Crop improvement and sustainable production

This work aims to contribute to sustainable food production in a changing climate in marginal environments. The overall goal is to increase adaptive capacities, livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers and rural communities.

Areas of applied research:

• Crop diversification using underutilized, stress-tolerant crops for food, feed and biofuel and different types of saline water, including reject brine and sea water;
• Plant breeding, genetics and genomics;
• Seed production, harvesting and post-harvest technologies;
• Agricultural value chains;
• Controlled-environment agriculture, including vertical farming.

Policy

We support decision-makers in developing relevant policies and strategic plans to ensure sustainable crop production and improve food and nutrition security in marginal environments.