From collection to cultivation: historical perspectives on crop diversity and food security

Many experts agree that the genetic diversity of agricultural crop plants is essential to present and future food security. But how this diversity makes its way into agricultural production — for example as more disease-resistant or nutritious crops — is not well understood. This poses problems for scientific and political decision making. 

We will chart the histories of the different types of knowledge, labour, techniques and tools needed to transform plants gathered around the world into novel crop varieties for farms and markets. By studying key historical examples, we will provide detailed accounts of how different kinds of agricultural scientists have used and managed crop diversity to increase agricultural productivity since the early 20th century. 

This project will show that genetic diversity has been made valuable not just by plant breeders, but by a wide range of researchers involved in plant exploration, introduction, conservation, and use.