The Institute focuses its activities in five high-profile and integrated strategic areas of sustainability science. Five Rothamsted Research Centres address the primary grand challenges that face science in support of land-based economies in both the developed and the developing world. Efficient use of finite land resources for enhanced production of food, energy and other renewable crop-based products requires new scientific knowledge and understanding, particularly with the necessity to maintain bio-diverse, functional, agro-ecosystems and simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water demand and reliance on fossil-fuels.

 » The impacts of climate change on agriculture and approaches to its mitigation will be addressed in the Centre for Bioenergy and Climate Change
 » Development of arable crops with improved resource use, performance, yield and end-use quality (including enhanced human health benefits) will be addressed in the Centre for Crop Genetic Improvement
 » The vital functions performed by soils and agricultural ecosystems will be addressed in the Centre for Soils and Ecosystem Function
 » Effective and lasting approaches to reducing the impacts of pest and disease will be addressed in the Centre for Sustainable Pest and Disease Management.
 » Quantification, prediction and the ability to derive value from large volumes of data are increasingly important in the biological sciences; the Centre for Mathematical and Computational Biology will be closely integrated with the other four Centres to deliver new tools, analytical approaches and scientific insights.