Production capacity, production efficiency, and crop protection are major pillars supporting national crop productivity.  A high priority is the development and subsequent transfer to customers of efficient crop production technologies and sustainable cropping systems.  Overall challenges are to increase substantially the knowledge base of, and sustainable technology for crop production and cropping systems; to improve the delivery of technologies generated; and to promote the use of these systems.  The program is expected to yield one or more production practices that can be integrated into a system for managing plant population densities, fertility, pollination, irrigation and other cultural practices, and pests in an efficient and effective manner.  Meeting these goals will require bringing emerging technological capabilities together to support immediate and long-range strategies aimed at future crop production, protection, and food safety challenges for small, medium and large-sized farms, including organic farming systems.  It will also require substantive collaborations with the customers in program planning, research, and evaluation.