The group is undertaking activities related to all aspects of the identification, evaluation and conservation of olive germplasm. It will assess the value of the world's available olive genetic variability, define priorities for its conservation, describe facilities available in each country for conserving this germplasm and work out ways to exchange information through voluntary intercountry collaboration. The working group, which includes national institutions dealing with olives from all over the world, is preparing a world list of olive germplasm, covering both cultivars and wild relatives, with descriptions of their characteristics. It interacts actively with their nut production sectors to better guide a common and coordinated programme of nut genetic resource utilisation. The transversal working group concentrates on prepararing nut germplasm catalogues, initially for walnut, almond and pistachio and subsequently for hazelnut, pecan, pinenut and chestnut.
Efforts are underway to establish a Network of Traditional Crops for Southern African Countries .
The network will seek to establish the state of indigenous under-utilized cereals and pseudocereals, grain legumes, vegetables and root and tuber crops in the region. It will also recommend priority species for exploration, collection, conservation, evaluation and utilization. It also aims to formulate a strategy and prioritize collaborative research work for collecting, conserving, evaluating, documenting and exchanging germplasm. It promotes the exchange of information on traditional food crops and plant genetic resources, stimulates joint activities, organizes workshops and courses on specific subjects and supports professional training. The main activity of FAO is the organization of Regional Cultivar Trials, which stimulates the exchange of germplasm and breeding material among national programmes.