International projects
ReAlising DynamIc vAlue chaiNs for underuTilised crops
Organisations (2)
Abstract
RADIANT implements a suite of strategic and fully inclusive multi-actor engagement methods to co-develop solutions and tools to ensure that agrobiodiversity in the form of underutilised crops (UCs) is realised via Dynamic Value Chains (DVCs). RADIANT characterises DVCs as ’a system-state where open information sharing among all value-chain actors allows resilient adaptation to disruptions and sustainable economic development’. RADIANT adopts a ‘Theory of Change’ approach, where desired system-level states, such as crop diversification, environmental and agrobiodiversity preservation, and fair economic development are monitored and mapped to identify and implement the necessary transformation avenues. RADIANT’s 28 multi-actor consortium is composed of highly skilled value chain actors, researchers, and end-users. The scientific excellence of the work plan will release the value of UCs and enable a transformation towards sustainable DVCs that foster agrobiodiversity in educational, financial, technological settings and effectively provisions UCs to farmers’ fields and consumers’ tables. This will be achieved via eight complementary work packages to: identify, collect, and multiply the genetic resources of core UCs for breeding and farming; widen UC recognition by capturing their ecosystem services; enhance their processing by co-creating novel food and non-food products; invite stakeholders and aspiring participatory farmers into a capacity-building, mentoring-network to trial, test, and embed UCs in sustainable DVCs; co-creating Apps and ‘UC-Transition Diaries’ to record their transformation; and engage stakeholders to co-design policy instruments, and deliver a decision support tool to create sustainable avenues for DVCs. In sum, the RADIANT approach will empower value chain and policy actors to reach out to 1 million farmers and more than 60 million potential consumers to promote the uptake of UCs in farming, processing, manufacturing, and retailing practices.
