Area of investment and support

Area of investment and support: Wheat initiative

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is a member of the Wheat Initiative. It provides a framework to establish strategic research and organisation priorities for wheat research at an international level.

Partners involved:
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) for the UK in partnership with the following member countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Turkey, Uruguay, US. Observer countries: Argentina, Brazil, India, Russia and Spain. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), International Center for Agricultural Research in the Areas (ICARDA). Arvalis Institut du Végétal, Asur Plant Breeding, Florimond Desprez Veuve e Fils, KWS UK Ltd, RAGT 2n SAS, Syngenta Crop Protection AG.

The scope and what we're doing

The Wheat Initiative was created in 2011 following endorsement from the G20 agriculture ministries. It fosters communication between the public and private research community, funders and global policymakers.

Find out about the members of the Wheat Initiative.

Vision for wheat improvement

The Wheat Initiative launched its international vision for wheat improvement in May 2013.

The vision is to promote a vibrant global wheat research community sharing resources, capabilities, data and ideas to improve wheat land productivity, quality and sustainable production.

The mission is to develop a global strategic research agenda and support its implementation through coordinated actions, knowledge and resource sharing, and efficient investment.

Expert working groups

Expert working groups (EWGs) are established where there would be benefit from bringing together experts with a focus on a topic of relevance to the Wheat Initiative’s aims and objectives. The Wheat Initiative provides EWGs with a platform for discussion, information sharing and interaction to identify and address specific research and organisational challenges.

Through its EWGs, the Wheat Initiative identifies potential synergies and nurtures collaborations between research and development programs for wheat improvement in both developed and developing countries. EWGs provide a platform for discussion, information sharing and interaction to identify specific research gaps and formulate recommendations addressing challenges in key areas. They may undertake collaborative actions or foster the creation of international research programmes.

Why we're doing it

World food wheat production is not meeting the necessary future demand. With a growing world population the food demand will increase by 60% by 2050, while yields are stagnating.

Additionally, wheat is particularly susceptible to climate change.

Opportunities, support and resources available

Find out more about the expert working groups on the Wheat Initiative website.

You’ll find details of funding opportunities and ongoing calls for experts within each group.

Who to contact

Ivette Hernandez Negrete

Email: ivette.hernandezNegrete@bbsrc.ukri.org

Tim Willis

Email: tim.willis@bbsrc.ukri.org

Telephone: 01793 413247

Last updated: 18 December 2023

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services.