The advancement of genetic erosion made scientists aware of the need of genetic resources conservation and, as from the 1960s genebanks assumed this role in different regions of the world. In Portugal, with the support of FAO and Bioversity International (formerly IBPGR-IPGRI), the Portuguese National Genebank (BPGV) was created in 1977 in Braga, with the initial responsibility of collecting and conserve maize diversity in the Mediterranean region, a collection represented by 2,453 accessions from Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Morocco and Yemen. Presently, BPGV serves as a national germplasm repository, maintaining a collection of 44,752 accessions of more than a hundred species, assembled in several groups (cereals, grain legumes, vegetables, pastures, medicinal and aromatic plants and fibers), in seed form and vegetative propagated material (in vitro and field collection) as a result of 115 systematic collecting missions in the country, carried out under the strategic initiative of BPGV and involving national and International Institutions. For some species namely, cereals and grain legumes, BPGV develops and applies complementary conservation strategies like ex situ and in situ and on farm. Seed conservation plays a vital role in preservation of genetic variability integrity, so the viability control, through germination tests, is performed in all samples that result from collecting missions as well as in safety duplicates of working collections. During last three years 2,784 batch viability tests were performed. The active collection is stored at 4°C and 30% RH, and is the basic source for evaluation, distribution and utilization. The base collection is maintained at –18°C in aluminum foil bags at 5-7% seed moisture content. The base collection ensures the long-term conservation. The conserved germplasm has been characterized and evaluated (70% of the collection) for important morpho-agronomic traits while molecular and chemical evaluation has been performed partially. A comprehensive PGR information system, at accession level, that along with passport data can store characterization and evaluation data has being tested and implemented. Plant genetic resources are an essential asset in contributing to adapt agricultural systems to face the challenges posed by the changes in key climatic features as well as in contributing to the long term food security and quality. Portugal has made crucial decisions concerning the conservation and use of plant genetic resources and has also made progress towards improving the genetic resources availability to researchers and farmers.