Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Dr. Stefan Schmitz, Executive Director of the Crop Trust, on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, in New York City, United States.

The two sides reviewed areas of cooperation between ICESCO and the Crop Trust, particularly in safeguarding agricultural biodiversity, strengthening food security, and building food systems that are more resilient to climate change. They also explored ways to support ICESCO Member States in drawing on international expertise to conserve crop genetic resources, develop seed banks, and protect local varieties with high nutritional value and resilience to drought and rising temperatures.

The meeting addressed the possibility of developing joint educational programs that integrate food security, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity conservation into curricula, from early childhood education through secondary and higher education, to deepen awareness among younger generations of the importance of food, its resources, and their relationship to climate and development.

The two sides also discussed the concept of “greening education” and ways to translate it into educational practice within learning institutions by developing curricula, training teachers, and encouraging schools and universities to adopt practical projects on sustainable agriculture, seed conservation, and food waste reduction.
They agreed to identify cooperation priorities and develop joint practical programs in the coming period, covering scientific research, capacity building, and awareness-raising, as well as to explore the launch of initiatives targeting young people and researchers in Member States.

At the close of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik invited Dr. Stefan Schmitz to participate in the upcoming Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World and present a working paper outlining the Crop Trust’s vision and expertise and proposing joint cooperation programs with ICESCO in crop diversity, food security, and green education.

The Crop Trust works to conserve crop genetic diversity and make it available to researchers, farmers, and plant breeders, thereby supporting sustainable agricultural production and safeguarding the future of food for generations to come. This mission offers broad scope for cooperation with ICESCO, given the Organization’s mandates in education, science, sustainability, and institutional capacity building across its Member States.