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Establishment
A Plant Genetic Resources Center, Ethiopia (PGRC/E) was initially established in May 1976 through a bilateral technical cooperation agreement between the Governments of Ethiopia and Germany. The main objective was to rescue the country’s plant genetic resources from adverse impacts of various human activities and natural calamities and thereby, support crop improvement programs. In 1998, it was re-established as the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC) broadening its mandate and duties to implement Ethiopia’s obligation to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). In 2004, the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC) was amended.
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Mission
Ensure, by appropriate means, Ethiopia’s Biodiversity is properly conserved and sustainably utilized; and promote its application in Environmental protection, Agriculture, Health, Industry and overall socioeconomic development of the country.
Objectives
The Objective of the Institute is to ensure the appropriate Conservation and Utilization of the Country’s Biodiversity.
Mandates and Duties
Ethiopia has set clear national policy directives on conservation of biological resources. In the past, conservation efforts focused on plant genetic resources and priority was given to field crops. Since 1998, the Institute was given a wider mandate of conservation and sustainable utilization of all forms of biological resources including plants, animals and microbial genetic resources as well as associated indigenous knowledge. Ecosystem management is also recognized as one of the areas to be given top priority.
As to the importance of biodiversity and our dependence on biological resources, biodiversity conservation efforts give emphasis to local and national needs and values. The Institute, thus, has power and duties related to the conservation and promoting the sustainable utilization of Ethiopia’s biodiversity. This includes maintaining and developing international relations with bilateral and multilateral bodies having the potential to providing technical assistance. The Institute, on the basis of national legislation, has the responsibility and duty to implement international conventions, agreements and obligations on biodiversity to which Ethiopia is a party.
Organizational Structure
The Institute of Biodiversity conservation (IBC) consists of two key processes (Directorates), namely: (1) Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Directorate, and (2) Genetic Resources Transfer and Regulation Directorate; and five support processes, namely: Public Relations and Communication Directorate, Finance, Procurement and Property Administration Directorate, Audit Directorate, Plan & Programme Directorate, and Human Resources Development and Administration Directorate.
The key processes strive to fulfill the vision and mission of the institute by carrying out conservation, sustainable use and access and benefit sharing of biological resources. The support processes assist the key processes in achieving the goals. The key processes are described here.
1. Conservation and Sustainable Use Directorate
Conservation and sustainable use of biological resources are two of the objectives/pillars of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The directorate has about four case teams namely: Animal Genetic Resources, Crop Genetic Resources, Forest Genetic Resources, Microbial Genetic Resources, and Gene bank and Laboratories. Read more about Conservation and Use Directorate on our website: www.ibc.gov.et/about-us/departments
2. Genetic Resources Transfer and Regulation Directorate
Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), Article 15 of Convention on Biological Diversity, refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed, how the benefits that result from their use are shared between the people or countries using the resources (users) and the people or countries that provide them (providers). ABS is based on prior informed consent (PIC) being granted by a provider to a user and negotiations between both parties to develop mutually agreed terms (MAT) to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of genetic resources and associated benefits. Based on these purposes, the Genetic Resources Transfer and Regulation Directorate has been established in Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC). Working areas include:
- Provide genetic resources export and import permits
- Regulate the transfer of genetic resources
- Build capacity on ABS
- Prepare manuals and guidelines on ABS
- Promote high value genetic resources for Benefit Sharing
- Advise the government on ABS issues
Read more about Genetic Resources Transfer and Regulation Directorate on our website: www.ibc.gov.et/about-us/departments.
Organizational Structure of IBC (click to enlarge)
IBC as Focal Point of CBD
Globally, the value of biodiversity as a key component of the environment was recognized during the build-up to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Ethiopia endorsed, signed and ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1994. Since then, the Environmental Protection Authority took the lead as a focal point of CBD until 2005 and handed over to IBC, same year, after a thorough revision of the mandates and duties of the two institutions.
Collection and Conservation
The gene bank is one of the leading gene banks in Africa and has accomplished a tremendous work in exploration, collection, and conservation of plant genetic resources. Currently, the Gene Bank holds more than 62, 000 accessions of 166 plant species in cold storage facilities obtained through collection, repatriation and donation; and more than 5,000 accessions of 234 species in Field Gene Banks. About 92,000 accessions had been distributed from ex-situ collections to different research and educational institutions in Ethiopia as well as worldwide. Note that the number of accessions and species may vary from time to time due to collection and distribution activities.
Moreover, in-situ and ex-situ field gene banks of crops (community gene banks), endangered forest, medicinal, and forage and pasture plants have been established and are expanding.
Future Direction
Based on the priority objectives, IBC will continue to develop scientific strategies for all the relevant Biological resources conservation, Sustainable utilization and Access and benefit sharing. International standards will be adopted and special efforts will be made to tackle the enormous qualitative and quantitative dimensions of conservation problems unique to Ethiopia.
In addition to seed storage, the Institute will make a major effort to increase in-situ conservation areas in relevant ecosystems. A major component of these plans will be the conservation of species where many of the wild and weedy relatives of cultivated species exist.
On site conservation of indigenous and local animal species, both domestic and wild, will be enhanced. New and appropriate conservation techniques and methodologies will be adopted for aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. The rich indigenous knowledge associated with biodiversity will be studied and used for biodiversity conservation and promoting sustainable utilization.
