Meeting in Istanbul, bringing together national partners across Central and West Asia and North Africa to strengthen regional collaboration on plant genetic resources. The CWANA region is one of the richest global hubs of agrobiodiversity, home to major cereals, legumes, forages, fruits, vegetables, and 41% of global priority crop wild relatives. The day began with welcome remarks and an overview of meeting objectives, followed by country roundtable presentations highlighting national priorities, opportunities, challenges, and key partners for plant genetic resource conservation and use. Afternoon group discussions explored different scenarios for working together across geographies, themes, and crops, supporting a more coordinated regional approach. These discussions helped align priorities for the conservation, sustainable use, and equitable benefit sharing of genetic resources that are vital for food security and climate resilience.