探花视频

The RADIANT project—Realising Dynamic Value Chains for Underutilised Crops—stands at the forefront of Europe’s transition toward sustainable, resilient, and fair agri-food systems. Coordinated by the Universidade Católica Portuguesa and funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, RADIANT brings together 29 partners from 12 countries, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to address the urgent need for crop diversification and agrobiodiversity.

Why does this matter? Today, just a handful of crops dominate global agriculture, leaving thousands of edible species neglected. This lack of diversity threatens food security, nutrition, and the resilience of farming systems in the face of climate change, land degradation, and market disruptions. RADIANT’s mission is to reverse this trend by empowering farmers, researchers, and value chain actors to rediscover and valorize underutilised crops—ranging from ancient cereals and legumes to traditional fruit trees and leafy greens. 

Since its launch in 2021, RADIANT has delivered a suite of innovative tools and participatory approaches. The project’s “Theory of Change” framework fosters collaboration across the food system and supports 20 pilot studies (“Aurora Farms”) across Europe. These pilots showcase best practices in sustainable production, from closed hydroponics and vertical farming to organic rotations and biofertilizers. Over 45 participatory farmers have also been directly involved, contributing data and sharing their experiences through “Transition Diaries,” which capture both successes and challenges.  

Key achievements include:

• Over 40 open-access scientific publications and participatory tools, such as the Agrobiodiversity Toolbox
• Policy proposals and public events, including the RARE FOOD FAIR, which brought together producers, researchers, and consumers to celebrate food diversity
• The development of decision-support systems and capacity-building networks to help farmers transition to agrobiodiversity-inclusive systems
• Tangible impact on food security, nutrition, and rural livelihoods, with the project reaching over farmers and consumers alike.
  

RADIANT’s legacy is a more resilient, diverse, and sustainable European food system—one that values forgotten crops and the communities that cultivate them. As the project concludes in 2025, its tools, networks, and policy recommendations will continue to inspire change across Europe and beyond.

For more information, and to access the open access project tools, visit the official website:  

By Marta Vasconcelos, Coordinator of RADIANT, and Deputy Director of the at