National Center for Genetic Resources

Objectives of the Center: 

1. Conservation of plant genetic resources within and outside their natural habitats.
2. Preservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources.
3. Characterization and evaluation of plant genetic resources.
4. Enhancing regional and international cooperation in the preservation, maintenance, and utilization of plant genetic resources and the exchange of information.

Center Divisions and Tasks:

1. Gene Bank:
   - Surveys and exploration trips
   - Collection and preservation
   - Characterization and evaluation
   - Documentation and information dissemination

2. Seed Laboratory:
   - Evaluation of seed quality through physical, chemical, and biological tests
   - Research and experiments on the cultivation of stress-tolerant seeds (salinity, drought, etc.)
   - Providing community services to farmers, researchers, and university students in the field of seed technology

3. National Herbarium:
   - Surveys and collection of rangeland vegetation, forage plants, medicinal plants, aromatic plants, toxic plants, and underutilized plants
   - Classification and preservation of plants
   - Gathering all data related to plants for the purpose of utilization and information exchange

4. Biotechnology Research:
   - It consists of two units:
     a. Plant Tissue Culture Research Unit: Conducts research related to the propagation of plants that are difficult to propagate through traditional methods, as well as the use of tissue culture techniques in crop breeding and genetic resource preservation.
     b. Genetic Fingerprinting Research Unit: Conducts research on identifying the genetic fingerprint of crop varieties and other organisms, as well as the unit's potential in detecting genetically modified organisms, pathogenic agents, genetic engineering, and genetic resource preservation.

Tasks of the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources

First: Technical Tasks
1. Developing programs for surveying plant genetic resources and determining their distribution.
2. Collecting plant genetic resources.
3. Acquisition and preservation of plant entries.
4. Renewing and multiplying plant entries.
5. Characterizing and evaluating plant entries.
6. Enhancing the use of genetic resources in improving agricultural production.
7. Providing seeds to farmers, researchers, and graduate students.
8. Promoting the exchange of genetic resources with the national, regional, and international multilateral system.

Second: Policy Tasks
1. Contributing to the development of national plans and strategies related to the conservation of plant genetic resources.
2. Representing Yemen in international bodies and treaties concerned with the conservation of plant genetic resources.
3. Contributing to the preparation of national activities and reports related to the conservation of plant genetic resources.
4. Participating with specialized national committees in formulating legislation related to the conservation of plant genetic resources.

Third: Management of Information and Awareness related to the conservation of plant genetic resources
1. Collecting, documenting, preserving, and processing data on plant genetic resources.
2. Providing data and making it available to users of plant genetic resources.
3. Exchanging information with the national, regional, and international multilateral system.
4. Documenting traditional knowledge related to the conservation of plant genetic resources.
5. Disseminating knowledge and raising awareness about the importance of conserving plant genetic resources.

Objectives of conserving plant genetic resources:
1. Preserving the identity of preserved genetic resources in the gene bank.
2. Maintaining the viability and quality of genetic resources and making them available for use.
3. Preserving the genetic integrity of resources during different stages of conservation.
4. Reducing genetic erosion.
5. Ensuring secure duplication of resources to address risks that may occur in the gene bank.
6. Preserving the health of resources to prevent disease transmission.
7. Issuing export certificates and phytosanitary certificates related to the exchange of resources.
8. Enhancing the physical security of resources through various preservation techniques and protecting them from external factors.
9. Enhancing programs and plans for multiplying and renewing resources to maintain an adequate stock to meet usage and exchange requirements.
10. Providing detailed information on resources and facilitating their use and exchange.

The agricultural and economic importance of local plant genetic resources:
1. They are considered a national, cultural, heritage, and scientific asset.
2. They are a treasure and a genetic repository for plant genetic diversity.
3. They play a growing role in food security, addressing food needs, and economic development.
4. They are an important source for sustainable agricultural intensification.
5. They are a vital source of livelihood for a large percentage of rural households dependent on agriculture.
6. They are the primary raw material for improving crop capabilities to cope with climate change.
7. They are a strategic resource at the heart of sustainable production for various crops.
8. They serve as a source for the continuous flow of adapted crops and improved varieties for specific agricultural and ecological systems.
9. They help bridge the past and the future by using them in research and breeding to improve seed supply for a sustainable and flexible agricultural system.

Achievements:

1. Conducting numerous surveys and field explorations of plant genetic resources in various regions, including the coastal plain, highlands, and eastern plateau.
2. Contributing to the implementation of projects related to the management and improvement of plant genetic resources on farms, such as rainfed agriculture, genetic variations, regeneration and multiplication, neglected and underutilized crops, and agricultural biodiversity projects.
3. Collecting plant genetic resources, with the center preserving over 6,000 plant samples representing 45 agricultural crops.
4. Renewing and multiplying endangered plant genetic materials to prevent loss and extinction.
5. Characterizing and evaluating plant genetic resources according to internationally recognized criteria and descriptors.
6. Testing the quality and health of seeds, whether for inputs in the gene bank or providing services to the private sector and organizations.
7. Supplying researchers, graduate students, and projects with local seeds for use in genetic improvement programs and the development of varieties that withstand biotic and abiotic pressures.
8. Conducting genetic fingerprinting of several samples of strategic crops such as maize, wheat, barley, sorghum, etc.
9. Contributing to the enhancement of national programs on genetic resources through participation in the National Genetic Resources Committee and the Variety Release and Registration Committee.
10. Training and capacity building of personnel in the field of genetic resources.
11. Documenting input data in a database developed in coordination with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).
12. Raising public awareness about the importance of plant genetic resources in food security and adaptation to climate change through exhibitions and messages in visual, written, and audio media.
13. Enhancing national, regional, and international cooperation and coordination in the field of plant genetic resources, including the preparation of the "First Global Report on the State of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture" and the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Second Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.