Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS)

This fellowship must be completed not later than November 2025

Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS) aims at making agricultural profitability compatible with resilience against global changes, with the optimization and preservation of resources such as soil and water, and with the promotion of biodiversity on different scales, as well as at translating the results into innovations that benefit society. The IAS covers agronomy, crop breeding and crop protection profiting from modern tools and  methodologies tested in Europe and Africa.

Research Proposals

• Development of management systems and technologies that optimize the conservation and efficient use of resources, mainly soil and water. Efficient use of water in irrigated agriculture systems under water scarce conditions. Use of models and remote sensing to facilitate sustainable management of agricultural systems.
• Crop breeding for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Promotion of biodiversity in agriculture through conservation and enhancement of plant genetic resources. Development of cultivars with enhanced qualities oriented to the market demand.
• Development of up-to-date diagnose methods and biocontrol tools based on an accurate knowledge of plant-microorganisms interactions. Exploitation of plant-associated microbiome. Disease modelling and development of sustainable control approaches based on Integrated Pest Management that are embedded in circular economy agriculture strategies.
• Co-designing cropping systems for improving food security, land and water productivity, soil quality and climate change mitigation in Africa. Analysis of strategies for the adaptation of agriculture systems to future scenarios of climate change. Development of innovative and environmentally friendly strategies for the integrated management of pests, diseases and weeds.