Osijek, Croatia – On 19 September, ISF took part in the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) World Congress 2026 in Croatia, represented by ISF’s Legal Director on Intellectual Property & Genetic Resources, Dr. Lorelei Garagancea. In coordination with the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food (HAPIH) and the Global Crop and Diversity Trust, ISF participated in a study tour of Croatia’s national gene bank in Osijek as part of the Congress program.
The IFAJ Congress brings together agricultural journalists from around the world, giving organizations like ISF a valuable channel to reach journalists who write, produce and edit stories about the science and systems underpinning global food security. The gene bank study tour gave journalists a firsthand look at how genetic resources are collected, conserved and made available for plant breeding, work that depends heavily on effective collaboration between public institutions and private sector partners.
Lorelei also delivered a short presentation on the importance of public-private collaboration in supporting genebanks worldwide, linking the conservation of plant genetic diversity to the seed industry’s ongoing work to support gene banks in different countries. The presentation underscored a message central to ISF’s advocacy: genebanks are a shared global resource, and their long-term sustainability depends on cross-sector cooperation.
Engaging directly with agricultural journalists supports ISF’s aim to broaden public understanding of the private seed sector’s role in safeguarding biodiversity and supporting resilient food systems.#
Learn more: ISF Genetic Resources Guide
