Principles for the Inclusion of CWR Data in EURISCO
Prepared by Theo van Hintum and José Iriondo
The Principles for the Inclusion of Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) Data in EURISCO provide an approach to address the fragmented and often inaccessible nature of information on CWR populations conserved in situ across Europe. These wild plant populations are crucial for crop improvement and food security, yet their conservation is inconsistent, with responsibility often falling on unaware or uncoordinated stakeholders.
The proposal seeks to enhance the organization, availability and accessibility of in situ CWR data by establishing National Inventories (CWR-NIs) and integrating selected data into EURISCO, the European Search Catalogue for Plant Genetic Resources.
To enable this, countries are encouraged to appoint in situ CWR National Inventory Focal Points, responsible for managing the CWR-NI, facilitating data flow to EURISCO, and mediating user access. The overarching goal is to create a coherent, collaborative European framework that aligns with international treaties and strategies, supports plant breeding and enhances conservation.
These Principles were developed in the context of the ECPGR project ‘Extension of EURISCO for Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) in situ data and preparation of pilot countries’ data sets’, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The project successfully extended the EURISCO catalogue to include CWR in situ data from more than 15 European countries.
Box 1. Scope of the CWR-NI as opposed to the CWR in situ extension of EURISCO
The In situ CWR National Inventory is created by a designated In situ CWR National Inventory Focal Point and includes a list of occurrences of populations belonging to those CWR taxa that the country has identified as a priority for conservation. Descriptors recommended for the generation of this CWR-NI are listed in Annex 1 (194,5 KB) since these also facilitate the data transfer to EURISCO, but it is up to the individual country to decide whether to extend, reduce or modify this list. The CWR-NI aims to monitor the extent of CWR diversity in the country and offer the means to identify the most suitable populations for active conservation.
The CWR in situ extension of EURISCO is created by including in EURISCO a subsection of the population data of each CWR-NI, corresponding to those populations that are ‘actively conserved’ (see definition in Box 2) and might potentially be made available to users. The identification of this subsection will be at the discretion of each country/Focal Point and the purpose will be to offer to the public a list of populations for which it is possible to identify an owner/managing institution and a liaison institution (if different from previous) that can be approached to inquire about the possibility and modality to obtain genetic material. In other words, these are lists of populations, a sample of which might be in principle available to users. Descriptors to be used are necessarily those listed in Annex 2, four of which are mandatory.
Box 2. Actively conserved populations
EURISCO should receive data only about populations that can (in principle) be made available to users. This restricts the scope to those populations that are ‘actively conserved’. Criteria defining ‘active conservation’ should not be too strict. They may include populations that are likely to exist at the present time, whose location is known, where the land management is compatible with the persistence of the population, and where there is a management institution or person that can be approached that is likely to facilitate access to the material.
Box 3. Access to the in situ material
When in situ populations are included in EURISCO and thus considered ‘accessible in principle’ to users, this does not mean that the user will necessarily be allowed to reach the populations and autonomously collect material of interest (even though some countries may consent to this). It rather means that there is a designated pathway whereby the user can approach a managing (or liaison) institution and receive information on the appropriate way to obtain the material, including terms and conditions, which will vary from country to country (compatibly with the terms of the Multilateral System of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture or the Convention on Biological Diversity).