Mission
“ICARDA's mission is to improve the welfare of poor people and alleviate poverty through research and training in dry areas of the developing world, by increasing the production, productivity and nutritional quality of food, while preserving and enhancing the natural resource base.”
 
Genetic resources activities

ICARDA genebank
“Since its inception, ICARDA has mounted 71 collection missions in 40 countries and currently holds over 110,000 accessions of its mandate crops in its genebank (55,000 cereals, 27,000 food legumes, 28,000 forages). These collections are held in trust in the Center's cold store under the auspices of FAO. Each year, ICARDA distributes on average, over 30,000 samples to ICARDA and other researchers worldwide.” [more...]

Integrated Gene Management: Conservation, Enhancement and Sustainable Use of Agrobiodiversity in Dry Areas
“Several food, feed and horticultural crops originated in Central and West Asia and North Africa and their wild relatives and landraces are still found in the area. They have survived in the harsh, dry environments for thousands of years, and therefore contain useful genes that can be used in plant breeding to produce varieties that can withstand the conditions in the region. However, the rising population and increased degradation of the land is causing their erosion. ICARDA is working with national programs to collect and store germplasm of these precious species in the field and in its genebank. In addition, ICARDA's breeding programs with national partners continue to develop new and improved crop varieties that are released in various countries of the region and beyond.”
Diversification and Sustainable Improvement of Crop and Livestock Production Systems in Dry Areas
“The goal of alleviating poverty in dry areas cannot be achieved by productivity increases alone. Innovative options are needed to diversify income generating opportunities available to rural households. Such options include the diversification of cropping systems and increasing the quality and end-use value of agricultural commodities. ICARDA's research in this area is, therefore, focusing on crop and livestock systems especially for smallholder farmers, household investment and marketing opportunities for value-added crop and livestock products and options to both increase and diversify the value of crop production.”
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Inter-Centre Working Group on Genetic Resources
Each of the CGIAR Centres has a representative on the Inter-Centre Working Group on Genetic Resources, SGRP’s steering committee. ICARDA is represented by two members, one representing the plant genetic resources sector and one representing the livestock sector. The Committee sets the strategy and priorities for SGRP and meets annually to review its workplan.