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Discussion about the creation of the plant genetic bank in Georgia

The workshop on the existing situation of genetic resources of plants in Georgia, their maintenance and the establishment of the National Gene Bank was held by the organization of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture. The meeting was attended by the Director of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture – Levan Ujmajuridze, by the President of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Georgia - Guram Aleksidze and the Director of National Botanical Garden Tamaz Darchidze, also by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Biological Farming Association "Elkana", the Institute of Botany, Farmers' Rights Protection Association (AFRD), Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia and the representatives of the Scientific-Research center of Georgia.

The sides discussed the national and international legislation on the genetic resources of plants, the current situation and perspectives of plant genetic resources’ collections, local and international databases, the role of international organizations in the direction of plant genetic resources and their activities. Important attention was paid to future plans that would form the National Gene Bank and coordinated work of various departments in this direction.

Genetic resources are important for the country and this is one of the priorities of international obligations. The Action Plan of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia informs the activities related to the protection of genetic resources. One of the most important functions of the Center is to find, protect, conserve and generate genetic resources, "said Levan Ujmajuridze.

It should be noted that the genetic material of the plant in Georgia is stored in different state agencies, non-governmental organizations and private companies as well it is preserved in gene banks of different countries. Nowadays there is no single central base of data in the direction of genetic resources and the body that will coordinate and assist existing organizations working on genetic resources.

The working group at the meeting held in the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture decided to create a national gene and work on the coordinating body in this direction.