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Theme 1.1.
Biodiversity and its utilization |
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Ex situ
and in situ conservation of genetic resources, including wild relatives
of barley, wheat, food legumes (lentil, chickpea and faba bean) and feed
legumes (vetch and grass pea), and characterization, documentation and
evaluation of their genetic diversity for desirable traits
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Theme 1.2.
Integrated gene management |
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Crop improvement through conventional
and biotechnological methods, including participatory plant breeding and
integrated pest management, and dissemination of improved germplasm within
a production systems context
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Sub-Themes |
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| 1.2.1. |
Development of improved genetic stocks and improved
varieties of barley, wheat and legumes, adapted to various agroecologies
and to climate change; and their distribution globally |
| 1.2.2. |
Development of integrated pest management (IPM) control
options including resistance sources, pathogenicity spectrum, and
biological control mechanisms against diseases and insects of mandate
crops
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Theme 1.3.
Seed delivery systems |
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Research
on strengthening seed systems through increased private sector participation
and alternative delivery systems, including institutional and policy options;
and improving the availability, and access to NARS and national seed programs,
of improved varieties of barley, wheat, and food and feed legumes
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Theme 2.1.
Water |
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Sustainable, equitable,
efficient and economic use of scarce water resources in agricultural production
and within rural communities, with due concern for watershed management
and wider environmental and social downstream implications
Sub-Themes
| 2.1.1. |
Assessment of available water resources, including
precipitation, surface water, groundwater and marginal water, and
the productivity, benefits and costs of their use at different scales
in agriculture (plant, field, farm, watershed, basin) |
| 2.1.2. |
Options and strategies for sustainable use and improved
water productivity of rain, irrigation, shallow water aquifers,
and marginal-quality waters in rainfed and irrigated systems through
water harvesting, supplemental irrigation, agro-management, improved
germplasm, and integrated agricultural production systems |
| 2.1.3. |
Methods, options and strategies for drought characterization,
preparedness and mitigation |
| 2.1.4. |
Policy and institutional options
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Theme 2.2.
Land |
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Combating land degradation and contributing
to mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change through sustainable
management and utilization of natural resources, including soil, in cropland
and rangelands
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Sub-Themes |
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| 2.2.1. |
Development of a holistic approach to improved land
management to combat desertification (loss of biodiversity, soil
erosion, salinization, alkalinization, waterlogging) |
| 2.2.2. |
Development of multi-scale tools and methods to assess
land degradation (location, extent, driving forces, causes, impacts
and consequences of desertification in dry areas) |
| 2.2.3. |
'Best-bet' technologies and practices developed for
sustainable management of land, biodiversity and rangeland resources,
including community-based land management practices |
| 2.2.4. |
Improved policy and institutional options
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Theme 3.1.
Sustainable Intensification |
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Sustainable intensification
of dry-area crop and livestock production systems with market orientation
to increase agricultural productivity and to impact livelihoods through
exploitation of yield potential, improved management, and sustainable
use of genetic and natural resources
Sub-Themes
| 3.1.1. |
Methods and options supporting crop intensification
for enhanced productivity, through conservation agriculture, appropriate
food-feed crop integration, cereal/legume rotations and multiple
cropping |
| 3.1.2. |
Agronomic practices to improve water-use efficiency
and economic returns per unit of available water |
| 3.1.3. |
Methods and sustainable and cost-efficient options
within a range of production systems, to intensify livestock production
systems and capture diverse market opportunities |
| 3.1.4. |
Development of a framework for community-based livestock
breeding to allow continuous access by farmers to improved breeds,
matching available animal genetic resources, market opportunities
and breed potentials |
| 3.1.5. |
Analysis of causes of yield gaps through modeling;
and identification of interventions to overcome such gaps in major
staple crops, including policy implications
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Theme 3.2.
Diversification |
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Market-oriented income
diversification and livelihood improvement from alternative crops and
livestock systems, and adding value to primary products
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Sub-Themes |
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| 3.2.1. |
Market-driven options for crop diversification considering
crop and forage rotation strategies, involving alternative winter
crops and summer crops/forages with supplemental irrigation; and
also high-value options: vegetables, dryland fruit trees, medicinal
and aromatic plants, development of plant-based and livestock-based
products. In this area, ICARDA's role will be that of an information/best
practice broker, and a collaborator with centers of excellence in
horticulture |
| 3.2.2. |
Market-driven options for livestock diversification
through range/crop/forage integration; utilization of native livestock
breeds; and capturing opportunities offered by safe peri-urban production |
| 3.2.3. |
Options for further income generation through value
addition of primary livestock products; options for producing high
quality, hygienic and safe products; improved market information,
access and transactions; and appropriate institutional organizations
including the private sector and supporting policies
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Theme 4.1.
Economics and Policy Research |
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Enabling policy
and institutional options to enhance the uptake and impact of improved
technologies and optimize the sustainable use of scarce water resources.
This includes assessing the impact of research investment in agricultural
and natural resources on poverty, food security and the environment.
Sub-Themes
| 4.1.1. |
Analysis of policy and institutional options and development
of priorities for public investment to improve rural livelihoods |
| 4.1.2. |
Development of policy options for sustainable use
of water and land resources and their economic and social implications |
| 4.1.3. |
Adoption and impact assessment for technology uptake
including analysis of adoption constraints |
| 4.1.4. |
Identification of the trade-offs associated with alternative
technical and policy options |
| 4.1.5. |
Valuation of natural resources and environmental services
to facilitate the conservation of the natural resource base |
| 4.1.6. |
Options for linking small farmers to markets along
the value chain
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Theme 4.2.
Livelihoods |
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Evaluation of agri-based
pathways out of rural poverty through the characterization of livelihood
strategies, social networks, institutions, and economic options.
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Sub-Themes |
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| 4.2.1. |
Quantification of the causes of rural poverty and
determinants of rural livelihood strategies in the dry areas including
interactions of agri-systems with other livelihood and socio-economic
priorities |
| 4.2.2. |
Characterization of the role of women in rural livelihoods;
assessing the impact of gender constraints (and empowerment of women)
on livelihoods |
| 4.2.3. |
Analysis of impacts of intensification
and diversification of production system options on livelihood,
nutrition, and health
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