f it is now accepted that continued production and use of local cultivarson farms can play a significant role in the conservation of within-speciesgenetic diversity, it must also be acknowledged that methodologies and practices are neither fully understood nor elaborated. Indeed, the concept of onfarm conservation raises an enormous number of largely unresolved questions. There are questions concerning the effectiveness of on-farm managementby farmers and local communities as a reliable mechanism for the conservationof specific local cultivars for the larger community of plant breeders and users.There are further questions concerning the role of farmers and the ways inwhich their needs and interests can be recognized and benefits from theirwork realized. There are also questions concerning the interplay betweenconservation and production and the progress of agricultural development.And there are questions about the proper role and relationship of farmers andscientists in crop improvement and diversity conservation endeavors. All ofthese topics are undergoing scrutiny and lively debate.The views expressed in this volume reflect differences in the authors'backgrounds, experiences, and interests. Those concerned primarily withfarmers' needs and interests for maintaining certain production levels andmeeting food and income needs may have quite different concerns fromthose whose focus is on the maintenance of viable and sustainable ecosystems, or those whose interest lies with the maintenance of maximum levelsof potentially useful genetic diversity. Exploring and understanding thesedifferent concerns is an essential starting point for answering some of thekey questions about the implementation of on-farm conservation and therole of local cultivars in sustainable development.This book provides an opportunity for various authors from widely differing backgrounds to explore some of the issues raised by conserving andimproving crops in situ. A wide range of expertise and experiences will beneeded to develop realistic approaches to conservation on farms. Genetic,ecological, agricultural, social, economic, and legal concerns all have to beconsidered and integrated in developing practical work plans at international,national, and local levels. In this book, authors with experience in differentfields explore some of the problems and possibilities from their perspective.It is no longer necessary to ask whether in situ conservation of cropplants should be undertaken but rather to discuss how, when, and where itis done, and how it might be enhanced. Definite answers may be scarce. Ourambition, however, is to take the discussion a step forward and to provide aframework for discussing the many problems still to be resolved.