INTRODUCTION

Society faces major challenges with climate change, biodiversity loss, development of bioeconomy and an agenda that requires new plant-based solutions. Genetic resources are the biological basis that will help us ensure future climate-smart solutions, resilience in our ecosystems and secure competitiveness in the Nordic countries. In 2021, we have noticed an increasing demand for our knowledge, services and not least seeds from the genebank.

Biological and genetic diversity is one of the fundamental elements in the work for a sustainable future. Climate change is currently happening faster than nature’s ability to adapt, that is why our mission is more important than ever. Genetic diversity is a prerequisite for sustainable food production and for achieving several of the global sustainability goals.

Specifically, our task means that we handle a genebank with around 33,000 different seed samples that must be constantly analyzed, tested, propagated and distributed to researchers and plant breeders. We make conservation plans for the endangered livestock breeds and work for genetically strong and resilient forests. We participate in countless projects and networks related to genetic resources at both Nordic, European and international levels, and we bring together industry professionals in the Nordic countries.

The Nordic Council of Ministers' vision of a green, competitive and socially sustainable Nordic region is thus high on NordGen's agenda.

The year 2021 has been strongly marked by the Covid-19 pandemic's influence on the work of NordGen. NordGen's management chose to maintain restrictions when necessary. The work of conserving the genebank's material and the distribution of seeds has worked almost normally, whereas, the pandemic made other operations more difficult. Nevertheless, the continued usage of online webinars and similar digital solutions have been very useful and the experiences from the pandemic has shown that our crisis management is working and that NordGen staff has made an extraordinary effort that allowed us to continue the operations nearly as usual.

NordGen is in the middle of its strategic period 2020-2022, and in 2021, continuing efforts with conservation activities was emphasized with a high fulfillment of strategic goals. Special attention has been paid on the project "No regeneration backlog by 2024" and the safety back-up facility in Denmark. The year 2021 also accelerated the work with utilization of the genetic resources within documentation, characterization and evaluation of the genetic resources. 
   

In 2021, the construction of NordGen's new main building and knowledge center began – a house that is better adapted to a genebank's operations. The new building will be of great importance for the general operations and have a positive impact on the work environment. This building will have a Nordic expression that fits NordGen's high sustainability goals – a wooden building including features such as sedum roof promoting local biodiversity and solar panels for more sustainable energy production. The relocation is supported by the Swedish Ministry of Trade and Industry.