ROTATES is a European research and innovation project, led by CIRAD, that aims to boost agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services by introducing and promoting underutilized root and tuber crops (sweet potato, yams, cassava, and taro) into both conventional and organic farming systems across Europe.
These minor starchy crops, currently overlooked in European agriculture, hold great potential in temperate regions to meet the growing demand for sustainable, healthy food, demand that has tripled over the past decade.
Our Objectives
ROTATES will:
- Diagnose barriers and opportunities for MRT (Minor Root and Tuber) crop adoption across the value chain, looking at farming practices, genetic material, and plant health.
- Develop agroecological practices, such as crop rotation and intercropping, to improve soil health and biodiversity while ensuring productivity.
- Establish breeding hubs and a clean seed system with clear phytosanitary certification policies to secure high-quality, adapted crop varieties.
- Create innovative food and feed products, including gluten-low-to-free pasta, bread, and plant-based ice cream, while using crop residues to feed livestock and enrich soils.
- Support farmers and value chain actors with tailored marketing, training, and adoption strategies.
Our Impact
By strengthening the cultivation and use of these versatile crops, ROTATES will:
- Increase resilience and diversity in European agrosystems
- Improve farmers’ income and product value
- Reduce dependence on imported starchy foods
- Deliver sustainable, healthy alternatives for food and feed markets
ROTATES is powered by a multi-actor and multidisciplinary approach, uniting researchers, farmers, processors, and policymakers to create a future-proof agricultural system.
The overall objective is to integrate MRT crops as a lever for crop diversification in five European continental countries (France, Portugal, Cyprus, Italy, Greece), including five outermost regions (Madeira, Canary Islands, Azores Islands, Guadeloupe and French Guiana), and one non-EU country (Republic of the Congo).
