Ukraine will become the 156th contracting party to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in August 2026. Membership gives Ukrainian researchers access to a global gene pool containing about two million samples of major crops.
In October, Ukraine plans to deposit its first one thousand cereal and forage seed samples in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The duplicate collection will protect valuable material against war damage, occupation and loss of research infrastructure.
Breeding capacity and food security
Access to the treaty’s global information system will help scientists exchange data and use international material to develop varieties resistant to pests, diseases and climate change. Strong domestic breeding also reduces dependence on imported seed during crises.
Ukraine’s national gene bank is among the ten leading collections worldwide. It contains more than 154,300 samples representing 2,002 plant species, including almost fifty-seven thousand samples of Ukrainian origin.
Part of the collection and scientific infrastructure has been damaged or left in occupied territories. With support from FAO, the European Commission, NordGen and other partners, a duplicate conservation center was established in November 2025.
The treaty provides a legally binding framework for exchange, conservation, sustainable use and fair sharing of benefits. For Ukraine, joining connects agricultural recovery with protection of scientific assets and long-term food security.
