What was the theme of the workshop?

The conservation of genetic resources and food security are issues addressed by both the Pontifical Academy and the Crop Trust. The focus of the workshop held in Rome in March was how modern technologies can be used to conserve and utilise crop diversity. Artificial intelligence, high-throughput sequencing, phenotyping and modern breeding methods are also key topics for the IPK. 

One thing is clear: technological innovations are needed to ensure productive, resilient and sustainable food systems in the face of climate change and numerous other global challenges.

The pressure to act is immense. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 673 million people were affected by hunger last year. That equates to almost ten per cent of the global population. The effects of the current war in Iran are already being felt. Disrupted supply chains, several Central Asian countries being cut off from maritime trade, a shortage of fertilisers, and the resulting rise in food prices are exacerbating the situation further. So, how can plant research contribute to the solution?

Our goal is to make genetic resources as accessible and efficient as possible. To achieve this, we need innovative solutions, and we want the IPK to pioneer new technologies. Specifically, we are transforming our Genebank into a Biodigital Resource Centre. 

The Catholic Church is not usually associated with innovation. So how have such issues come to be discussed in the Vatican? Who initiated this? 

That is an interesting point. This workshop is based on Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical ‘Laudato si’. In it, the former pope took a critical look at environmental destruction, the depletion of natural resources, and unsustainable lifestyles. Cardinal Peter Turkson, who is also chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, explicitly referenced this in his introduction to the workshop.   

Who attended the workshop?

In addition to representatives from the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Crop Trust, the host, those in attendance included representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Plant Treaty. Representatives from the CGIAR Centres and internationally recognised figures from the field of genetic resources research were also present. Chris-Carolin Schön from the Technical University of Munich, myself, and Joachim von Braun were the three representatives from Germany.

How did they get in touch with you?

I was invited directly by the Pontifical Academy and the Crop Trust. IPK has maintained a longstanding and collaborative partnership with the Crop Trust. Its director, Stefan Schmitz, has made several official visits to IPK over the years. 

You have undoubtedly been invited in your position as Director of the Genebank, which preserves significant genetic diversity through its collection of over 150,000 samples.

Yes, but this potential must also be harnessed. The treasure trove of the Genebank must therefore be fully exploited. From April onwards, the ‘Twin’ project, funded by the BMFTR, will aim to compile a comprehensive catalogue of the allelic diversity of domesticated barley at the IPK. This data will be made available to breeders and researchers and will form the basis of future research at the IPK. However, we fundamentally need such data and information for all crop plants.

What stands in the way?       

Technologically speaking, nothing.  But there is just a lack of awareness in some circles.  As the cornerstone of food security in Germany, we also need to be successful in increasing awareness of the significance of plant research. Consider personalised medicine, for example, and the associated research costs, in which Germany is already investing considerable sums. Since it affects our food supply and, consequently, the foundation of our existence, it is wise to invest in the full exploitation of the genetic resources of cultivated plants. I am therefore glad that I was able to present our research and ideas in Rome, and that the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, alongside the Crop Trust, is also taking an interest in this.   

While biodiversity and modern technologies offer great potential, there are also injustices, such as unequal access to these technologies and data, including digital sequence information. How has this issue been addressed?

 These discussions, of course, always touch on issues related to the North-South divide. The issue of sharing the benefits of using digital sequence information (DSI) has been under international discussion for years. For the first time, a system for implementing monetary access and benefit sharing (ABS) from the commercial use of DSI, including plant genetic resources, has been established with the Kunming Agreement and the Cali Fund.

At conferences and workshops, you usually meet colleagues, as well as the occasional breeder or politician. What was it like for you to be invited to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences? 

It was undoubtedly a very intriguing and unusual experience. We met at the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy, a villa on the Vatican grounds. Before the meeting, I had a chance to stroll around the grounds a little. It was a peaceful, idyllic spot right in the heart of bustling Rome. Inside the villa, there was a wealth of art, including paintings and busts of former popes. I gave an interview for the Crop Trust, standing next to a bust of Pope Benedict. So, it was nothing like an ordinary scientific conference.   

What happens next?

In the coming weeks, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Crop Trust intend to publish a position paper on the workshop’s findings.

Info: 

You can find short interviews with some participants here.

You can find the initial statement here.