Cereals and grains form the basis of global diets and the staples made from these crops are a key to end hunger and malnutrition (SDG 2 and 3). Furthermore, cereal and grains are important for living income for farmers and many more along their value chains. However, local production declines and the impact of climate change on cereal production and of geopolitical shocks like the wheat crisis show the lack of resilience of the current food systems in e.g. sub Saharan Africa.

ICCs Cereal Science community is currently mostly focused on Western and upcoming markets and on the main commodities wheat, maize and rice. With this initiative we aim to raise awareness among ICC’s cereal scientists about the growing global scourge of food and nutrition insecurity and to strengthen ICC’s activities and impact on the challenges of the global South.

Excellence of ICC cereal scientific network

• Build an ICC network accessible for (young) cereal scientists in resource poor countries. How can we better involve - and be more accessible for - (young) African/low-income country scientists?
• Promote ICC as the authoritative and independent knowledge and expertise platform on cereals and grains among scientists in the global South.
• Get an overview of ICC people, their collaborators in resource poor regions and their projects related to Cereals and Grain Science for Global Food and Nutrition Security

Relevance of ICC cereal science knowledge

• Raise awareness among cereal scientists about the growing global scourge of food and nutrition insecurity.
• Create a scientific debate about (nutritional) interventions and dietary shifts concerning cereals and wholegrains.
• Develop concerted action type project proposals to empower cereal scientists by sharing scientific approaches and methods like Food System Thinking and successful nutritional interventions

Do you want to join actively in this ICC initiative or share ideas? Send e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

find more information in these presenations: https://icc.or.at/icbc24