From Collection to Cultivation: Historical Perspectives on Crop Diversity and Food Security (360G-Wellcome-217968_Z_19_Z)

£886,718

Many experts agree that crop genetic diversity is essential to agricultural productivity, present and future, and therefore an important determinant of human health and well-being. Yet the routes through which this diversity is made valuable in agriculture, for example in breeding more disease-resistant or nutritious crops, remain underexplored. The dominant narrative credits plant breeders alone with generating value from crop diversity and has enabled breeders and seed companies to claim ownership over plant varieties. This in turn has encouraged a dramatic consolidation of the seed industry that many consider a threat to global food security. The narrative of breeder-generated value must be assessed and challenged. Through four historical case studies and a synthetic account, this project argues for a more encompassing view of how diverse materials give rise to the crops eaten around the world. It documents the contributions of researchers engaged in plant exploration, introduction, conservation, and utilisation. It charts efforts to locate disease-resistant varieties, prevent the spread of crop pathogens, ensure access to dietary diversity, and locate the genes that give rise to nutrient-rich varieties. By following neglected actors and methods, the project changes our understanding of how and by whom modern agricultural crops have been made.

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Grant Details

Amount Awarded 886718
Applicant Surname Curry
Approval Committee Humanities and Social Science Selection Panel
Award Date 2019-07-30T00:00:00+00:00
Financial Year 2018/19
Grant Programme: Title Investigator Award in H&SS
Internal ID 217968/Z/19/Z
Lead Applicant Dr Helen Anne Curry
Partnership Value 886718
Planned Dates: End Date 2025-08-01T00:00:00+00:00
Planned Dates: Start Date 2020-08-01T00:00:00+00:00
Recipient Org: Country United Kingdom
Region East of England