Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review

In response to the climate change, it is essential to provide smallholder farmers with improved field crop genotypes that may increase the resilience of their farming system. This requires a fast turnover of varieties in a system capable of injecting significant amounts of genetic diversity into pro...

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Main Authors: Fadda, Carlo, Mengistu, Dejene Kassahun, Kidane, Yosef Gebrehawaryat, Dell’Acqua, Matteo, Pè, Mario Enrico, Etten, Jacob van
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Frontiers Media 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/110414
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author Fadda, Carlo
Mengistu, Dejene Kassahun
Kidane, Yosef Gebrehawaryat
Dell’Acqua, Matteo
Pè, Mario Enrico
Etten, Jacob van
author_browse Dell’Acqua, Matteo
Etten, Jacob van
Fadda, Carlo
Kidane, Yosef Gebrehawaryat
Mengistu, Dejene Kassahun
Pè, Mario Enrico
author_facet Fadda, Carlo
Mengistu, Dejene Kassahun
Kidane, Yosef Gebrehawaryat
Dell’Acqua, Matteo
Pè, Mario Enrico
Etten, Jacob van
author_sort Fadda, Carlo
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In response to the climate change, it is essential to provide smallholder farmers with improved field crop genotypes that may increase the resilience of their farming system. This requires a fast turnover of varieties in a system capable of injecting significant amounts of genetic diversity into productive landscapes. Crop improvement is a pivotal strategy to cope with and adapt to climate change. Modern breeding may rely on the genomics revolution to speed up the development of new varieties with adaptive potential. However, centralized breeding may not adequately address smallholder farmers’ needs for more locally acclimatized varieties or groups of varieties. This, in turn, constrains adoption of new varieties that reduces the effectiveness of a resource-intensive breeding process, an issue that may be overcome with participatory, decentralized approaches. Whether high-tech centralized breeding or decentralized participatory approaches are better suited for smallholder farmers in the global South is hotly debated. Sidestepping any false dichotomies and ideological issues in these debates, this review provides a perspective on relevant advances in a breeding approach that combines the two approaches and uses genomics for trait mining from ex situ collections of genetic materials, participatory multilocation trials and crowdsourced citizen science. It argues that this new combination of high-tech centralized and participatory decentralized methods can provide a coherent and effective approach to breeding for climate adaptation and the present review advocates on a different way forward for the future research.
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spelling CGSpace1104142025-12-08T10:29:22Z Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review Fadda, Carlo Mengistu, Dejene Kassahun Kidane, Yosef Gebrehawaryat Dell’Acqua, Matteo Pè, Mario Enrico Etten, Jacob van genetic diversity diversidad genética smallholder farmers pequeños agricultores crop improvement mejora de cultivos In response to the climate change, it is essential to provide smallholder farmers with improved field crop genotypes that may increase the resilience of their farming system. This requires a fast turnover of varieties in a system capable of injecting significant amounts of genetic diversity into productive landscapes. Crop improvement is a pivotal strategy to cope with and adapt to climate change. Modern breeding may rely on the genomics revolution to speed up the development of new varieties with adaptive potential. However, centralized breeding may not adequately address smallholder farmers’ needs for more locally acclimatized varieties or groups of varieties. This, in turn, constrains adoption of new varieties that reduces the effectiveness of a resource-intensive breeding process, an issue that may be overcome with participatory, decentralized approaches. Whether high-tech centralized breeding or decentralized participatory approaches are better suited for smallholder farmers in the global South is hotly debated. Sidestepping any false dichotomies and ideological issues in these debates, this review provides a perspective on relevant advances in a breeding approach that combines the two approaches and uses genomics for trait mining from ex situ collections of genetic materials, participatory multilocation trials and crowdsourced citizen science. It argues that this new combination of high-tech centralized and participatory decentralized methods can provide a coherent and effective approach to breeding for climate adaptation and the present review advocates on a different way forward for the future research. 2020-09-15 2020-12-04T23:18:20Z 2020-12-04T23:18:20Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/110414 en Open Access application/pdf Frontiers Media Fadda, C.; Mengistu, D.K.; Kidane, Y.G.; Dell’Acqua, M; Pè, M.E.; Van Etten, J. (2020) Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review. Frontiers in Plant Science 11:559515. ISSN: 1664-462X
spellingShingle genetic diversity
diversidad genética
smallholder farmers
pequeños agricultores
crop improvement
mejora de cultivos
Fadda, Carlo
Mengistu, Dejene Kassahun
Kidane, Yosef Gebrehawaryat
Dell’Acqua, Matteo
Pè, Mario Enrico
Etten, Jacob van
Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review
title Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review
title_full Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review
title_fullStr Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review
title_full_unstemmed Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review
title_short Integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach: A review
title_sort integrating conventional and participatory crop improvement for smallholder agriculture using the seeds for needs approach a review
topic genetic diversity
diversidad genética
smallholder farmers
pequeños agricultores
crop improvement
mejora de cultivos
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/110414
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