The Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) funds participatory, collaborative research on agroecological intensification (AEI). Funded projects typically link international, national, and local organizations with communities of

smallholder A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model. Definitions vary widely for what constitutes a smallholder or small-scale farm, including factors such as size, food production technique or technolo ...

farmers, researchers, development professionals, and other parties. Projects work together as part of a Community of Practice to generate technical and social innovations to improve nutrition, livelihoods, and productivity for farming communities in Africa and South America. Large-scale impact is realized when new ideas, technologies, or processes are adapted, when insights from research catalyze change in policy and practice, and when innovation inspires further success. The program is under the direction of

Rebecca J. Nelson Rebecca J. Nelson (born 1961) is an American biologist and a professor at Cornell University and a MacArthur Foundation Fellow. Her work focuses on natural genetic diversity for disease resistance in maize. Biography Nelson's parents were rese ...

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

and Jane Maland Cady of the

McKnight Foundation The McKnight Foundation is an American Minnesota-based family foundation. Established in 1953, the McKnight Foundation maintains a $2.5 billion endowment, which it distributes in grants. In 2022, the foundation issued $120 million, supporting Min ...

Program History

The McKnight Foundation began funding crop research in 1983 with the Plant Biology Program and granted $18 million through the program from 1983 to 1992. The CCRP began in 1993 with a $12 million, six-year effort to support agricultural research in developing countries. In 2000, McKnight committed another $41.5 million over nine years. In late 2001 and mid-2002, the CCRP's Advisory Committee met to design the strategy for the next phase of grantmaking and identified specific topics for funding. In 2006, the CCRP adopted a place-based strategy for grantmaking, directing its investments to regional communities of practice in the Andes; West Africa; and Southern Africa. In 2008, the Foundation committed $47 million over ten years for the next phase of funding for the program. In addition, the CCRP received a five-year $26.7 million grant from the

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation The Gates Foundation is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was launched in 2000 and is reported to be the third largest charitable foundation in the world, holding $ ...

. This phase of funding allowed for the formation of an additional community of practice in East & Horn of Africa as well as additional resources to allow for more technical support to grantees from regional teams and other support persons. In 2013, The McKnight Foundation received a renewal grant from the Gates Foundation to continue building CCRP programs. This funding will allow the CCRP to increase its focus on the integration of legumes into the cropping systems of Mali, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania as well as Niger, Kenya, Malawi, and Mozambique. Legumes are very important to African agriculture. They're a major source of dietary protein and help sustain more fertile soils. And they tend to be more adaptable than other crops to drought, low nutrients, and other soil and climatic extremes.https://www.ccrp.org

Place-based Learning

Central to the CCRP’s place-based approach is the formation of four regional communities of practice (CoPs) in Africa and South America, where hunger and poverty levels are among the highest in the world. Grantees within these communities work together to strengthen institutional capacity to generate knowledge and spark innovation in agriculture research and development. The CoP model emphasizes networking, learning, and collective action. Andes CoP (

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

, and

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

) The Andes CoP supports integrated and diverse production systems that embrace conservation and native

agricultural biodiversity Agricultural biodiversity or agrobiodiversity is a subset of general biodiversity pertaining to agriculture. It can be defined as "the variety and variability of animals, plants and micro-organisms at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels tha ...

as part of its goal to raise the profile of traditional knowledge and understanding its relationship to scientific research. Funding is directed toward conservation of agricultural biodiversity, breeding and variety selection, seed systems, integrated crop and pest management, risk management and climate variability, nutrition, soil fertility management, and market development. East & Horn of Africa CoP (

Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

, and

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

) The E&HAf CoP aims to improve performance of farming systems primarily through support for crop diversification, for crop improvement and diversification, and an emphasis on management strategies that enhance crop access to scarce soil nutrients and water resources and reduce pest and disease losses. The CoP is also turning attention to post-harvest issues such as consumption, storage, transformation, and markets to increase the likelihood that greater crop diversity will lead to better diets and livelihoods. Southern Africa CoP (

Malawi Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

, and

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

) The SAf CoP supports research on constraints to legume productivity, including foliar diseases, parasitic weeds, low availability of nitrogen and phosphorus as well as access to good quality planting seed. Recently the CoP has expanded its focus to include improvements in crop productivity and post-harvest practices; links between household food security and improved nutrition and incomes, with particular attention to the threat of

aflatoxin Aflatoxins are various toxicity, poisonous carcinogens and mutagens that are produced by certain Mold (fungus), molds, especially ''Aspergillus'' species such as ''Aspergillus flavus'' and ''Aspergillus parasiticus''. According to the USDA, "The ...

contamination; and cross-cutting research in agriculture policy and communication. West Africa CoP (

Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...

Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...

, and

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

) The WAf CoP is striving to improve productivity and nutritional content of cereals (

sorghum ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the Poaceae, grass genus ''Sorghum (genus), Sorghum'' cultivated for its grain. The grain i ...

pearl millet Pearl millet (''Cenchrus americanus'', commonly known as the synonym ''Pennisetum glaucum'') is the most widely grown type of millet. It has been grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times. The center of diversity, and ...

, and

fonio Fonio, also sometimes called findi or acha, is the term for two cultivated grasses in the genus '' Digitaria'' that are important crops in parts of West Africa. It is a vital food source in many rural areas, especially in the mountains of Fouta ...

) and grain legumes (

cowpea The cowpea (''Vigna unguiculata'') is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus '' Vigna''. Its tolerance for sandy soil and low rainfall have made it an important crop in the semiarid regions across Africa and Asia. It requires very few inpu ...

, groundnut, and

Bambara groundnut ''Vigna subterranea'' (common names: Bambara groundnut, Bambara nut, Bambara bean, manicongo, Congo goober, earth pea, ground-bean, or hog-peanut) is a member of the family Fabaceae. Its name is derived from the Bambara ethnic group. The plan ...

) as well as other traditional or introduced crops . Strengthening farming systems demands continued attention to improved soil and water conservation and agronomic management; better seed varieties and seed distribution systems; integrated pest management; strengthened and diversified value chains; improved diets and nutrition; and improved income and education for farming families. Each CoP is supported by a regional team consisting of a regional representative, a liaison scientist, a monitoring and evaluation specialist, and a research methods specialist. The regional team's activities include support for grantmaking processes and support for funded project teams. Each regional team develops a regional analysis, strategy, and plan to inform regional grantmaking. The regional representative and liaison scientist work with potential grantees to support development of proposals. The regional team builds relationships with project teams and helps project members and other stakeholders connect to each other to foster learning and inspiration. The regional team conducts site visits and provides feedback to project teams on annual reports and project meetings. Research methods support is provided in a range of formats, including meetings with individual teams, workshops, and online forums. Similarly, integrated monitoring, evaluation, and planning support is provided through individual consultants and workshops.

Partial list of projects

Yapuchiris II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/yapuchiris-ii
Water security II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/water-security-ii
Sustainable Production of Quinoa http://www.ccrp.org/projects/sustainable-production-quinoa
Soil nutrient budgets http://www.ccrp.org/projects/soil-nutrient-budgets
Seed systems http://www.ccrp.org/projects/seed-systems-0
SANREM http://www.ccrp.org/projects/sanrem

Quinoa Quinoa (''Chenopodium quinoa''; , from Quechuan languages, Quechua ' or ') is a flowering plant in the Amaranthaceae, amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are high in prote ...

sustainability http://www.ccrp.org/projects/quinoa-sustainability
Quinoa III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/quinoa-iii
Potato moth http://www.ccrp.org/projects/potato-moth
Plot Diversification http://www.ccrp.org/projects/plot-diversification
Organic groundnut III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/organic-groundnut-iii
On-farm Conservation http://www.ccrp.org/projects/farm-conservation
Nutrition support http://www.ccrp.org/projects/nutrition-support
Native potato seed systems http://www.ccrp.org/projects/native-potato-seed-systems
Lupin/quinoa http://www.ccrp.org/projects/lupinquinoa
Local Markets Cuzco http://www.ccrp.org/projects/local-markets-cuzco
Laderas http://www.ccrp.org/projects/laderas
Green manures/legumes http://www.ccrp.org/projects/green-manureslegumes
Food Sovereignty http://www.ccrp.org/projects/food-sovereignty
Food security http://www.ccrp.org/projects/food-security
Impact assessment of Quinoa http://www.ccrp.org/projects/financial-analysis-service-impact-assessment-quinoa
Cover agriculture in the highland Andes http://www.ccrp.org/projects/cover-agriculture-highland-andes
Community baskets II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/community-baskets-ii
Communal agricultural risk management http://www.ccrp.org/projects/communal-agricultural-risk-management
CLOSAN Impact Evaluation http://www.ccrp.org/projects/closan-impact-evaluation
Climate risk management http://www.ccrp.org/projects/climate-risk-management
Biopesticide/potato moth http://www.ccrp.org/projects/biopesticidepotato-moth
Biodiversity of Andean tubers http://www.ccrp.org/projects/biodiversity-andean-tubers
Biodiversity and soil conservation http://www.ccrp.org/projects/biodiversity-soil-conservation
Andean pests http://www.ccrp.org/projects/andean-pests
Andean Grain III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/andean-grain-iii
Agrobiodiversity and Nutrition II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/agrobiodiversity-nutrition-ii
Soil fertility management http://www.ccrp.org/projects/soil-fertility-management
PV groundnut http://www.ccrp.org/projects/pv-groundnut
P-Efficient Legumes III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/p-efficient-legumes-iii
Legume Best Bets III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/legume-best-bets-iii
Groundnut postharvest value chain http://www.ccrp.org/projects/groundnut-postharvest-value-chain
Groundnut Breeding III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/groundnut-breeding-iii
Cowpea resistance to Alectra II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/cowpea-resistance-alectra-ii
Cowpea Alectra III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/cowpea-alectra-iii
Climbing Beans II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/climbing-beans-ii
Bruchid management II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/bruchid-management-ii
Botanical pesticides/legumes http://www.ccrp.org/projects/botanical-pesticideslegumes
Bean Seed Delivery II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/bean-seed-delivery-ii
Bambara Groundnut III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/bambara-groundnuts-iii
Women ag production systems http://www.ccrp.org/projects/women%E2%80%99s-ag-production-systems
Technology Introduction http://www.ccrp.org/projects/technology-introduction
Sorghum/millet improvement II http://www.ccrp.org/projects/sorghummillet-improvement-ii
Sorghum and millet improvement http://www.ccrp.org/projects/sorghum-millet-improvement
Soil and water conservation http://www.ccrp.org/projects/soil-water-conservation
Seed Systems Niger http://www.ccrp.org/projects/seed-systems-niger
Seed Systems III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/seed-systems-iii
Pathways to AEI http://www.ccrp.org/projects/pathways-aei
P-efficient cowpea http://www.ccrp.org/projects/p-efficient-cowpea
Grain Processing IV http://www.ccrp.org/projects/grain-processing-iv
Grain legumes http://www.ccrp.org/projects/grain-legumes
GIMEM III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/gimem-iii
Fonio III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/fonio-iii
Farmer-Led Research Networks http://www.ccrp.org/projects/farmer-led-research-networks
Farmer-led AEI in Burkina Faso http://www.ccrp.org/projects/farmer-led-agroecological-intensification-burkina-faso
Farmer Knowledge http://www.ccrp.org/projects/farmer-knowledge
Dual-Purpose Sorghum and Cowpeas http://www.ccrp.org/projects/dual-purpose-sorghum-cowpeas
Bambara Nut II & III http://www.ccrp.org/projects/bambara-nut-ii-iii
Bambara groundnut productivity http://www.ccrp.org/projects/bambara-groundnut-productivity

References

External links

Collaborative Crop Research Program WebsiteThe McKnight FoundationThe McKnight Foundation Crop Research Program
Agricultural research Crops

Program History

Place-based Learning

Partial list of projects

References

Further reading

External links