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Second National GenBank
Context:
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, during a post-budget webinar conducted via video conferencing, announced the establishment of a Gene Bank to conserve India’s genetic resources.
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- This initiative is a crucial step toward ensuring genetic diversity and food security for future generations.
- The webinar served as a platform for collaboration among government, industry, academia, and citizens, encouraging discussions to translate key Budget announcements into actionable outcomes.
- The key themes of the webinar—Investing in People, the Economy, and Innovation—highlight the nation’s strategic priorities.
Role of Gene Banks in Biodiversity Conservation
- Repository: A gene bank is a repository designed to store genetic material, including seeds, pollen, and tissue samples, collected from various plant species.
- These repositories play a vital role in preventing extinction and preserving essential crop varieties for future generations.
- First Bank: India’s first National GenBank was established in 1996 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR) in New Delhi.
- Operating through 12 regional stations across the country, this bank is responsible for collecting and storing essential crop germplasms—genetic materials critical for research, conservation, and crop breeding.
- As of January 15, 2025, the National GenBank holds approximately 0.47 million accessions (plant materials stored for breeding), as per the ICAR-NBPGR database. These accessions include:
- Cereals: 0.17 million accessions
- Millets: Over 60,600 accessions
- Legumes: Over 69,200 accessions
- Oilseeds: More than 63,500 accessions
- Vegetables: Nearly 30,000 accessions
Establishment of the Second National GenBank
- In the 2025-26 Budget, the Ministry of Finance announced the establishment of a second National GenBank, reinforcing India’s commitment to safeguarding its agricultural biodiversity.
- This new facility will accommodate 1 million germplasm lines, providing critical conservation support for both public and private sectors engaged in genetic resource management.
- India is recognised as a biodiversity-rich country, boasting over 811 cultivated crop species and 902 crop wild relatives.
- The nation plays a pivotal role in preserving Plant Genetic Resources (PGR), which are vital for agricultural resilience, food security, and addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
- The existing National GenBank, managed by ICAR-NBPGR, conserves more than 4.7 lakh accessions and contributes significantly to global PGR conservation through partnerships with researchers, breeders, and scientists worldwide.
Global Leadership in Biodiversity Conservation
- The establishment of the second National GenBank will bolster India’s position as a global leader in biodiversity conservation.
- This initiative will not only safeguard the count`ry’s invaluable plant genetic resources but also support international biodiversity efforts, particularly benefiting countries in the SAARC and BRICS regions that lack well-developed PGR networks.
Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability and Food Security
- Given the mounting threats posed by climate change, natural disasters, and geopolitical challenges, the security of genetic diversity has become increasingly vulnerable.
- The creation of a safety duplicate GenBank is essential in securing India’s irreplaceable germplasm.
- This redundancy structure will serve as a protective measure, ensuring the long-term sustainability of agricultural biodiversity and enhancing global food security.
