ICRISAT's first priority is to act as the world repository for the genetic resources of our mandate crops. The Institute's genebank at Patancheru contains over 120 000 accessions from 130 countries. This genetic endowment provides breeders with the raw material from which they can develop new varieties. For example, local landraces adapted to specific environments, disease-resistant wild and cultivated species, are genetic materials that possess genes controlling desirable traits.

Hence such a large and diverse germplasm collection offers almost limitless sources of genes to breeders. This collection was built up through joint NARS-ICRISAT collection missions -- over 200 collection missions conducted in 62 countries -- and by donations from national genebanks and other organizations. The vast genetic pool of traditional landraces and their wild relatives was systematically explored and cataloged; little-known varieties were evaluated for yield, disease resistance, and other characteristics; and seeds preserved in genebanks at NARS stations and at ICRISAT’s global headquarters in India and at its experimental stations in Africa.

Simultaneously, ICRISAT helped train national scientists and technicians on germplasm collection, characterization, conservation, and enhancement techniques. These efforts have helped lay the foundation for breeding programs in several countries. Equally important, they have helped document and protect the global germplasm base for future work.