The 21st Asian Consortium for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Microbial Resources (ACM) Meeting, organized by the Biodiversity-Based Economy Development Office (BEDO) of Thailand, was held in Bangkok, Thailand from Nov 19 to 21, 2024. Dr. Wei Hailei, Li Shigui, and Ruan Zhiyong from the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning (IARRP) attended the Meeting.

ACM focuses on discussing strategies to promote the conservation and sustainable use of microbial resources in Asia. During the conference, representatives presented the current status of microbial resources conservation and utilization at their respective research institutes. Invited to give a special report, Dr. Wei was invited to present an in-depth introduction to the history, operations, resource collection, preservation, and utilization of the Agricultural Culture Collection of China. Dr. Ruan presented a poster to show the development and annual academic activities of the Microbial Resources Professional Committee of the Chinese Society for Microbiology. All participants visited the National Biobank of Thailand and the Thailand Bioresource Research Center, as arranged by the host organization.

The ACM was established in 2004 with all representatives' approval from 12 Asian countries. The objective of the Consortium is to promote collaborations among governments and public organizations for the purposes of enhancing conservation and sustainable use of microbial resources in Asia. This conference provided valuable insights into the current status of microbial resource conservation and utilization in various Asian countries and regions, as well as to promote international cooperation and exchange in microbial resources conservation and utilization between IARRP and other public organizations in Asia.