Since 2008, the Centre for Sustainable Development and Environment (Cenesta) has started an Evolutionary Participatory Plant Breeding (EPPB) Programme in Iran in collaboration with several national and international partners, including governmental, non-governmental and research organizations as well as farmers’ associations. The objective was to enhance the resilience of targeted low-input marginal farmers in different microclimates of Iran through increasing genetic diversity and developing evolutionary crop populations with higher and stable yields under conditions of climate change and local stress conditions, including drought, water scarcity, salinity, pests and diseases. Core components were: (1) establishing evolutionary populations (EPs) in farmers’ fields and ensuring sustainable seed supply; and (2) enhancing the policy and regulatory frameworks for sustainable use of PGRFA. The Programme further addressed capacity development of farmers and researchers to ensure the necessary institutional support to access, maintain and use evolutionary crop populations, which increase productive gains while at the same time maintaining yield stability and ecosystem resilience under changing climate conditions. Additionally, EPPB can provide the market with nutritious food and feed.