Are you a pulses lover, hobby gardener, or curious citizen scientist? Join the award-winning INCREASE Citizen Science Experiment and be part of a community that advances sustainable food systems in Europe.
The INCREASE project, recognised with the European Union Prize for Citizen Science, invites European citizens to grow and document diverse bean varieties (Phaseolus vulgaris). Over the past four years, 20,000 participants have contributed to advancing science while building a community committed to a sustainable future.
To contribute to this project, you only need a smartphone, some growing space (field, garden, balcony, or terrace), and enthusiasm for growing six diverse bean varieties.
As part of the Citizen Science Experiment, each new participant will receive seeds of diverse old bean varieties to grow and care for while documenting their development by uploading photos and scoring traits in the INCREASE Citizen Science app, “INCREASE CSA”.
This enables the INCREASE team to evaluate the characteristics of these diverse varieties and enhance agrobiodiversity in Europe.
Register through the free INCREASE CSA app (available in multiple languages), where you’ll receive seeds and instructions to document your involvement in this initiative by uploading photos and scoring traits.
The Citizen Science Experiment is embedded into the European research project INCREASE which involves 25 international partners with the important goal to valorise agrobiodiversity and promote food legumes consumption and cultivation in Europe. The experiment is guided by the European Commission principles “open science, open innovation and open to the world” and INCREASE takes advantage of digital technologies to make science and innovation more collaborative and global.
Explore the INCREASE website and watch the explanatory videos to learn more about this transformative project.
