The Living Bank: open day at the world’s largest banana genebank

What does investing in nature actually look like? Sometimes it looks like 1,700 banana varieties growing in a laboratory in Leuven.

The Musa genebank managed by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and hosted by KU Leuven is one of humanity’s most important investments in nature. The world’s largest collection of banana and plantain genetic diversity holds accessions from about 40 countries and continues to expand. It safeguards against crop disease, climate change, and the silent erosion of the agricultural biodiversity that farmers, food systems, and communities depend on and has distributed samples to over 120 countries.

On this open day, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT invites the public, students, researchers, farmers, policymakers, and businesses to visit this remarkable collection and explore what investing in agrobiodiversity means in practice. Guided tours will be led by Alliance scientists, showing how genetic diversity is conserved, characterised, and applied to help farming communities adapt and thrive.

The event includes

• guided tours of the Musa genebank in small rotating groups;
• exhibition on crop diversity, nature-positive farming and the economic benefits of agrobiodiversity;
• panel discussion 'What is a banana worth? Investing in crop diversity for resilient food systems' featuring a live remote contribution from Lilian Karikari, Executive Secretary of Afruibana; and networking reception with agrodiverse food and drinks.

This event is part of EU Green Week 2026 and contributes to the theme of investing in nature. Free and open to all; no registration required. Organised by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT in partnership with KU Leuven, Meise Botanic Garden, FAO World Banana Forum, and hosted in Leuven.