Overview
This project aimed to contribute to the transformation of African agriculture by enabling small-scale farmers to participate in local and regional markets by increasing the availability and adoption of high-performing plant varieties that meet market demands.
The research outcome is that plant breeders in Africa will adopt more demand-led approaches to plant breeding to respond to the preferences of farmers, consumers, and others along the value chain and to the need to develop more climate-resilient crop varieties, using the following approach:
- Best practices in plant variety design: to identify and adapt best practices in plant variety design worldwide for use in plant breeding programs in Africa
- Education and training: to strengthen capacity within breeding programs on demand led variety design through education and professional development opportunities for plant breeders; and
- Policy and advocacy: to provide evidence to support new policy development and investments in plant breeding that will help generate more high-performing varieties to meet emerging market demands, with emphasis on Africa.
The demand led breeding partners in Africa have identified several new opportunities for promoting and applying the principles and practices of demand led breeding across a wider range of crops, feeds, and livestock in Africa, and a broader range of countries and regions within Africa. These opportunities will involve continuing and potential new partners, who are willing to explore new partnerships for 2024 and beyond.
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