Synopsis Modern plant breeders and bio-technologists rely on genetic variation in landraces, primitive cultivars and wild forms to produce better adapted and higher yielding crop varieties. Therefore, it is vital that a wider range of germplasm is conserved, both ex-situ and in-situ, so that it will be available in the future as a resources for adapting crops to new and changing environment conditions and to sustain agriculture production and development. With regards to horticultural crop germplasm, in-situ conservation strategies involving farmers more directly need to be considered, particularly for populations of wild crops relatives and wild food plants in the areas where they are found naturally. Ex-situ conservation strategies, similarly, need to be based on rationalising criteria in order to reconcile the need.