Evaluation of FAO’s work in Genetic Resources

Abstract

Genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) include the plant, animal, aquatic, microbial, forest and other genetic resources of relevance to agriculture, farming and food systems. GRFA are essential to global food production, especially considering the growth in population and consumption expected through 2050. They are the raw materials that farmers, herders, fishers, foresters, breeders (conventional as well as through biotechnology) and researchers rely upon to improve the quality and the amount of food produced. In addition, GRFA provide the building blocks for developing new materials that are adapted to changing climates or novel environments and production demands.</p> In 2014-15, the Office of Evaluation (OED) assessed FAO’s work related to forest, plant, animal and aquatic genetic resources during the period 2007-15,8 in order to identify achievements and analyse factors that may have affected performance. The evaluation was led by an OED team including a senior consul tant, six thematic experts covering Plant, Animal, Forest and Aquatic Genetic Resources, and researchers from the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD).