The National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Bhutan, is currently hosting two genebank officials, Dr. Cesar Guillermo Tapia and Ms. Ana Mireya Flores Ludena, from the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIAP), Ecuador, for a Peer-to-Peer Genebank Review and Audit of the Genebank Quality Management System from 1–6 November 2026.
The ongoing visit is being conducted under the Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods and Development (BOLD) Project – Work Package I: Genebank capacity and resource development, supported by the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust).
The review and audit are currently underway, with the visiting experts working closely with the Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) team of NBC to assess the operational workflows and quality management practices of the Bhutan National Plant Genebank.
The key objectives of the ongoing assessment are to:
- Review critical genebank operational workflows and practices.
- Evaluate and harmonize Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in line with FAO and international genebank standards.
- Identify existing good practices and areas requiring further improvement.
- Provide practical recommendations to strengthen the Genebank Quality Management System (QMS).
Through this ongoing peer-to-peer engagement, NBC aims to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of genebank operations while promoting technical exchange, institutional learning and knowledge sharing between the two National Genebanks. The initiative contributes to strengthening Bhutan’s capacity for the long-term conservation and sustainable management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
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