CFF Research

Research Objectives

Our objectives are to:

Use genetic diversity and genomics to develop viable phenotypes and genotypes of currently underutilised crop species for production in a range of cropping systems.
Integrate knowledge of crop type, diversity and agronomy to develop practices to optimise crop performance, quality and resource use efficiency in specific cropping systems.
Use a food system approach to identify the major factors influencing nutritional and other desirable qualities of underutilised crop species along the value chain and develop innovative food and non-food products for public and commercial good.
Develop an evidence base on underutilised crops to assess their potential contributions to the bioeconomy and food and nutritional security in current and future climates.
Communicate the evidence.

Running through its main four themes, CFF will use its transdisciplinary CONNECT approach to demonstrate three cross-cutting threads:

Nutrition: Research to study changes in nutritional quality of underutilised crop species from production through storage and processing to the consumer will demonstrate the nutritional advantages offered by such crops. It will also provide opportunities for interventions within the food system to enhance potential nutritional benefits. Transdisciplinary research will provide an evidence base for the status of nutrition in communities, and the potential role of currently underutilised crops to enhance food and nutritional security.

Biodiversity contributions to the bioeconomy: Growing a diverse range of plants in the traditional ‘gardens’ of Southeast Asia and Africa has many potential advantages both in the production phase (e.g. soil erosion and nutrient cycling) and in the diversity of products available for use (e.g. food, feed and fuel). Transdisciplinary research will quantify and model the social and economic benefits of biodiverse agroecosystems.

Human capacity and societal development: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of social and economic factors influencing societal acceptance of underutilised crops and associated products will identify constraints to their wider adoption. Transdisciplinary research will identify social, economic and policy interventions required to address these limitations.

Our People

Administration	Prof. George Rothchild, Chair	george.rothschild@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Prof. Peter Gregory, Director	peter.gregory@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Prof. Sayed Azam Ali, CEO	sayed@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Dr. Sean Mayes, Director and Treasurer	sean.mayes@cropsforthefutureuk.org

Research Support	Prof. Peter Gregory	peter.gregory@cropsforthefutureuk.org
Research Support	Rossuraya Abdullah
Field Operations	Ooi Gin Teng
Field Operations	Mohd Fadhil Ahmad
Laboratory	Gomathy Sethuraman
Laboratory	Fatin Nadia Muhammad

Themes	Name	Email Addresses
Crop Genetic Resources & Field Studies	Dr Sean Mayes	sean.mayes@cropsforthefutureuk.org
Crop Genetic Resources & Field Studies	Dr Ho Wai Kuan
Crop Improvement & Production	Dr Sean Mayes	sean.mayes@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Dr Chai Hui Hui
	Mohd Khairul Izwan Mohd Hahiree
	Muhammad Zahrulakmal
Product Development & Quality	Max Herriman
	Giva Kuppusamy
	Dr Maysoun Mustafa
	Advina Julkifle
	Tan Xin Lin
	Hilda Binti Hussin
	Muhammad Zufar Safwan Borsra
Knowledge Systems	Dr Ebrahim Jahanshiri	e.jahan@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Eranga Wimalasiri	eranga.wimalasiri@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Nur Marahaini Mohd Nizar	m.nizar@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Tengku Adhwa Syaherah	ts.suhairi@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Siti Sarah Mohd Sinin	s.sinin@cropsforthefutureuk.org
	Ayman Salama

Resources

Research Facilities

HEADQUARTERS

Designed by Kumpulan Akitek; the HQ will comply with the Green Building Index (GBI) and will provide green energy efficient and state-of-the-art facilities. The HQ will include three iconic "glulam" enclosed domes to host:

Central Administration and Visitor Centre
Research Support and Meeting Spaces
Laboratories

The Laboratory Dome includes high-quality controlled environment rooms for research on climate change impacts on underutilised crops. Using smart concepts and green technologies, the HQ uses locally-sourced biomaterials to minimise its carbon footprint. The surrounding landscapes and Demonstration Zones, will showcase CFF research programmes and themes.

Field Research Centre (FRC)

CFF’s Field Research Centre (FRC) provides proof-of-concept transition from a monoculture oil palm plantation to a diversified, sustainable and economically viable field site research facility for underutilised crops and cropping systems. The FRC has laboratories and equipment for field and environmental measurements, offices for field-based staff and students, workshop and storage facilities. These will include laboratories for measuring plant material and related soil, physiological and environmental equipment, cold rooms and a seed store. A secured area of about 8 hectares has been fenced for field experiments.

The FRC will develop research approaches and expertise on experimental management that span crops, cropping systems and traditional disciplinary boundaries. By building multidisciplinary expertise and facilities, the FRC will act as a model for the development of similar field-based research facilities elsewhere, especially in developing regions of the tropics.

CFF-UNMC Doctoral Training Partnership

In addition to the University of Nottingham, discussions are ongoing with invited national and international universities to join CFFPLUS as founding partners and through which registered students may receive ‘dual-awards’ from the University of Nottingham and approved partner institutions.

All CFFPLUS students can be based in Malaysia, at partner locations where the institution is the degree awarding authority or through split-site arrangements between CFF, UNMC and partner institutions.

The following are key features of the CFFPLUS scheme:

Students from all nationalities are eligible for CFFPLUS scholarships. However, a minimum of 10% of the awards will be for students from Africa and the developing countries of the Commonwealth that are eligible for the University of Nottingham’s flagship ‘Developing Solutions’ scheme. These individuals will be recognised as ‘CFF DevSol Scholars’.
Prospective students must apply for specific CFFPLUS PhD or MRes studentships that have been selected by the CFFPLUS committee and awarded to successful academic supervisors. The studentships will be advertised through the Schools and Faculties of award winners as well as through the University of Nottingham and CFF websites.

If you'd like to know more, please contact CFFPLUS DTP Manager, Dr Maysoun Mustafa at maysoun.mustafa@cffresearch.org or visit CFF-UNMC DTP website.