Enhancing European agrobiodiversity

Putting six underused arable crops back in the fields: oats, hull-less barley for human consumption, triticale, buckwheat, faba beans and lupins. That is the goal of the Horizon 2020 project CROPDIVA. Twenty seven European partners are joining forces to enhance agrobiodiversity in Europe. They will achieve this by focusing on crop diversity and creating local value chains.

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CROPDIVA INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

 

From the 4th to the 6th of December 2023, CROPDIVA invited guests from all the over the world for its first international symposium.

 

Partners from 12 different countries, 27 different universities, companies and organisations relocated to the St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent (Belgium) to discuss the general topic of Agrobiodiversity along the value chain. Were you unable to make it to Ghent? Not to worry, you can find more information on what was discussed below.

 

 

 

Approach

The project activities will focus on (1) improving the resilience of cultivation systems, (2) aligning the economic and social needs of farmers with ecological targets, and (3) marketing of new food/non-food products that meet the needs of consumers.

All selected crops have a broad genetic background that can be used to cross in important characteristics relating to factors such as resilience to stress and an improved nutritional value. Moreover, these crops have major ecological benefits. Many of them produce nectar-rich flowers or fix air nitrogen, for example. This will lead to highly resilient agroecosystems with greater adaptability to climate change, a better use of genetic resources, and greater food diversity.

Biodiversity management at all levels

The results of CROPDIVA will not end up in a dusty pile of paperwork. They will be used for innovative solutions in order to facilitate biodiversity management at all levels. As the project progresses, results achieved will be made available on this website.

Results

By developing tools for the integration of the six undertuilised crops in local agricultural systems and along the value chain, CROPDIVA will contribute to a low-carbon and climate resilient agro-economy, one of the six common EU rural development policy priorities. To achieve this objective, CROPDIVA aims to inspire actors along to chain to get better acquainted with and informed about the possibilities and uses of the different underutilised crops.

Press release

CROPDIVA WANTS UNDERUSED ARABLE CROPS BACK IN THE FIELDS

Projectmanagement

Do you want to know about Cropdiva. Contact our projectmanagement;
Geert Haesaert
Prof. Geert Haesaert, Coordinator, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University – geert.haesaert@ugent.be

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