Ana Maria Barata

Head – Portuguese National Genebank (BPGV)

Degree in Agronomy from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (Lisbon) and a Master’s degree in the same area, held at the University of Missouri, USA.

Head of the National Genebank –  Banco Português de Germoplasma Vegetal (BPGV) –  Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, for the last 24 years (since 1997).

Focusing mainly on ex situ and in situ conservation and the enhancement of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

BPGV is the national and international reference structure for the conservation of plant genetic resources, in Portugal, is part of the National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV), the State Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture. For more than four decades (1977-2021) BPGV has contributed to the Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources, ensuring biological diversity and supporting current and future sustainable agricultural production.

Ana Maria is the National Focal Point for Plant Genetic Resources of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture – FAO.

She is the Chair of the Working Group on Aromatic and Medicinal Plants of the European Cooperative Program Genetic Resources (ECPGR).

Ana Maria is author and co-author of book chapters and technical-scientific articles on the conservation of plant genetic resources, published in national and international journals.

Recognised as an Expert for IGCAT (International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts, and Tourism) since 2022, she also coordinates and participates in IE&D projects supported by various national and international programs.