INCREASE - Intelligent Collections of Food Legumes Genetic Resources for European Agrofood Systems

Active

from 01/05/2020 until 30/04/2026

==> 5th round of INCREASE CSE registrations NOW OPEN: from 1st of November 2024! <==
==> The deadline is 28th of February 2025 <==

Human plant protein intake is on the rise in many EU regions and the market for meat and dairy alternatives is undergoing annual growth rates of 14% and 11% respectively. In order to face the increasing demand for innovative products and comply with the citizens’ demands for healthy and environmentally friendly foodstuffs, novel varieties are needed and existing genetic resources in crop breading must be properly exploited. The characterisation and maintenance of food legume genetic resources and their exploitation in pre-breeding form the core development of both more sustainable agriculture and healthier food products.

Focusing on chickpea, common bean, lentil and lupin, INCREASE will implement a new approach to conserve, manage and characterise genetic resources leading to benefits on different levels. These species represent a cross-section in terms of their potential value for sustainable food production, and they are all strongly linked to the European food tradition and needs, with significant options for EU agriculture.

INCREASE is guided by the European Commission principles “open science, open innovation and open to the world” and takes advantage of digital technologies to make science and innovation more collaborative and global. For this purpose, the project tests a decentralised approach to the conservation of genetic resources by setting up a Citizen Science Experiment. The aim is to spread knowledge about legumes biodiversity and to involve citizens in evaluation and conservation activities as well as in sharing and exchanging seeds via a specifically developed INCREASE mobile app.

Visit our YouTube Channel to watch many videos about INCREASE and the Citizen Science Experiment!

Aim

The main aim of INCREASE Citizen Science experiment is to involve citizens in evaluation and conservation activities as well as in sharing and exchanging seeds, in order to apply a decentralized conservation of food legume genetic resources. Science is not limited to scientists. Everyone can get involved. With a specifically developed App (INCREASE CSA, www.pulsesincrease.eu/experiment/app) each participant can register and voluntarily contribute to the charterization and evaluation of common bean varieties grown by the citizen itself.

Created March 2, 2022, 1:05 p.m.

Updated Nov. 22, 2024, 11:41 a.m.