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ARCAD

ARCAD: Agropolis Resource Center for Crop Conservation, Adaptation and Diversity

The Languedoc Rousillon Region has pledged to support the programme to the tune of five (5) million euros.

Agropolis Fondation is providing three (3) million euros to its second Flagship Programme (FP) called ARCAD, short for Agropolis Resource Center for Crop Conservation, Adaptation and Diversity.

Aimed at setting up a new open multi-function (conservation, research and training) platform devoted to the assessment and better use of plant agro biodiversity in Mediterranean and tropical regions, ARCAD will focus on the relationship between crop diversity and the processes of domestication and adaptation to the agricultural environment.

Understanding how genes and genomes have been shaped by history, environment and societies is a key factor to enhance the quality and sustainability of germplasm conservation and use. The programme's scientific agenda will thus prioritize the study history and patterns of crop domestication and adaptation as well as the analysis of key parameters underpinning adaptation, at various time scales, through studies of evolutionary genomics and population genetics. These will be complemented with technological, methodological and capacity building components.

The ARCAD programme was jointly developed by CIRAD, INRA, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro and University of Montpellier 2. Jean-Louis Pham of IRD has been seconded to the Fondation and has been designated as the ARCAD Programme Leader.

As one of Agropolis Fondation's Flagship Programme, ARCAD is envisaged to bring scientific breakthrough and demonstrate the degree and extent by which the diverse know-how, expertise and competencies of the various research units of the Foundation's scientific network and their partners are mobilized and put into use. As an open platform, it will continuously seek the involvement of interested partners that are able to add value to this new programme.

The funding from Agropolis Fondation and the LR Region is expected to leverage and boost additional funding, notably from international agencies as well as private and public organizations involved in the sector.

Website: www.arcad-project.org

Photos: © IRD