History and Partnerships

Food Systems Diversification Research began as a Centre for Sustainable Crops in 2006 under the leadership of Professor Festo Massawe to conduct rigorous basic and applied research aimed at enhancing crop productivity and reducing the negative environmental impact of agriculture. As years went by our research expanded to include other aspects of the food system essentially transforming the centre into food systems diversification research with activities covering the whole food system.

In 2008, the Asia Pacific Office of Bioversity International and the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) were granted the prestigious opportunity to co-host Crops For the Future (CFF). Centre for Sustainable Crops partnered with CFF for research and development efforts focused on crop diversification through a wider use of underutilised crop species.

CFFRC was established in 2011, with Professor Sayed Azam-Ali serving as its founder and CEO. The goal of CFFRC was to develop solutions to diversify agriculture using underutilised crops.

We worked closely with colleagues in the UK to establish one of the University of Nottingham’s research beacons “Future Food” to explore new ways of feeding the world.

Coming soon