SAVE Foundation (Safeguard for Agricultural Varieties in Europe) was founded 1993 as a European NGO that acts as an umbrella organisation for the conservation of agrobiodiversity in Europe.

Aims and Tasks

The SAVE Foundation acts as European umbrella organization for the promotion and coordination of activities for the conservation of endangered breeds of domestic animals and cultivated plant varieties in the form of live populations.

Collection and dissemination of information as well as coordination and support of national activities are the main focuses. In various countries, national organizations still need to be established or expanded. Additionally, enormous tasks present themselves in Eastern and Southeastern Europe where agriculture is experiencing radical restructuring. Conservation projects are realized primarily in situ / on farm.

Successful on-farm conservation requires the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Through participatory action, the SAVE Foundation actively engages with stakeholders at all levels to ensure that interests are respected and balanced. The SAVE Foundation works with governmental and intergovernmental bodies, universities, gene banks, breeders’ and farmers’ associations and other NGOs promoting conservation.