9 May 2013: Faced with a new lethal disease, Bogia syndrome, which affects coconut palms, other palm species and some banana varieties, Bioversity International, a member of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), is working with a coconut genebank in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, to fight the disease and to re-locate a coconut genebank.

Bogia syndrome was found within 20 km of the genebank, which is one of the world’s largest international collection of coconuts and conserves varieties for the entire Pacific region. The relocation of the genebank and other efforts are elements of the Global Strategy for Coconut Genetic Resource Conservation and Use. It is supported by the International Coconut Genetic Resource Network (COGENT), which is made up of 39 coconut producing countries. [Bioversity International Press Release] [COGENT Website]