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Genesys Strategy 2023-2025

Genesys serves as a friendly broker of information, bridging the gap between the genebanks that provide vital data and the breeders, researchers, and other users who rely on that information to safeguard and improve our food systems.

Our core philosophy is simple: we want to keep our partner genebanks happy. We recognize that Genesys cannot exist without the steady flow of data from these institutions. By supporting our partners and ensuring their needs are met, we can continue to improve the utility and usability of the platform for everyone.

Our goal for the next few years is to build upon our existing foundation, making the world's plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) more accessible and useful to the global community.

Download the 2023-2025 Genesys Strategy

Download the 2023-2025 Genesys Strategy.

How We Work with Our Partners​

We've learned that partnerships vary greatly depending on the size and nature of the genebank. Whether it's a large international center or a small national collection, our approach is always to build trust and shared value.

Through our experiences, we've identified the key characteristics that make a partnership thrive, as well as the challenges that can make them difficult.

What makes a partnership strongCommon challenges in partnerships
A shared vision of the benefits of collaboration.Genesys is perceived as redundant or a low priority.
A shared history through past projects and collaborations.High staff turnover or difficult organizational hierarchies.
Partners prioritize sharing data for their own benefit."Short-termism" where input is limited to funded projects.
Institutional priorities include Genesys (e.g., for annual reporting).A general lack of awareness about the benefits of Genesys.
A cultural match and joint understanding of the benefit of sharing PGRFA data.Fear of losing ownership of data.
Lack of resources or outdated technology.

Our Guiding Principles for New Partnerships​

To grow our network and attract new partners, we follow these strategic principles:

  • Sharing Success Stories: We ask our existing happy partners to share their positive experiences.
  • Active Engagement: We use workshops and conferences (such as those with IITA/AfricaRice or Alliance/CIMMYT) to raise awareness.
  • Strategic Funding: We work with donors to support national genebanks with capacity building and infrastructure, encouraging data sharing as a key deliverable.
  • Expert Support: We engage consultants to help genebanks develop concept notes for funding.
  • Institutional Outreach: We establish partnerships at the institutional level, such as through the African Union.
  • Community Integration: We engage with Regional PGRFA Networks (like CAPGERNET and SADC) and Communities of Practice.
  • Collaborative Entry Points: We use FAO/EURISCO national focal points to connect with genebanks.

Analyzing Our Position (SWOT)​

To ensure our strategy is grounded in reality, we regularly reflect on our internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as the external opportunities and threats we face.

Strengths​

  • Stability: Ten years of durable operation at the Crop Trust with secure funding.
  • Reach: Wide coverage and aggregation of global collections.
  • User Experience: An attractive interface that helps raise data standards.
  • Recognition: Widely recognized as a key aggregator and an important part of the ITPGRFA Global Information System (GLIS).
  • Ecosystem: Strong connections and complementarity with other players like the FAO, ECPGR, and the World Information and Early Warning System on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (FAO WIEWS).

Weaknesses​

  • Data Gaps: Lack of data from some critical genebanks.
  • Functional Limitations: Limited number of genebanks enable material requests directly via Genesys.
  • Perception: Some genebanks still have a negative view of the platform.
  • User Friction: Some genebank terminology can be overly technical and not user-friendly.
  • Data Depth: A heavy focus on passport data, while users increasingly want climate and environment datasets.
  • Language Barrier: The interface is currently available only in English.

Opportunities​

  • Expansion: Involving new genebanks and expanding our reach.
  • Standardization: Engaging with communities that set data standards, such as the Breeding API (BrAPI) project and MIAPPE.
  • Innovation: Developing new functionalities, such as climate/environment matches and probability maps.
  • Advanced Analytics: Using genotypic data to identify potential collection duplicates.
  • Connectivity: Linking to tools that visualize genetic resources data and connecting to user communities like EiB and Breeding Insight.

Threats​

  • Funding Risks: Potential resource limitations due to economic volatility or funding shifts.
  • Competition: Other data systems or institutional aggregators may emerge.
  • Skepticism: Institutions with their own public databases may not see the value of Genesys.
  • User Frustration: Incomplete data or lacking functionality could drive users away.

Our 2023-2025 Strategic Pillars​

We see Genesys as the essential interface between those who provide the data and those who use it. Our strategy is built around three pillars: our data providers, the platform itself, and our users.

Pillar 1: Supporting Our Data Providers​

Goal: Increase the availability and quality of data from genebanks.

  • Key Activities:
    • Source high-quality data from existing and new partners, focusing on national genebanks.
    • Relay user feedback to genebanks so they know what data is most in demand.
    • Expand reach through regional networks (e.g., SADC, CAPGERNET) via training and capacity building.
    • Work directly with curators to improve data completeness (using tools like the Passport Data Completeness Index - PDCI).
  • Success Indicators:
    • Increase in the number of partners advocating for Genesys.
    • More genebanks sharing data and a higher number of accessions and characterization and evaluation (C&E) records.
    • Higher participation rate of FAO WIEWS-listed genebanks in Genesys.
    • Consistent annual updates from partner genebanks.

Pillar 2: Enhancing the Genesys Platform​

Goal: Make data visible, accessible, and intuitive, ensuring partner genebanks receive proper recognition.

  • Key Activities:
    • Improve data presentation and analysis (e.g., exploring 3D visualizations).
    • Implement tools to identify and provide information about duplicates.
    • Explore the inclusion of health status information for accessions by expanding data exchange standards.
    • Translate the user interface into additional languages.
    • Represent the genebank community in standards-setting bodies (MIAPPE, BrAPI, MCPD).
  • Success Indicators:
    • Availability of new data visualizations.
    • Increase in the number of supported languages.
    • Delivery of new, requested functionalities.

Pillar 3: Engaging Our Data Users​

Goal: Increase the number of researchers and breeders who rely on Genesys.

  • Key Activities:
    • Strengthen connections with the breeding community and research institutions (e.g., EiB, Breeding Insight).
    • Invite curators and breeders to participate in our Advisory Committee meetings.
    • Tailor services for users interested in data analysis rather than just germplasm acquisition.
    • Co-develop new functionalities with actual users.
    • Document and promote real-world "use cases" of how Genesys helps research.
  • Success Indicators:
    • Increased number of registered users and material requests.
    • Higher visibility through workshops and professional forums.