Conserving Crop Diversity: The Challenge of Context.

The global network of genebanks designed and constructed in the 1970s has largely failed to keep pace with or take advantage of new technologies, capacities and international policy advances.  It is not, therefore, especially well positioned to realize its potential in addressing future challenges of climate change adaptation, restricted water availability, and declining energy supplies, or to meet the need for increased food production. What steps should we now be taking at the national and global levels to conserve crop diversity and ensure its continued availability in an effective, efficient and sustainable manner?