The Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP) of the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme (GCP) is envisioned as a sustainable web-based, user-friendly, one-stop shop for information, analytical tools and related services to design and conduct molecular breeding programs. It will boost crop productivity for smallholders in drought-prone environments by exploiting the economies of scale afforded by collective access to cutting-edge breeding technologies and informatics hitherto unavailable to developing country breeders.

IBP will provide convenient and cost-effective access to breeding services, including useful genetic resources, quality high-throughput genotyping facilities, and sophisticated phenotyping and metabolite services. Access to top-notch informatics tools to support breeding logistics, data collection and management, analysis, and decision modelling will in turn lead to an accumulation of accessible quality-assured public crop information.

To overcome technical and human resource limitations in developing countries, capacity development is integrated into the project: IBP will address training and support in the use of markers and molecular breeding techniques, designing of breeding strategies, quality data management, information analysis and decision support, phenotyping sites and protocols, and protection of intellectual property.

By providing forums and other community tools via a user-friendly portal, IBP will stimulate the development of crop- and discipline-based communities of practice that will promote application of molecular breeding techniques, enhance data and germplasm sharing, and generally advance modern breeding capacity by linking Centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), other advanced research institutes and developing-country programmes.

GCP is building the IBP in collaboration with 14 initial ‘user cases’ – breeding projects for eight crops in 32 developing countries. This ensures IBP development is driven by breeder needs. IBP will open up to additional users from 2012, with full unfettered access scheduled for 2014.