Svalbard Global Seed Vault Deposit

The University of Córdoba (UCO) is a public higher education institution located in the city of Córdoba, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, founded in 1972. It offers a wide range of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in fields such as science, engineering, health sciences, social sciences and the humanities. It stands out particularly for its prestige in agri-food studies, veterinary sciences and environmental sciences, being a national and international reference in research in these fields. Its strong tradition in agri-food research, especially in the olive sector — one of the economic and cultural pillars of the Mediterranean — has been made possible thanks to research groups such as UCOLIVO, which is internationally pioneering in the characterisation and conservation of olive genetic resources, the genetic improvement of varieties and the optimisation of cultivation systems such as intensive and hedgerow olive groves. In the field of specialised training, UCO organises the Master’s Degree in Olive Growing and Olive Oil Technology, an officially recognised and accredited programme within the Spanish university system, delivered in collaboration with institutions such as the Regional Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of Andalusia, the CSIC, the IOC and IFAPA.

University of Córdoba (UCO)

The collection of the International Olive Germplasm Bank located at the University of Córdoba is managed by the CEVO Unit and the UCOLIVO research group. It is one of the world’s most important collections dedicated to conserving the genetic diversity of this crop. It houses more than 700 olive varieties from 26 countries, making it a key resource for research, breeding, adaptation to climate change and the preservation of the world’s olive heritage.

World Olive Germplasm Bank of the University of Córdoba (WOGB-UCO)

GEN4OLIVE was an innovation action funded by European funds that concluded in March 2025 and aimed to increase the mobilisation of olive genetic resources and promote pre-breeding activities through: (1) the characterisation of around 500 varieties and 1,000 wild and ancestral genotypes from across the Mediterranean basin; (2) the development of smart ICT tools to make genetic resources more accessible to end users; and (3) the promotion of breeder and producer participation through two open calls to support pre-breeding activities. The main objective of this project was to accelerate the mobilisation of olive genetic resources and foster pre-breeding activities around four main themes: resilience to climate change, pest and disease resistance, high productivity and quality varieties, and adaptation to modern planting systems. The project was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme.

GEN4OLIVE Project

The ITPGRFA is an international agreement adopted within the framework of the FAO to facilitate access to plant genetic resources and to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use, particularly in support of global food security. Spain, Morocco and, in the near future, other IOC member countries are among the signatories to this treaty, which establishes a multilateral system of access to an agreed list of key crops for their conservation, research and genetic improvement. The signature of the ITPGRFA by these countries reflects their commitment to protecting agricultural biodiversity, the responsible exchange of plant material and the recognition of farmers’ rights in the management of these essential resources within the framework of the IOC olive germplasm bank network.

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)

The CSIC is Spain’s largest public research organisation who managed and signed the agreement with the Government of Norway for the deposit of Spanish seeds in the Svalbard Vault in 2022. INIA, now integrated into the CSIC, is the specialised centre for agri-food research. The mission of the CRF of INIA-CSIC is to contribute to the preservation and use of the genetic diversity of native plant species, varieties and ecotypes, obsolete cultivars, wild species and other materials whose genetic potential may be used in agriculture and food production. As the body responsible for the long-term conservation of plant genetic resources, the management of the National Inventory and the coordination of activities of the gene banks within the National Programme Collection Network, the CRF ensures that the triplicates sent correspond to the same sample batch conserved in its base collection and that monitoring and updated information on the material sent can be maintained. These resources may constitute the essential base material required for the development of new varieties adapted to changing conditions and for the advancement of new agricultural systems. Many of these materials, no longer cultivated today, would have disappeared had they not been conserved in gene banks such as the CRF.

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA)

Centre for Plant Genetic Resources (CRF)

The IOC is the only international and intergovernmental organisation dedicated to olive oil and table olives. It was established in 1959 under the auspices of the United Nations with the aim of making a decisive contribution to the sustainable development of the sector by promoting quality, research and international trade in olive oil and table olives. Its member countries account for more than 95% of global olive production.