In 1961, as part of its World Seeds Year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held a Technical Conference on Plant Exploration and Introduction which established a Panel of Experts on Plant Exploration and Introduction. This marked the first time a major international agency focused on plant germplasm.

The Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources was formally established in 1968. Now known as the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) was established in 1974 as a semi-autonomous unit within FAO. The IPGRI is focused action on research related aspects of genetic resource management, largely, but not exclusively, in crop plants.