Definition
Gene banks are biorepositories of genetic material. They are organizational units which are involved in the conservation and management of genetic resources. Gene banks are routinely involved in the conservation of different types of genetic material, among them seeds, pollen, embryos, meristems, cells, DNA, semen, ova, and even entire plants and animals. This entry mainly focuses on the conservation and use of plant genetic resources and to a small extent highlights the conservation of animal genetic resources.
Introduction
The right to health is enshrined in the World Health Organization constitution as a fundamental right of every human being (WHO 2006). While some medical practitioners define human health simply as the absence of diseases, the World Health Organization gives health a broader definition as “… a state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO 2006, p. 1). In this entry, we adopt this latter...
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Wambugu, P.W., Nyamongo, D.O. (2020). Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant and Animal Genetic Resources for Better Human Health. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A.M., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P.G., Wall, T. (eds) Zero Hunger. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95675-6_68
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