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York, 22-24/09/2005XIX EURAGRI MEMBERS CONFERENCE, The Knowledge Challenge: Research and Innovation 1
XIX EURAGRI Members ConferenceXIX EURAGRI Members Conference
The Knowledge Challenge:The Knowledge Challenge:Research and InnovationResearch and Innovation
François HoullierINRA, Scientific Director for Plant and Plant Products
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York, 22-24/09/2005XIX EURAGRI MEMBERS CONFERENCE, The Knowledge Challenge: Research and Innovation 2
OutlineOutline
Difficulty to cover such a wide topic, at the crossroads of the evolution of agriculture per se of global social, economic and environmental changes of the progress of science and technology
A sample of ‘research challenges’ from three types generated by the joint dynamics of agriculture, societies and environment related to the inner ‘natural’ scientific and technological trends resulting from changes in the organization of R&D systems
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‘‘Global’ context and trendsGlobal’ context and trends
Agriculture as a major policy and economic issue Trade of agricultural products
Europe is a major exporter and the first importer of agricultural products Demographic pressure and the need to feed the world population
Increased competition for arable land in some countries Need to increase the productivity and competitiveness of agriculture
Other agriculture-related megatrends Urbanization changes ‘our’ relationship to Nature and to rurality An increasing aversion to risks: cf. ‘precautionary principle’ From quantity towards quality and safety of food and agricultural products Changes in, and variability of diet regimes Environmental changes
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York, 22-24/09/2005XIX EURAGRI MEMBERS CONFERENCE, The Knowledge Challenge: Research and Innovation 4
Environmental changesEnvironmental changes
Global changes … Land use and land use changes Climatic changes Atmospheric pollution Biological invasions
including emerging animal and plant diseases Overexploitation of renewable resources
… but also local and diffuse changes such as pollutions including those related to agriculture
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Living Beyond Our Means?Living Beyond Our Means?
Observed and predicted decline of resources and of ecosystem services (http://www.millenniumassessment.org/)
Threats to natural renewable resources … … that are either affected by agriculture (and/)or key factors for the development thereof
genetic diversity, water, …Predicted decline of fossil energy resources
Opportunities for agriculture if a good link is established between producers and industries
Renewed research questions In engineering sciences, biology and genetics … … but also in agronomy, ecology, economy and social sciences (systemic approaches)
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The need to jointly consider the evolution …The need to jointly consider the evolution …
… of the agricultural systems… of the food systems… and of the environment
Natural and cultivated ecosystems Biodiversity and (renewable) natural resources (soil, water, air, etc.)
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… … and to articulate and couple various approachesand to articulate and couple various approaches
Biophysical approaches of the structure, diversity, functioning and dynamics of cultivated and natural ecosystems
Technical and technological approaches of agricultural systems, of their production and products
Territorial, social and economic approaches of agricultural activities and of their insertion in the society
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11stst challenge: agriculture and sustainable development challenge: agriculture and sustainable development
From ‘sustainable agriculture’to ‘agriculture as a component of sustainable development’
Agriculture as a component of a larger systemThree standpoints for research
New questions, new topics linked to sustainability issues e.g. incorporation of risk analysis into the economic assessment of agricultural systems
Sustainable development as a new research object per se e.g. joint appraisal of the immediate and long-term environmental, social and economic
performance of agricultural systems; trade-off analysis Sustainable development as a driver for renewing research practices and relationships
between science and action e.g. the focus on innovation (cf. Lisbon Strategy “Innovation as the motor for economic
change”) leads to new ways of doing research Products, processes, organizations, marketing Management and impacts of innovation (systemic approaches)
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Changes in, and variability of diet regimesChanges in, and variability of diet regimes
Long-term evolution of food energetic inputs in France
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1780 1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980
Total
Cereals – Starchy food
Animal products – Fruits and vegetables
Fat – Sugar
Ca
lori
es
/pe
rso
n/d
ay
Source: J.-C. Toutain, FAO-STAT
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
1780 1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Proteins
Lipids
Glucides
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Changes in, and variability of diet regimesChanges in, and variability of diet regimes
With links with human health and epidemiology E.g. variation of
obesity among countries3,2
3,2
6
6,8
8,6
9
9,1
9,2
9,3
9,5
10
11,4
11,4
11,5
11,7
12,4
12,6
12,8
14,8
14,9
16,2
17
19,4
20,8
22
24,2
30,9
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Japan (2001)
Korea (2001)
Norway (1998)
Switzerland (1997)
Italy (2000)
France (2000)
Austria (1999)
Sweden (2001)
Netherlands (2001)
Denmark (2000)
Ireland (1999)
Finland (2001)
Poland (1996)
Germany (1999)
Belgium (2001)
Iceland (2002)
Spain (2001)
Portugal (1999)
Czech Republic (2002)
Canada (2001)
Slovak Republic (1998)
New Zealand (1997)
Hungary (2000)
Australia (1999) a
United Kingdom (2001) a
Mexico (2000)
United States (1999) a
Source : OECD 2003
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22ndnd challenge: diet transitions and the focus on consumer challenge: diet transitions and the focus on consumer
Links between diet and lifestyleLinks with demographic and epidemiological transitions
Colon Cancer, Stroke, Coronary Heart Colon Cancer, Stroke, Coronary Heart Disease, and Type II Diabetes Potentially Disease, and Type II Diabetes Potentially
Preventable by Life-Style ModificationsPreventable by Life-Style Modifications
From: Willett, WC. Science 296:696, 2002.
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Diet transitions and the focus on consumer (2)Diet transitions and the focus on consumer (2)
‘From fork to farm’ More emphasis on food safety and on food quality
Food and diet as complex systems The necessity to avoid naïve views
Courtesy X. Leverve (INRA, DS NHSA)
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A few scientific and technological trendsA few scientific and technological trends
High throughput biologyEcological in situ observations and experimentsComputer sciences and modeling
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High throughput biology High throughput biology
From genomics to metabolomicsLarge international genome sequencing consortiaBioinformatics as a major component
New investigation techniques (in situ cell imagery, …)
The need of dedicated biological and genetic resources Natural resources Mutants
DataBases
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33rdrd challenge: towards integrative biology challenge: towards integrative biology
Genomics are in a highly productive, but still descriptive phaseThere is a strong need to develop integrative biology
Horizontal integration From the gene to the function and back using exhaustive data Linking quantitative and molecular genetics
Vertical integration (systems biology) Up- and down-scaling across organization levels Strong need of models
Transversal integration Comparative approaches across species
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The capability to trace the in situ functioning of ecosystems
Greenhouse controlled experiments Isotopic techniques
In controlled systems In natura
Long-term ecological experimentsPopulation genetics and
evolutionary biology From ‘neutral’ to ‘selected’ markers
Ecological Ecological in situin situ observations and experiments observations and experiments
A FACE system in New Zealand (courtesy J.-F. Soussana, INRA, Clermont-Ferrand)
Climatic tunnels (courtesy J.-F. Soussana, INRA, Clermont-Ferrand)
Canopy crane research facility in Oregon
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44thth challenge: biodiversity ↔ ecosystem functioning challenge: biodiversity ↔ ecosystem functioning
Assessing biodiversity, at various scales and levels of life organization, as a driver and/or as an indicator of ecosystem functioning, or per se
Inventories Functional role of biodiversity Impacts of agriculture
Understanding and controlling biodiversity dynamics Monitoring
The need of long-term experiments and of links with large-scale operational surveys Impacts of agriculture (and of other human activities)
The need of models and of experiments
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Information sciences and technologies, and modeling Information sciences and technologies, and modeling
Spatial representation of ecosystems GIS & Remote Sensing
Systemic approaches of complex situations UML models
Bioinformatics Databases, data mining, algorithms, …
Models of networks Gene regulation Metabolic functioning Ecological food web networks, …
Simulation systems Virtual plants, crops, landscapes, …
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55thth challenge: complex systems challenge: complex systems
Conceptualization of systems Many elements and many interactions
Data management Organization and storage of, and access to, very large (massive) and distributed datasets
Capability to model networks of interactions and retroactions The need of analytical tools The need of models and data
The capability to integrate knowledge into simulators
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66thth challenge: ‘Knowledge economy’ and agriculture challenge: ‘Knowledge economy’ and agriculture
Linking research, education and extension A key for innovation and long-term competitiveness
Harmonization of diploma throughout Europe Bologna, 1998
Linking agricultural research organizations to the agricultural higher education system …
Polarization of the research system … and networking… and to the industries and the associated technical R&D centres
Cf. European Technology Platforms
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Thank you for your attention!