66 / SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2017 illegal seed practices and publish a statement of principles of best practice. “We have to raise the bar,” Keller says. “It’s impor- tant for us to increase awareness with governments that it’s a problem — the scale of the problem is not the issue, it’s the fact that the problem exists at all. We also need to be more proactive in explaining the importance of certified seed.” Priority #2: Biodiversity Other points of uncertainty include war and climate change. The war in Syria jeopardized the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas’ (ICARDA) seed bank in Aleppo. ICARDA’s collection is especially valuable because it includes seeds from the Fertile Crescent, which spans parts of North Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus and west Asia. Additionally, it houses many wild relatives of modern crops such as wheat, barley, lentils and grass pea. Now ICARDA’s seed bank in Aleppo is completely inaccessible, but fortunately, nearly all the seeds in ICARDA’s bank were duplicated and sent to other banks, including the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway — a site Keller and Gouache visited in February. “Instances such as this show how incredibly impor- tant it is to conserve plant genetic resources,” Gouache says. “Both in situ and ex situ conservation is impor- tant. Because the crops we rely on for food are grown in parts of the world, distant to the centers of their domestication, the sharing of genetic material across national borders for research and plant breeding is essential. “To ensure that these collections of plant genetic resources are preserved for future generations, we need the support of governments and the private seed sector around the world.” As such, in 2016, ISF led the way with a finan- cial contribution that was split between the Crop Trust and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Keller says he expects the International Treaty’s governing body to make a decision this fall regarding access- and benefit-sharing. “This decision needs to take into account the busi- ness environment,” he says. “If fees are unrealistic and the process is burdensome, then people won’t use it. It’s as simple as that. “If you think about it only in terms of money, then you’re thinking about it in the wrong way. We need to be really clear that the International Treaty is vital. It’s about genetic resources, diversity and climate change. It’s a key topic for the industry, and we are heavily engaged in discussions around the International Treaty.” Priority #3: Engagement As scientists and plant breeders around the world work to improve productivity and create new varieties that can better withstand today’s stressors and those anticipated in the future, the tools and methods they have at their disposal are advancing. “Science is moving fast,” Gouache says. “CRISPR/ Cas9 was one of the buzz words in 2016. But the big question is ‘will plant breeders be able to use it?’” Both Keller and Gouache agree that plant breeding innovation is one of, if not the most, important issue ahead of ISF and the seed industry, and engagement and outreach are a huge part of the equation. Keller says this means engagement among national and regional seed associations, governments and non-governmental organizations, as well as out- reach to the general public. “One of our biggest priorities at hand is commu- nication,” Keller says. “We’re investing more time and more energy in making sure that communication is at the top of our agenda. As communication is intrinsic to what we do, it is essential that we as an industry tune into the changes out there. “Today, the whole environment we are working in has changed. The communication landscape has shifted. Not only are we engaging more broadly with a multitude of stakeholder groups, but we are also adopting a more agile approach to communications.” To support these efforts, communications man- ager, Jennifer Clowes has collaborated with ISF mem- bers and partners to develop a set of communication tools to amplify and unify industry voices around the plant breeding innovation conversation. In parallel with this, ISF has revitalized its social media presence. “Absence is no longer an option,” Keller says. “In this fast-changing world, we need to be responsive and we need to be open to proactively engage with both our followers and detractors on social media.” Being proactive is something Keller says the entire industry needs to work on. “The international seed industry is changing: new challenges are emerging, and it’s even more critical that we tackle them together,” Keller says. “The other side of the coin is that challenges can also be oppor- tunities: chances to explore new areas for growth and to try different ways of doing things. It’s critical to keep your eye on the ball to remain relevant in these turbulent times — just don’t stand still is my advice. “What we do is very dynamic. What we do con- tributes to finding solutions to global challenges — climate change, health and nutrition, and food secu- rity. But we cannot do it alone. With ongoing engage- ment with partners and stakeholders to address these challenges, we are working toward a world where quality seed is accessible to all.” SW “What we do is very dynamic. What we do contributes to finding solutions to global challenges — climate change, health and nutrition, and food security. But we cannot do it alone.” — Michael Keller