Cereal breeding strategies for organic and low-external-input crop production systems

Increasing trend in organic farming does not seem to have yet attracted the attention of many plant breeders. On the other side, in every cropping system, for every species, best performing cultivars are needed in each macro-ecology. Considering dif-ferent cropping systems, such as open or glasshouse production, main or second crop alternatives, plant breeders have to focus on the genotype-environment and genotype-input interactions. Organic farming is in need of tailor-made genotypes for almost every crop. In fact, in the near future the same amount of organic registered cultivars will be needed as the conventional cultivars. Conducting an immediate single or combined “seed-bed – pot – field test” might be a logical start to de-termine organic varieties. But selection targets are to many and varying in such a way that for short-term planned breeding activities have limited chance to cover the “variety” needs. Therefore we have to rear-range EU’s organic plant breeding strategies for short and for long terms. A collective work, initiated for example by IFOAM in a short period with continental base, might be a solution for organic variety needs. To avoid duplications and to get benefit from every scientist rationally, governing bodies or NGO’s would welcome a coordinated pilot project, such as one on wheat, covering all Europe*

Options to enhance the impact of AKST on development and sustainability goals

The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for Development (IAASTD) looks realistically at how we could effectively use agriculture/AKST to help us meet development and sustainability goals. An unprecedented three-year collaborative effort, the IAASTD involved more than 400 authors in 110 countries and cost more than $11 million. It reports on the advances and setbacks of the past fifty years and offers options for the next fifty years. The results of the project are contained in seven reports: a Global Report, five regional Sub-Global Assessments, and a Synthesis Report. The Global Report gives the key findings of the Assessment, and the five Sub-Global Assessments address regional challenges. The volumes present options for action. All of the reports have been extensively peer-reviewed by governments and experts and all have been approved by a panel of participating governments. The Sub-Global Assessments all utilize a similar and consistent framework: examining and reporting on the impacts of AKST on hunger, poverty, nutrition, human health, and environmental/social sustainability. The IAASTD was initiated by the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, with support from the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and other sponsors. Its goal is to analyze the potential of agricultural knowledge, science, and technology (AKST) for reducing hunger and poverty, improving rural livelihoods, and working toward environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable development