Scientists have now completed the genome sequences of several plant species - including Arabidopsis and rice - and because crops only diverged from a common ancestor relatively recently, their genetic makeup and gene expression is similar. Sections of the genome have been conserved across many crops, which allows for the application of genetic studies from one crop to another, hence the "comparative" in comparative genetic studies. So, research on important stress tolerance genes in rice can have major impact in, say, finding disease resistance genes in  wheat.

The GCP uses molecular biology, genetics, comparative and functional genomics, molecular breeding, physiology and bioinformatics to explore crop diversity for genes of interest and develop a new generation of crops that better withstand the agricultural constraints that more and more resource-poor farmers face. When important genes that control such traits as pest and disease resistance or drought tolerance cannot be bred into crop cultivars using marker-assisted selection or wide-crosses, the GCP will employ genetic engineering approaches.

At the core of the GCP philosophy is the belief that science should be used to increase the food security and improve livelihoods of people worldwide - and in resource-poor areas in particular - through unlocking the genetic potential of food crops and their wild relatives, enhancing the use of public genetic resources in plant breeding programmes, and developing tools and technologies to improve the stress tolerance of varieties farmers grow.

Commodity crops are generally large-scale crops that are grown for consumption beyond subsistence farming needs. These crops (wheat, rice, maize and bananas are some) have largely been the focus of research efforts because of their wide global importance and distribution. In contrast, many "orphan crops" (such as millet) are important to a significant number of the resource poor, but have been largely neglected by the research community. In addition to their importance in developing countries, many of the orphan crops have desirable traits that could be useful in other orphan crops and the commodity crops. By investigating both groups of crops, the GCP explores a wide range of possibilities for identifying and utilising important traits, such as drought tolerance, for use in crop improvement programmes.

We believe that fundamental science vs. applied science is a false dichotomy.  As illustrated in the following diagram, our GCP is oriented to undertake the most advanced science in a way that will develop practical solutions to serious problems in developing countries.

Through capacity-building activities such as workshops, training courses and research fellowships, the GCP ensures that scientists in the developing world have access to and are able to apply genetic and genomic tools to crop improvement efforts in their countries. To make sure that the resource-poor share in the benefits of the GCP, we adhere to the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Plant Genetic Resource Treaty and have established a policy research initiative to keep abreast of access and benefit sharing issues.

Challenge Programmes are a new initiative of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) that partner with a wide range of institutions, both inside and outside of the CGIAR, to address complex issues of global or regional significance with a high likelihood for great impact. The Generation Challenge Programme is one of four independently governed, time-bound pilot Challenge Programmes charged with exploring ways to improve the design and implementation of this new approach. The mission of the Generation Challenge Programme is to harness the rich global heritage of plant genetic resources and create a new generation of crops that meet the needs of resource-poor people.