In 2011, the intergovernmental Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) highlighted the need to pay greater attention to those crops that are essential for food security and on-farm management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA). The Commission therefore requested the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to elaborate on the means and opportunities for establishing a global network for in situ conservation and on-farm management of PGRFA. Whereas in situ conservation of wild plants and crop wild relatives (CWR) refers to protection of these in their natural habitat, on-farm management of PGRFA is concerned with the use and maintenance of local crops and varieties grown in home gardens and agricultural systems. These are complementary approaches to the conservation and sustainable management of crops and plant varieties. In order to respond to the request, a consultation process has been initiated by FAO, taking into consideration the different methodology, targets and stakeholders involved in the two approaches. As part of the consultation process, this global survey focuses specifically on on-farm management of PGRFA, targeting policy-makers and practitioners in the field.

The survey has been developed together with Wageningen University and Research Centre, Centre for Development Innovation (WUR-CDI), and in collaboration with other key partners, including Bioversity International, the Centre for Learning on sustainable agriculture (ILEIA), and the Secretariats of the CGRFA and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The purpose of the survey is to engage with relevant stakeholders working in the area of on-farm management, to provide an overview of relevant activities at global, regional and national levels, and to identify demands and mechanisms for on-farm management. The survey is expected to provide key inputs for the organization of a technical workshop on possible options and objectives, ways and means for establishing a global network for in situ conservation and on-farm management of PGRFA.

It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete the survey. Your answers will be anonymous, and they will only be used for the purpose described above. In order to progress through the set of questions, please use the following navigation links:

• Click the Next >> button to continue to the next page.
• Click the Previous >> button to return to the previous page.
• Click the Exit the Survey Early >> button if you need to exit the survey.
• Click the Submit >> button to submit your survey.

The survey is available in three languages: English, French and Spanish, accessible online through www.fao.org/agriculture/seed. We encourage you to share the link to this webpage with other people in your network, to increase the participation in the survey.

If you have any questions concerning the survey, please contact us at PGRFA@fao.org

We thank you for taking the time to complete this survey, and for sharing it with your network. Your feedback is very important to us!