Our member organisations
Our objectives
The diversity of crops and livestock represents our live cultural heritage. It does not only assure the fundament of humanity’s food supply, but also the ecological equilibrium of our cultural landscapes.
Due mainly to the uniformity of industrial agriculture, this agrobiodiversity, as well as the knowledge and skills required for its maintenance and use, have largely been lost.
The umbrella organisation for crop and livestock diversity aims to counteract the progressive loss of biodiversity in agriculture.
Crop varieties and livestock breeds need to be conserved and used in the context of agriculture and home gardens. Gene banks only constitute a useful backup system in case of emergencies, as they do not allow for the continuous adaptation of plants and animals to climatic changes and to pests and diseases present in our gardens, fields, pastures and meadows.
Accordingly, the knowledge and skills needed to cultivate these crop varieties and rear these animal breeds, to take advantage of their special properties and to handle their products correctly can only be maintained and shared by practical experience.
Our mission
The umbrella organisation was created at the end of 2009 by non-governmental organizations active at national and regional levels. By using the umbrella organization as a common platform, the member organisations aim at uniting their forces and improve the framework for their conservation activities.
The member organisations cooperate by sharing technical knowledge and experience relevant to their conservation work, in the areas of public relations and education, as well as fundraising and realisation of projects. They jointly represent their interests vis-à-vis policy decision makers. Pertinent issues are discussed at workshops and symposia.
Member organisations are active in German-speaking countries at the national as well as the regional level. Individuals can also support the work of the umbrella organization by affiliating as member, making a donation or by active participation. The umbrella organization is of common public interest and has been granted charity status.
Our description of cultivated plant diversity
22 March 2023 A year of discussions has led to our two page description of cultivated plant diversity
Our English publications
6 May 2024 Press Release Cultivation of agricultural biodiversity still under legal threat EU Parliament voted on controversial seed law reform
December 2023 Reform of the Seed Marketing Law. An Assessment of the EU Commission proposal from the perspective of on-farm conservation
6. July 2023 Conservation of agricultural plant diversity faces massive cuts
Umbrella association calls for effective exceptions for biodiversity in EU seed legislation. Press release in reaction to the proposal of the EU Commission for a new seed legislation
27 March 2022 Contribution to the EU consultation on the seed law reform: two-page attachment at the end of the questionnaire.
25 November 2021 Letter to the EU Commission regarding Evaluation of Article 79 (Plant Passport) of the Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031 / EU
1 October 2021 Petition to EU Commission on Plant Health: Making seed savers register could slash the saving of seeds
6 May 2021 Reply of the Umbrella Organisation to the EU Evaluation questionnaire re Plant Health Regulation
25 April 2020 Press Release : Pandemic regulations must equate agricultural biodiversity with food
6 May 2013 Press Release: Seeds that can be saved are disappearing from the market
16 July 2012 Press release: European Court of Justice confirms sales hurdles for plant biodiversity