Research projects

Research for development

ICARDA and its partners implement more than 200 research projects in 44 countries.

Some projects are development oriented. They combine different technologies into practical, easy-to-implement ‘packages’ designed to meet the needs of resource-poor smallholder farmers and pastoralists.

Other projects aim to solve specific research problems or fill knowledge gaps: for example, breeding varieties resistant to a new pathogen strain, or adapted to a particular environment. Yet others involve advanced strategic research such as the use of molecular markers, gene mapping and other biotechnology tools.

Projects may be implemented in a single country or in multiple countries that share similar agro-ecologies. For example, a food security project targets seven countries in the Middle East.

Projects are funded by national governments, international development agencies and other partners.

Most operate for a 1 to 3-year period, but we also implement a number of long-term regional projects. For example the ten-country Mashreq and Maghreb project is now in its third 5-year phase. Each phase builds on previous successes: expanding to new geographical areas, or introducing new technologies to communities already involved in the project.