Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) is an arena populated by different and composite actors, institutions and organisations, and regulated by many and often contradictory policies and laws. This domain is inhabited by not only the scientific community or ex situ genebanks, but also by public bodies (e.g. natural parks) and a variety of social actors playing a more and more active and dynamic role. In the past 20 years, in situ conservation has been increasingly managed by numerous seed networks, sharing knowledge and experiences amongst countries. These involve gardeners and citizens at different levels, as well as conscious consumers willing to support on-farm conservation of plant genetic resources and sustainable agriculture.
Acknowledging the diversity of the actors involved in the conservation of wild and cultivated biodiversity, DYNAVERSITY proposes dynamic management and governance aiming at enhancing interactions, complementarities and synergies. Based on a better understanding of organisational and relational dynamics around such initiatives, including the institutional barriers and enablers, DYNAVERSITY will facilitate co-construction between actors (e.g. farmers, gardeners, natural parks, seed craftsmen, community seed banks, researchers, ex situ actors, consumers) and establish new forms of seed networking and socio-environmental knowledge and practices. DYNAVERSITY will facilitate exchange and integration of scientific as well as practical knowledge on how to best manage diversity in agriculture and in the entire food chain, restoring evolutionary and adaptation processes.
