Smallholder farming systems are pervasive in the world south, where they support the livelihoods of estimated two billion people. Often characterized by challenging environments, smallholder systems make limited use of inputs and improved seed technology and are critically exposed to the climate crisis. Breeding may seek tailored approaches to address the needs of smallholders and foster local adaptation to support sustainable intensification of agriculture and varietal uptake. We use data-driven methods to combine genomics, agronomy, climate data, and socioeconomics to develop tailored solutions to smallholder farmers, fostering the development of decentralised breeding methods supporting the sustainable intensification of farming systems. The Institute is engaged in national and international projects addressing this challenge, including the H2020 funded project FOCUS-Africa H2020 a and the H2020 funded project CAPITALISE.