Promoting Resilient Orphan Legumes for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security

PROSPER will provide sustainable technical solutions based on the valorization of highly resilient orphan legumes (OLs) for: i) diversification in agriculture, allowing farmers’ access to a wider range of selected cultivars (cvs) and enhance productivity under challenging environments, ii) diversification of value chains, promoting a wider range of products for food processing/biocircular economy industries. PROSPER will act in Mediterranean/Central/North Europe, covering different geographic regions/pedoclimatic conditions. A multi-actor approach will ensure that PROSPER meets the real needs of stakeholders/end-users who will play active roles in the co-creation of technical solutions. Participatory Spatial Explicit Information Services will provide on-demand information for PROSPER actors (information/knowledge creators/end-users). Based on Partners’ expertise/achievements gained in former/ongoing projects, PROSPER will develop beyond state-of-the-art knowledge concerning novel resilient accessions (source of agrobiodiversity), their performance under environmental constrains and nutritional value. Technology transfer and demonstration actions will be promoted to share PROSPER knowledge, translated into beyond state-of-the-art sustainable technologies. By successfully promoting the use of OLs, PROSPER will improve crop diversity and environmental resilience, fostering socioeconomic development and sustainability in farming practices across diverse European regions. Direct drivers of biodiversity decline will be understood and addressed. Biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural capital will be mainstreamed in the society and economy. Practices in agriculture will be developed and improved. Biodiversity research and support policies and processes will be interconnected at EU and global levels.