Genesys Strategy 2023-2025

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

Our core philosophy is simple: we want to help genebanks. We recognize that Genesys cannot exist without a steady flow of high-quality data from genebanks. By supporting them and ensuring their needs are met, we can continue to improve the utility and usability of Genesys for everyone.

Download the 2023-2025 Genesys Strategy

Download the 2023-2025 Genesys Strategy.

How we work with genebanks

We've learned that all our partnerships with genebanks are different. However, whether we're working with a large international center or a small national collection, our approach is always to build trust and shared value.

Over the years, we've identified the key characteristics that make a partnership with a genebank thrive, as well as the challenges that can make them difficult.

What makes a partnership strong	What can undermine a partnership
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 complex organizational hierarchies.
Partners prioritize sharing data for their own benefit.	"Short-termism" and limiting engagement to funded projects.
Institutional priorities include Genesys (e.g., for annual reporting).	A lack of awareness about the benefits of Genesys.
A cultural match and joint understanding of the benefit of sharing PGRFA data.	Concern about losing ownership of data.
	Lack of resources or outdated technology.

Our guiding principles for new genebank partnerships

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

• Sharing success stories: We ask our existing partners to share their positive experiences.
• Active engagement: We use workshops and conferences (such as those with 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 help genebanks develop concept notes for funding, including by engaging consultants.
• Institutional outreach: We establish partnerships at multiple institutional levels, e.g., with ministries, regional bodies and organizations such as the African Union.
• Community integration: We engage with regional PGRFA networks and Communities of Practice.
• Collaborative entry points: We use FAO and ECPGR national focal points to connect with national genebanks.

Analyzing our position (SWOT)

To ensure The Genesys 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 collections globally.
• User experience: An attractive interface that helps raise data standards.
• Recognition: Widely recognized as a key aggregator and an important part of GLIS.
• Ecosystem: Strong connections and complementarity with other players, e.g., FAO, ECPGR, and 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 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 phenotypic, genotypic, 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, e.g., BrAPI and MIAPPE.
• Innovation: Developing new functionalities, such as environment matches and probability maps.
• Advanced analytics: Using genotypic data to identify potential collection duplicates.
• Connectivity: Linking to tools that visualize PGRFA data and connecting to user communities like Excellence in Breeding 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

Our strategy is built around serving three pillars: our Data Providers, the platform itself, and its users.

Pillar 1: Supporting 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 (e.g., using 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 records.
  • Higher participation rate of WIEWS-listed genebanks in Genesys.
  • Consistent annual data 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., 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 (e.g., 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 data users

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

• Key activities:
  • Strengthen connections with the breeding community and research institutions (e.g., Excellence in Breeding and Breeding Insight).
  • Invite policymakers, genebank 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 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.