Governance

In the MoU dated 31 January 2023 between the CGIAR System Organization and the Crop Trust, the “Crop Trust agrees to take a lead role of developing and managing the genebanks’ information management system (GRIN-Global Community Edition), the online portal for accession data (Genesys) and online genebank-related knowledge resources and tools.” This provision entails the development and deployment of GGCE to assist the international genebanks of CGIAR and other genebanks in managing their individual data.

Background

Crop Trust recognized the need for genebank collection management software from its early days, and in 2008 initiated the development of GRIN-Global, a data management solution applicable to any genebank, in collaboration with Bioversity International and USDA. After a decade, in January 2019, the analysis of GRIN-Global Status at CGIAR Centers commissioned by CGIAR genebanks showed that only a few used GRIN-Global for managing their collections, and that most center genebanks continued using and developing their existing systems, primarily due to lack of key functionalities and the steep learning curve of GRIN-Global. In response, the Crop Trust proposed to CGIAR genebanks in December 2019 the development of GRIN-Global Community Edition (GGCE), an open-source software package extended from GRIN-Global, to elevate the level of information systems support to genebank staff and enhance data-driven management of genebank collections.

The Crop Trust's Genebank Information Systems Team started developing GGCE in March 2020. Since then, the Crop Trust has expanded the team, continuously improved GGCE based on feedback from partners, developed documentation, provided training and support for adoption of GGCE, and hosted services for CGIAR and other genebanks in their testing of the system. To ensure genebank needs are fully considered in the development of GGCE, and to ensure effective dissemination and support to a wide range of genebanks, the Crop Trust and the genebanks of CGIAR agreed to collaborate in enhancing GGCE functionalities. This Governance Framework aims to enable effective collaboration, communication, and workflows that support the development and adoption of GGCE.

Stakeholders

Figure below provides an overview of the stakeholders that contribute to the development, deployment, and operation of GGCE. They include an Advisory Group, and the technical teams at the Crop Trust, at CGIAR, and at individual genebanks.