The conservation and sustainable utilization of agro-biodiversity are of particular importance at this time. The decline of crop yields induced by climate change and the constant population growth is increasing the demand for species adapted to the ever-changing environmental conditions. One solution is to expand the potential of gene banks and tap into their biodiverse resources. Even though many leading countries of the world have been employing those resources for years, Kazakhstan and other OIC countries are yet to join them.
E. Mr Askar Musinov, Deputy Secretary-General of OIC for Science and Technology, Mr Akhylbek Kurishbayev, Deputy of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ms Gulmira Isaeva, Chairman of the Board of the National Agrarian Research and Education Center NJSC (NASEC), H. E. Mr Yerlan Baidaulet, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), and a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan delivered their welcoming remarks and opened the discussions.
The conference participants discussed the current state of the conservation and reproduction of plant and animal genetic resources in Kazakhstan, as well as the activities of local genetic banks and scientific organizations. In addition, the agenda addressed the exchange of experience and best practices between the gene banks of the OIC countries, as well as the prospects of the creation of an International Center for the Conservation and Reproduction of Plant and Animal Genetic Resources (under the auspices of the OIC).
Following the conference, the participants reviewed and adopted the Resolutions of the conference, which would be sent to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H. E. Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev on behalf of the scientific community of Kazakhstan. The conference sparked new hope for Kazakhstani scientists who showed enthusiasm for the renewed government interest in the work of genetic banks. Many expressed their willingness to share their decades of experience in science to advance the establishment of an international genetic center and bring worldwide attention to the work of Kazakhstani scientists.
