The Information and Coordination Center for Biological Diversity is committed to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in agriculture and food, in particular genetic resources.

The tasks of the IBV include:

• Technical supervision of national and international programs
• Collection, documentation and user-oriented central provision of data on the occurrence, characteristics and performance of genetic resources for food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries
• Participation in the analysis and evaluation of the development of agrobiodiversity in Germany
• Coordination of conservation activities and support of conservation networks Performing functions in national and international committees on behalf of the BMEL
• Public relations and information transfer

National specialist programmes, advice, coordination

We advise and support the BMEL within the framework of the national technical programs on genetic resources through coordination tasks.
We manage the offices for the accompanying specialist committees and prepare progress reports on genetic resources.

National inventories/databases

In cooperation with partners, we keep the national inventories of stocks and collections of genetic resources in Germany and offer them as searchable online databases XGRDEU. This includes the native animal breeds as well as the plant stocks in the gene banks or information on native tree and shrub species and native fish species. With the delivery of data from the national inventories, the IBV fulfills the international reporting obligations for the BMEL.

International cooperation

On the subject of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), we are involved in international and European processes on behalf of the BMEL. In the national implementation of the EU ABS Regulation, we assume the function of the BLE as the approval authority if genetic resources for food and agriculture are affected.
We participate in European cooperation programs on plant, animal and forest genetic resources.
We are a member or represent the BMEL in international organizations such as the FAO.
We take over the management of international projects for the BMEL.

Public relation

We conduct symposiums and other events on changing topics.
We publish a quarterly newsletter.
We create specialist and consumer-oriented publications, e.g. the red lists of endangered native animal breeds in Germany.
We are represented at trade fairs and exhibitions.
We run GENRES, the information system on genetic resources for agriculture and food with extensive information on the implementation of national specialist programs, databases, publications and a news service. The information system acts as a monitoring tool for national activities in the field of agrobiodiversity.

The tasks of the IBV relate to biological diversity and here in particular to genetic resources that are relevant for food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries. They include:

• Participation in the development and implementation of specialist programs
• 
  Secretarial duties for advisory and coordinating bodies
   
• Collection, documentation and user-oriented central provision of data on occurrence (ex situ and in situ), characteristics and performance properties of genetic resources for food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries
   
• Participation in the analysis and evaluation of the development of agrobiodiversity in Germany
   
• Coordination of conservation activities and support of conservation networks
   
• Performing functions in national and international committees on behalf of the BMEL
   
• Technical supervision of national and international programs
  public relations and information transfer
   
• Publication of information in the field of animal breeding law
  patent research
   
• Approval for the import of seeds and seedlings
   
• Project management of projects in cooperation with the FAO, the International Treaty and the Global Crop Diversity Trust
   
• Consent Authority for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in the National Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol