The development of crop varieties and production technologies that address climate change and food security challenges depends on the effective utilization of crop genetic resources with diverse traits. While tropical crop genetic resources are abundant in monsoon Asia and other regions of the Global South, information and technologies for their conservation, evaluation, and use in breeding remain insufficiently developed, limiting the utilization of their diversity. Given the dominance of improved varieties, the loss of local genetic resources, and increasing regulatory constraints on genetic resource exchange, strengthening collaborative utilization frameworks with partner countries has become increasingly important. There is a strong need to reinforce hub functions for tropical crop genetic resource research through the sharing of information and technologies, joint development of breeding materials, and capacity building.

This project serves as a central platform for strengthening the utilization of tropical crop genetic resources through the development of efficient utilization technologies, the promotion of applications based on genetic diversity, and strategic partnerships with target regions. It develops technologies, research materials, information resources, and collaborative networks that support genetic resource utilization in partner countries and regions.

• Strengthening of hub functions to advance genetic resource research
• Development of frontier technologies to expand the utilization of genetic resources
• Development of exit strategies for the practical application of genetic resource utilization technologies

YAMANAKA Shinsuke (Tropical Agriculture Research Front)

　Deputy Project Leader

　TERAJIMA Yoshifumi (Tropical Agriculture Research Front)