Periodic Reporting for period 3 - CROPDIVA (Climate Resilient Orphan croPs for increased DIVersity in Agriculture)
Período documentado: 2024-09-01 hasta 2025-08-31
European agriculture is dominated by a limited number of highly specialised crops, leading to a loss of agrobiodiversity, reduced resilience to climate change and environmental degradation. To address this, CROPDIVA reinforced agrobiodiversity in European cropping systems at genetic, agronomic and socio-economic levels, promoting six underutilised crops – oats, triticale, hull-less barley, narrow-leafed lupin, buckwheat and faba bean – across different pedo-climatic regions. These crops offer strong ecological benefits, including nitrogen fixation, early canopy closure, nectar-rich flowers and reduced water use, while also holding high nutritional and technological potential.
The project pursued three overarching objectives: (1) enhance genetic diversity and develop breeding tools for resilient, high-quality cultivars; (2) design diversified cropping systems improving yield stability, soil health and ecosystem services; and (3) establish innovative value chains linking producers, processors and consumers. By the end of the project, CROPDIVA demonstrated that diversification at genetic, field and value-chain levels can enhance resilience, reduce environmental pressure and create new economic opportunities. A fully operational open-access Decision Support System (https://chat.cropdiva.eu(se abrirá en una nueva ventana)) and harmonised datasets ensure long-term accessibility and exploitation of results.
The project pursued three overarching objectives: (1) enhance genetic diversity and develop breeding tools for resilient, high-quality cultivars; (2) design diversified cropping systems improving yield stability, soil health and ecosystem services; and (3) establish innovative value chains linking producers, processors and consumers. By the end of the project, CROPDIVA demonstrated that diversification at genetic, field and value-chain levels can enhance resilience, reduce environmental pressure and create new economic opportunities. A fully operational open-access Decision Support System (https://chat.cropdiva.eu(se abrirá en una nueva ventana)) and harmonised datasets ensure long-term accessibility and exploitation of results.
The ten specific objectives were organised in three operational areas (OAs).
OA1 – Promotion and agronomic evaluation of underutilised crops:
Multi-location field trials and phenotyping revealed that diversified systems with underutilised crops improve nitrogen efficiency, weed suppression and pollinator activity while maintaining yields. GWAS and sequencing data identified marker–trait associations for resilience, yield and quality traits. Harmonised phenotypic and environmental datasets were deposited in the Plant Genomics and Phenomics Research Data Repository (MS9), establishing a benchmark for future agrobiodiversity research.
OA2 – Creation of new value chains:
Consumer surveys across six countries (n > 4,800) identified interest in sustainable, locally sourced plant-based products, particularly from oats, buckwheat, lupin and faba bean. Partners developed novel food, feed and non-food products, including high-protein plant drinks, hybrid meat products, gluten-free bakery mixes, triticale silages, biostimulants and fibre-based packaging. Multi-actor co-created regional business models, following a Living Lab approach, connecting farmers and processors and enabling market uptake.
OA3 – Socio-economic impact and ecosystem services:
Integrated assessments demonstrated that diversified systems improve input efficiency, soil quality and ecosystem services while increasing farm income stability. The open-source DSS integrates project data and AI tools, facilitating access for stakeholders and supporting future diversification policies.
Exploitation and dissemination:
CROPDIVA disseminated results through publications, workshops, international symposia and multi-actor events. All data are FAIR-compliant and openly accessible. Key exploitable results include the DSS, harmonised datasets, breeding tools and innovative products ensuring sustained impact beyond the project.
OA1 – Promotion and agronomic evaluation of underutilised crops:
Multi-location field trials and phenotyping revealed that diversified systems with underutilised crops improve nitrogen efficiency, weed suppression and pollinator activity while maintaining yields. GWAS and sequencing data identified marker–trait associations for resilience, yield and quality traits. Harmonised phenotypic and environmental datasets were deposited in the Plant Genomics and Phenomics Research Data Repository (MS9), establishing a benchmark for future agrobiodiversity research.
OA2 – Creation of new value chains:
Consumer surveys across six countries (n > 4,800) identified interest in sustainable, locally sourced plant-based products, particularly from oats, buckwheat, lupin and faba bean. Partners developed novel food, feed and non-food products, including high-protein plant drinks, hybrid meat products, gluten-free bakery mixes, triticale silages, biostimulants and fibre-based packaging. Multi-actor co-created regional business models, following a Living Lab approach, connecting farmers and processors and enabling market uptake.
OA3 – Socio-economic impact and ecosystem services:
Integrated assessments demonstrated that diversified systems improve input efficiency, soil quality and ecosystem services while increasing farm income stability. The open-source DSS integrates project data and AI tools, facilitating access for stakeholders and supporting future diversification policies.
Exploitation and dissemination:
CROPDIVA disseminated results through publications, workshops, international symposia and multi-actor events. All data are FAIR-compliant and openly accessible. Key exploitable results include the DSS, harmonised datasets, breeding tools and innovative products ensuring sustained impact beyond the project.
CROPDIVA advanced well beyond the state of the art by integrating breeding, agroecology and value-chain innovation into one framework for diversification.
1. New breeding tools and varieties: genomic and phenotypic resources were created for six underutilised crops, enabling the breeding of stress-tolerant, high-protein, nutritious varieties adapted to low-input systems.
2. Standardised evaluation of cropping systems: a harmonised methodology was established to compare pure and mixed cropping systems based on productivity, resilience and ecosystem services.
3. Integrated agroecological knowledge: field data confirmed that diversification stabilises yield and quality, enhances biodiversity and soil health and reduces reliance on external inputs.
4. Innovative food, feed and non-food products: new plant-based foods, local protein concentrates and circular bio-based materials were developed, valorising side streams into biostimulants and fibre products.
5. Stronger producer–consumer links: multi-actor approaches led to new regional value chains and consumer awareness of sustainable diets.
6. Long-term exploitation: the open-access DSS and data repositories ensure durable use of results by researchers, farmers, industry and policymakers.
Socio-economic and wider societal impact:
CROPDIVA contributes to the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy by providing concrete pathways to diverse, climate-resilient and resource-efficient agri-food systems. The project enhances EU protein autonomy, supports rural economies, promotes sustainable consumption and improves environmental integrity through science-based diversification.
1. New breeding tools and varieties: genomic and phenotypic resources were created for six underutilised crops, enabling the breeding of stress-tolerant, high-protein, nutritious varieties adapted to low-input systems.
2. Standardised evaluation of cropping systems: a harmonised methodology was established to compare pure and mixed cropping systems based on productivity, resilience and ecosystem services.
3. Integrated agroecological knowledge: field data confirmed that diversification stabilises yield and quality, enhances biodiversity and soil health and reduces reliance on external inputs.
4. Innovative food, feed and non-food products: new plant-based foods, local protein concentrates and circular bio-based materials were developed, valorising side streams into biostimulants and fibre products.
5. Stronger producer–consumer links: multi-actor approaches led to new regional value chains and consumer awareness of sustainable diets.
6. Long-term exploitation: the open-access DSS and data repositories ensure durable use of results by researchers, farmers, industry and policymakers.
Socio-economic and wider societal impact:
CROPDIVA contributes to the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy by providing concrete pathways to diverse, climate-resilient and resource-efficient agri-food systems. The project enhances EU protein autonomy, supports rural economies, promotes sustainable consumption and improves environmental integrity through science-based diversification.