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Research and innovation

Genetic resources and breeding

Policy, funding opportunities, jobs, projects, publications and databases

Why does research and innovation on genetic resources and breeding matter?

Genetic resources play a crucial role in agricultural and forest-based activities. They hold the key to diverse and healthy diets and to the adaptation of plants and animals to a changing and more variable climate.

This potential is not sufficiently used and current farming modes increasingly rely on a limited number of plant and animal species. Three major crops (rice, wheat and maize) provide more than 50% of the world’s plant-derived calories. Reversing this trend and increasing the resilience of farming and forestry is critical and of global concern, especially now in an era of accelerated climate change and an ever increasing population.

Research an innovation activities aim to halt the further loss of genetic diversity by tapping into the vast gene pool of plant and animals and making it available to breeders, farmers and ultimately consumers.

Breeding efforts are also being undertaken to broaden the genetic base of cultivated crops and create varieties that meet the variety of demands related to quality, resilience and sustainability.

Funding opportunities

Horizon Europe

Calls for proposals and funding information related to agriculture, forestry and rural areas

LIFE programme

Some genetic resources and breeding related calls may be found in this programme

Projects and results

Collaboration and jobs

Find project partners

Search and view profiles of all organisations that have received funding via the funding and tenders portal

EIC Accelerator

Funding and investments through the EIC Fund for individual start-ups and small companies to develop and scale up game changing innovations

Scientific publications, tools and databases

EU Open Data Portal

Single point of access to open data produced by the EU institutions. All data is free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes

OpenAIRE

You can access all scientific publications from Horizon 2020 via OpenAIRE

Copernicus

Access to agriculture data from the Copernicus programme