Indicator 2.5.1 Number of plant and animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities

Cumulative Enrichment Index of plant genetic resources in the UK

The Enrichment Index is a proxy measure of genetic diversity based upon the assumption that genetic diversity increases (to a greater or lesser extent) with originality of accessions, which is estimated based on - the number of species collected;  the number of accessions collected; the number of countries collected from; and the area from which collection took place.

United Kingdom

Cumulative Enrichment Index (CEI)

The conservation of plant and animal genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) in medium or long term conservation facilities (ex situ in gene banks) represents the most trusted means of conserving genetic resources worldwide. Plant and animal GRFA conserved in these facilities can be easily used in breeding programmes as well, even directly on-farm. The measure of trends in ex situ conserved materials provides an overall assessment of the extent to which we are managing to maintain and/or increase the total genetic diversity available for future use and thus protected from any permanent loss of genetic diversity which may occur in the natural habitat, i.e. in situ, or on-farm. The two components of the indicator, plant and animal GRFA, are separately counted. Plant genetic resources - The plant component is calculated as the number of accessions of plant genetic resources secured in conservation facilities under medium or long term conditions, where an ‘accession’ is defined as a distinct sample of seeds, planting materials or plants which is maintained in a gene bank. Gene bank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture set the benchmark for current scientific and technical best practices for conserving plant genetic resources, and support key international policy instruments for the conservation and use of plant genetic resources. These voluntary standards have been endorsed by the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture at its Fourteenth Regular Session. Animal genetic resources - The animal component is calculated as the number of local breeds stored within a gene bank collection with an amount of genetic material stored which is required to reconstitute the breed (based on the Guidelines on Cryoconservation of Animal Genetic Resources, FAO, 2012, accessible here). The guidelines have been endorsed by the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture at its Thirteenth Regular Session.

This indicator is being used as an approximation of the UN SDG Indicator. Where possible, we will work to identify or develop UK data to meet the global indicator specification. This indicator has been identified in collaboration with topic experts.