ICARDA's mission is to improve the welfare of poor people and alleviate poverty through research and training in dry areas of the developing world, by increasing the production, productivity and nutritional quality of food, while preserving and enhancing the natural resource base.



The environment in dry areas is harsh, stressful and variable, and agriculture in these areas faces more complex challenges than in areas with adequate rainfall.



ICARDA is committed to the advancement of agricultural research; free exchange of germplasm and information for research; protection of intellectual property rights, including indigenous knowledge of farmers; human resources development; the sustainable use of natural resources; and poverty alleviation, particularly among women and children.





ICARDA pursues this mission in partnerships with national agricultural research systems in developing countries and with advanced research institutes in industrialized countries. While most of ICARDA's collaborative activities with its partners are formalized as written agreements, some joint research is also carried out informally based on the center's personal contacts with colleagues in various institutions.