The 2021 GROW Summer School "Agrobiodiversity in a Changing Climate" is now accepting applications. The summer school will be held online from 14 to 24 September 2021.
One of the world’s greatest challenges is to secure access for all to adequate supplies of food that are healthy, safe and high quality, and to do so in an environmentally sustainable manner. To make the necessary improvements, the sustainable management of natural capital must be at the forefront of food production systems' major goals. Resilient environments, sustainable production practices and the protection of agrobiodiversity can serve as avenues toward improving dietary diversity and quality and, in turn, generating income for sustainable smallholder farmers, while aiding in the restoration and preservation of ecosystems.
The 2021 GROW course will focus on the importance of biodiversity in agriculture, with particular focus on biodiversity’s role in enhancing cropping and farming systems’ resilience and adaptability to climate change. Lectures will illustrate principles and practices for gathering agrobiodiversity data through either participatory diagnostic or empirical approaches, and for their utilization to develop management approaches that improve resilience and adaptability.
The aim of the course is to equip participants with the necessary tools, knowledge and understanding to enhance productivity and improve marketing strategies in sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. The training will include lectures by speakers from various national and international organizations.
All applicants to the 2021 GROW Summer School will have the opportunity to participate in the innovation contest "Improving smallholders’ livelihoods through agrobiodiversity and organic solutions" by submitting their innovative ideas in response to the theme: "How would YOU improve smallholders' livelihoods through agrobiodiversity and organic solutions, especially in such fragile ecosystems as mountains and islands?"
The Summer School is organized by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, Sapienza University of Rome’s Department of Environmental Biology, the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research (PAR). Technical support is provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Sponsors and partners of the summer school include: the Italian Development Cooperation, NaturaSì, Slow Food International and IFOAM-Organics International.
The deadline to apply is 25 July 2021. Please apply via the application form.
For more information, download the 2021 programme and visit the official GROW 2021 website. Questions may be directed to caf_cropgeneticdiversity@uniroma1.it