Project description
Innovative conservation methods for in situ plant genetic resources
Plant genetic resources (PGR) play a vital role in ensuring continued crop production and, consequently, food security. The EU-funded Farmers Pride project aims to establish a coordinated network of related stakeholders and conservation sites in Europe. This network will facilitate the conservation of in situ plant genetic resources by connecting existing stakeholder networks and forging new partnerships. The goal is to create a unified network of stakeholders dedicated to conserving and sustainably utilising PGR, thereby enhancing our understanding and management of European landrace and crop wild relative genetic diversity. Farmers Pride will employ social science and economic tools to assess the value of in situ PGR populations and individual traits, identify cost-effective conservation methods, and develop predictive characterisation techniques.
Objective
The overarching objective of Farmer’s Pride is to establish a network of stakeholders and conservation sites that effectively coordinates conservation actions to safeguard the wealth of Europe’s in situ plant genetic resources (PGR) and integrates the user community to maximize their sustainable use. Specifically, to address the challenge and scope of the SFS-04-2017 work programme, Farmer’s Pride will: a) build relationships between existing diverse PGR stakeholder networks, and where necessary create new partnerships to establish a unified network of stakeholders involved in PGR conservation and sustainable use; b) enhance existing knowledge of European landrace and crop wild relative genetic diversity and showcase how it can be effectively secured and managed; c) use social science and economic tools to establish the value of in situ PGR populations and individual traits, as well as a cost effective means of conserving them; d) use predictive characterization methods to identify valuable traits in in situ PGR populations, targeting those most vital for satisfying future agricultural and market needs; e) establish a mechanism to facilitate the flow of plant genetic material from in situ populations to the user community, both directly and via ex situ collections; f) develop and establish a durable governance and resourcing structure for the European network of in situ PGR conservation sites and stakeholders; g) promote public awareness of the value of PGR for agriculture and consumers; and h) design and implement a network of European sites and stakeholders that conserves the breadth of PGR diversity found in situ. Through these activities, Farmer’s Pride will result in significant strengthening of European capacities for the conservation, management and sustainable use of in situ PGR as a foundation for increased competitiveness in the farming and breeding sectors, and ultimately for long-term food and nutritional security in Europe.
Fields of science
- social sciencessociologygovernance
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyornithology
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutrition
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom
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Participants (18)
00153 ROMA
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06123 Perugia
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234 56 ALNARP
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28933 Mostoles
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4052 Basel
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
6708 PB Wageningen
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5038 JL Tilburg
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1033 BUDAPEST
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
06466 Seeland Ot Gatersleben
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Participation ended
06000 Ankara
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00790 Helsinki
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2780 157 Oeiras
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11145 Athina
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8830 TJELE
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3553 Schiltern Bei Langenlois
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46022 Valencia
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Participation ended
SP1 2AP SALISBURY
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1000 Bruxelles / Brussel
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