Special Message from the Director General, Dr Emile Frison

I am pleased to inform you that the Board of Trustees of the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) has recently selected and approved a new name for the organization - "Bioversity International" or "Bioversity" for short.

Bioversity International echoes our new strategy, which focuses on improving people’s lives through biodiversity research. The new name will take effect from 1st December 2006.

IPGRI’s agenda has evolved over the past 10 years. At the end of 2004, IPGRI developed a new strategy entitled 'Diversity for Well-being: Making the Most of Agricultural Biodiversity'. IPGRI then decided to review ways to better reflect its focus and work through its branding, which includes a name change.

In particular, IPGRI’s new strategy recognizes the following changes:

• IPGRI no longer focuses just on plants but on biodiversity that can benefit people. IPGRI will continue to have its core strengths in plants but will apply its skills and knowledge to a broader range of biodiversity for improving people’s well-being.
• Our new strategy focuses on people and their livelihoods rather than on genetic resources per se. The paradigm has shifted from one in which our success is measured by the achievement of conservation targets to one where impact on people’s well-being is the yard-stick.
• IPGRI has moved from a focus on ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources to a wider agenda including the use of biodiversity to improve livelihoods. 
• IPGRI has taken a stronger international role in supporting decisions and policies that impact on better conservation and use of biodiversity. 

I would like to thank many of our donors, partners and colleagues who contributed towards the surveys we conducted over the last year. The surveys were an important input into how IPGRI can better portray its strategic focus.

I look forward to our new focus having a positive impact and leading to new opportunities to improve the lives of people around the world.

Yours sincerely

Emile Frison

New strategy: http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/Publications/1066/new%20strategy.pdf