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The International Scientific Conference "Plant Genetic Resources: Opportunities and Challenges" opened in Tbilisi

About 150 scientists and researchers from 14 countries of the world are attending the international conference, which in terms of sections covers such areas as management and use of plant genetic resources for sustainable agriculture, conservation and services of genetic resources of wild flora, climate change and biodiversity.

The conference was opened by Levan Ujmajuridze, Director of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture. Deputy Ministers of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georiga, Iuri Nozadze and Solomon Pavliashvili attended the conference. Iuri Nozadze addressed the participants with a welcome speech and emphasized that the conservation of genetic resources is of particular importance for the reintroduction of species or varieties that have disappeared in nature.

"Preservation of agro-biodiversity and ecosystems, sustainable use of natural resources, adaptation to climate change and other activities are one of the important directions of the action plan of the strategy of agriculture and rural development of Georgia for the latest years and it envisages the maximum involvement of state institutions in these activities", - said Iuri Nozadze.

The participants of the international conference were addressed by the leaders and representatives of the Agrarian Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, the Caucasus Regional Environmental Center (REC), the National and Agricultural Academy of Georgia, the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia, universities and farmers' unions.

"The international conference serves to analyze the current state of plant genetic resources, to exchange and share the results of research carried out at the local and international level for its preservation and protection, as well as future perspectives," said Levan Ujmajuridze, Director of the Scientific- Research Center of Agriculture, while giving a speech.

The international conference allows local and international scientists and researchers to present the results of the conducted research on various methods of conservation of plant genetic resources and to discuss the perspectives of their sustainable use.

The international conference, which is organized by the Scientific-Research Center of the Agriculture and with the financial support of the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia, opened on May 22 and will continue until May 24. After the two-day plenary sessions and thematic sessions, the conference participants visit the experimental-demonstration bases of Jighaura and Tsilkani, the genetic bank of seed and scientific-research spaces.