What Global Crop Diversity Trust does

The Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust) is a non-profit international organization headquartered in Bonn, Germany, established in October 2004 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Bioversity International on behalf of CGIAR. It is the recognized financing mechanism of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and operates as the only organization globally dedicated solely to conserving crop diversity in genebanks. The organization supports an international network of genebanks, manages information platforms such as Genesys (the world's largest online portal for crop diversity information) and the Global Genebank Collaboration and Exchange (GGCE) system, and co-manages the Svalbard Global Seed Vault with the Norwegian government and NordGen as a global backup for seed collections.

The Crop Trust's core assets are programmatic and capital rather than commercial. Its primary financing instrument is the Crop Diversity Endowment Fund, with a market value of USD 357 million as of December 31, 2024 and a stated target of USD 850 million to permanently secure global crop diversity. The organization funds operations through endowment investment returns (USD 18.2 million drawn in 2024), government and foundation donations (USD 37.7 million in new contributions in 2024), and project-based grants such as BOLD (a 10-year Norway-funded initiative supporting 15 national genebanks), the Power of Diversity Funding Facility, Seeds for Resilience, the Crop Wild Relatives project, and the Emergency Reserve for Genebanks launched with the International Plant Treaty.

Operationally, the Crop Trust engages four primary counterparties: international and national genebanks (which receive long-term partnership agreements and operational funding), plant breeders and researchers (who access genetic material through the Multilateral System covering 64 major crops and 154 contracting parties), farmers (end beneficiaries of climate-adapted varieties), and governments and policymakers. Revenue is non-commercial; the pricing model is grant and endowment-based, with major donors including Germany, the United States, Norway, Australia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, India, the Netherlands, Korea, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and multilateral development banks such as KfW. The organization has a small staff (11-50 employees) and is governed by an Executive Board including representatives appointed by the International Plant Treaty's Governing Body.

Name

Global Crop Diversity Trust

Legal name

Global Crop Diversity Trust

Website

https://croptrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Global Crop Diversity Trust is a non-profit international organization based in Bonn that conserves crop diversity through a global genebank network, an endowment fund, and co-management of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It serves genebanks, breeders, researchers, and policymakers under the International Plant Treaty framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation

akta.pro primary industry

Seed Collection, Processing & Storage (Provenance/Genetics) (AFAMACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Seed Quality Testing & Certification Support (Germination, Purity, Vigor) (AFAOADAK)

Keywords

• Crop diversity conservation
• Genebank operations
• Seed vault management
• Plant genetic resources
• Agricultural biodiversity

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The Crop Trust receives donations from governments, civil society (foundations), the private sector, farmers' organizations, and individuals. Donors have pledged more than USD 297 million to support the Crop Trust's work. Major government donors include Germany, United States, Norway, Australia, United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, India, Netherlands, and Korea.
2. Endowment Fund Investment Returns: The Crop Trust's endowment fund generates investment returns that are used to fund genebank operations. The market value of the endowment was USD 357 million as of December 31, 2024. In 2024, USD 18.2 million was withdrawn from investment returns. The organization aims to grow the endowment to USD 850 million.
3. Project-Based Funding: Time-limited project funding for specific initiatives such as the BOLD Project, Power of Diversity Funding Facility, Seeds for Resilience, Crop Wild Relatives project, and others. Examples include EUR 10 million from Germany through KfW and EUR 2 million from Ireland for the Power of Diversity Funding Facility.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust) is a non-profit international organization that safeguards crop diversity by supporting a global system of genebanks. Its core offerings include the Crop Diversity Endowment Fund (the recognized financing mechanism of the International Plant Treaty), co-management of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault as a global seed backup facility, and information systems like Genesys and GGCE. The organization funds long-term genebank operations, conservation projects (BOLD, Seeds for Resilience, Crop Wild Relatives, Power of Diversity), and capacity-building programs.

Product overview

The Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust) operates as a platform organization offering multiple interconnected programs and projects focused on conserving and making crop diversity available globally. The core offerings include the Crop Diversity Endowment Fund (the primary financing mechanism for the International Plant Treaty), the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (a global backup facility in the Arctic), and information systems like Genesys and GGCE. These are supported by major projects including BOLD (a 10-year initiative supporting 15 national genebanks), Seeds for Resilience (supporting African national genebanks), the Power of Diversity Funding Facility (focused on opportunity crops), and the Crop Wild Relatives Project. Additional services include the Emergency Reserve for Genebanks, Genebank Academy (capacity building), GROW webinars, and outreach initiatives like Food Forever and Crops in Color. The organization also manages the Future Leaders in Crop Diversity fellowship program and, as of 2024, launched the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security in partnership with major development organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crop Diversity Endowment Fund
• Svalbard Global Seed Vault
• Genesys Information System
• GGCE (Global Genebank Collaboration and Exchange)

Quantifiable outcome

• USD 18.2 million distributed in 2024 from endowment fund returns to support genebank operations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CGIAR System OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Crop Trust entered into a five-year collaborative agreement (later extended) to manage and sustain 11 of the world's international crop collections held by CGIAR centers.
• Norwegian GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The Norwegian Ministry of Food and Agriculture partnered with the Crop Trust and Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen) to establish the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in 2008. The vault serves as a global backup facility for the world's seed collections.
• Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008NordGen co-manages the Svalbard Global Seed Vault with the Norwegian government and Crop Trust.
• International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Crop Trust is recognized as an essential element of the funding strategy of the International Plant Treaty. The relationship agreement established four seats on the Crop Trust's Executive Board for Treaty-appointed members.
• Rural Development Administration (South Korea)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement signed in 2008 designating the RDA Global Seed Vault as Asia's first official preservation center for vegetable seeds. The vault currently safeguards 336,872 types of vegetable seeds.
• World Vegetable Center (Taiwan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in vegetable seed preservation, deposited seeds in the South Korea RDA Global Seed Vault.
• U.S. Department of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) initiative launched in 2023. The Crop Trust is a VACS Champion and member of the VACS Implementer's Group.
• African UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of VACS initiative along with U.S. Department of State and FAO.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO co-established the Crop Trust in 2004 with Bioversity International on behalf of CGIAR. Also a founding partner of VACS.
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of VACS Implementer's Group and partner in the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security.
• CGIARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBioversity International co-established the Crop Trust on behalf of CGIAR. CGIAR maintains a non-voting representative on the Executive Board.
• International Potato Center (CIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on release of disease-resistant potato CIP-Matilde in Peru. CIP is one of the 11 international genebanks supported by Crop Trust.
• International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped drought-tolerant durum wheat 'Jabal' with Crop Trust support, released in Morocco in 2022. Retrieved seeds from Svalbard vault to rebuild collections after conflict disruption.
• Rhodes CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2012, Rhodes College has offered the Steve and Riea Lainoff Crop Trust Fellowship in honor of alumnus Cary Fowler, providing opportunities for recent graduates to engage with Crop Trust work.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT: The Alliance operates international agricultural research and conservation programs, including genebanks and crop-diversity work. It is a close operating peer because it partners with the Crop Trust and directly manages bean, forage, and other genetic-resource collections.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): IRRI maintains and conserves rice genetic resources and operates a major international genebank. Its long-term partnership with the Crop Trust makes it a direct operational and financing-model peer.
• International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA): ICARDA is a CGIAR research center with crop genebank and seed-conservation activities. It is directly comparable and has used Svalbard backup to restore collections after conflict disruption.
• International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA): IITA is a CGIAR center with major crop collections, conservation, and breeding programs. The Crop Trust's long-term partnership with IITA makes it a close peer in financing and operating international genebanks.
• International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT): CIMMYT operates international maize and wheat collections, breeding, and conservation programs. It is a direct peer in crop genetic-resource preservation and use for climate-resilient crop development.
• International Potato Center (CIP): CIP is a CGIAR center focused on potato and sweetpotato genetic resources, genebank conservation, and breeding. Its collaboration with the Crop Trust on disease-resistant potato illustrates the same conservation-to-breeding model.
• World Vegetable Center: World Vegetable Center maintains vegetable germplasm collections and works on crop improvement. It is a direct peer in conserving and using vegetable genetic diversity, although its remit is more crop-specialized.

Broad incumbents

• CGIAR: CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership whose centers operate major international genebanks and crop-improvement programs. It is broader than the Crop Trust but directly comparable in global crop conservation, research, and genebank support.
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Kew operates the Millennium Seed Bank and global plant-conservation programs. It is a broad institutional peer in long-term seed conservation and biodiversity data, but its remit extends beyond crop diversity and food-security infrastructure.

Regional players

• NordGen: NordGen is a Nordic genetic-resource center that conserves plant and forest genetic material and co-manages the Svalbard Global Seed Vault with the Crop Trust and Norway. It is a regional peer in seed storage, documentation, and germplasm exchange.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CropTrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CropTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/globalcropdiversitytrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/779424
• Instagraminstagram.com/croptrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Crop Diversity Trust