“Maarten van Zonneveld (The Netherlands) joined WorldVeg in November 2017 to manage the Center’s genebank operations. From 2006 – 2013 he worked on ex situ and in situ conservation, and sustainable use of genetic resources of crops and tree species, in South America with Bioversity International Colombia. From 2013 – 2017 he worked in Central America with Bioversity International Costa Rica on the conservation of plant genetic resources and in participatory research with farmers and forest communities for climate change adaptation, varietal selection, and seed testing. Maarten
supported national institutions from Bolivia and Peru in expanding their national capsicum pepper collections, and in the screening and regeneration to strengthen these important and diverse collections. He has experience with the International Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol. Maarten has a background in GIS and in diversity analysis to screen plant genetic resources.”