Aligning biodiversity conservation goals with sustainable agriculture fosters resilient food systems while preserving the integrity of agroecological landscapes. To achieve this, it is imperative that the food and agriculture sector integrate its practices with global biodiversity conservation goals by actively contributing to enhancing, preserving, and restoring biodiversity. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) provides a key pathway to achieve this through its comprehensive agriculture-related targets.

The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) is the only permanent intergovernmental body focused on conserving all types of biological diversity for food and agriculture. The Commission, which consists of 179 Member States and the European Union, aims to promote international policies for the sustainable use and conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture, while also ensuring that benefits derived from biodiversity are fairly and equitably shared. The CGRFA meets regularly to address policies on genetic resources for food and agriculture.

CGRFA convened for its twentieth session to review guidance from the Ad Hoc Expert Team on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, which held its first meeting in July 2024, focusing on the CGRFA’s role in meeting biodiversity commitments, including the implementation of the GBF.

The session also discussed the implementation of the Framework for Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, and the preparation of the Second Report on the State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture. CGRFA 20 also discussed the implementation of several global plans of action, and State of the World reports on aquatic, animal, plant, and forest genetic resources. On the newly endorsed subject on microorganisms and invertebrate genetic resources (MIGR), the session reviewed recommendations of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on MIGR established at the last session, regarding the use and relevance of microorganisms in food and agriculture.

Cross-sectoral matters on the agenda included the role of genetic resources for food and agriculture in climate change mitigation and adaptation, access and benefit-sharing, and digital sequence information. The session further discussed options for identification of new and emerging issues, and cooperation with international instruments and organizations.

The twentieth session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 24 to 28 March 2025.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers for this meeting were Wangu Mwangi; Daniel Bertram; Christina Fernandez; and Emma Vovk. The Digital Editor was Mike Muzurakis. The Editor was Pamela Chasek, Ph.D.