The Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) funds research by diverse organizations that generate technical and social innovations in agroecological intensification (AEI) with potential to create large-scale impact. The CCRP defines “large-scale impact” in various ways: adaptation of a technology or process by significant numbers of farmers or institutions; inspiration that catalyzes new research endeavors; and changes to policy. CCRP-funded projects connect national and local organizations with communities and with global knowledge and technology options.
CCRP project teams conduct research in a number of areas that contribute to agroecological intensification (AEI) such as crop improvement and management, pest and disease management, soil fertility management, and post-harvest technologies. Much of that research focuses on system diversification, both by supporting work on neglected crops and supporting work at the system level. Because enhanced farm productivity is usually necessary but rarely sufficient to improve quality of life for smallholder farmers and communities, the CCRP favors a food-systems approach that addresses livelihoods and nutrition as well as productivity and reflects an awareness of gender issues and climate challenges. The CCRP supports a wide range of disciplines — from agronomy to nutrition, conservation, sociology, anthropology, and economics — to understand how the interaction among them can contribute to agroecological intensification.
Local people and organizations have the most nuanced understanding of the challenges of improving nutrition, productivity, and livelihoods in their region, and they are best poised to help devise sustainable solutions. The CCRP team believes in developing quality relationships with people closest to the issues so we can gain deeper knowledge of the context and reinforce local agency. Through this “place-based” approach, the CCRP forms long-term partnerships with local grantees and other stakeholders so together we can address complex problems. This collective long-term effort, grounded in a concrete understanding of the place in which change occurs, increases our potential for positive impact.
Project Selection and Funding
The CCRP funds projects that meet specific selection criteria
, including awareness of gender and climate issues, and align with the strategies of the four regions in which we work. Following a successful inception phase, projects are typically funded for three to four years and can be renewed for two or more grant periods.