DIVERSIFOOD:

Embedding Crop Diversity and Networking for Local High Quality Food Systems

Objectives

DIVERSIFOOD will evaluate and enrich the diversity of cultivated plants within diverse agroecosystems so as to increase their performance, resilience and quality through a multi-actor approach. By integrating existing experienced networks and using specific and relevant cases across Europe the project will strengthen “food culture” to improve economic viability of local chains resulting in a greater diversity of produce with a cultural identity.

Thanks to the composition of its consortium, DIVERSIFOOD will cover the whole food chain from genetic resources to marketing, connecting and amplifying local existing actions. It will design specific concepts and methodologies for combining in situ experiments to ensure performance and quality. It will evaluate the genetic resources of a dozen underutilized and forgotten plant species for organic and low-input agriculture or marginal/specific conditions. Various combinations of underutilized legumes associated with several cereals will be tested.

A new diversity will be generated by innovative breeding methods designed for more intra-crop variation. DIVERSIFOOD will help to facilitate cooperation between participatory research networks and professional breeders as well as policy makers in connecting formal and informal seed systems in Europe in relation to international negotiations on Farmers’ rights with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Key-lessons based on the diverse experiences in the project will be shared to support on-farm seed production networks to guarantee high quality seed.

DIVERSIFOOD will demonstrate the socio-economic value of on-farm seed systems, help at local and wider policy levels to increase food and environmental awareness, and improve multi-actor approaches to embed healthy and tasty local products in regional food chains. Demonstration and dissemination will take place at all stages, in collaboration with network organizations for a greater impact.

EC funding : 3 429 908,75 €
Duration : 4 years
Start : March 1st 2015
Coordinator : Véronique CHABLES - veronique.chables@inra.fr 
Project manager : Marion Bondoux - marion.bondoux@inra.fr
Website : http://www.diversifood.eu/

  GenTree : Optimising the Management and Sustainable Use of Forest Genetic Resources in Europe

Objectives

The goal of GenTree is to provide the European forestry sector with better knowledge, methods and tools for optimising the management and sustainable use of forest genetic resources (FGR) in Europe in the context of climate change and continuously evolving demands for forest products and services.

To reach its goal, GenTree will make scientific, technological and implementation breakthroughs in:

• designing innovative strategies for dynamic conservation of FGR in European forests
• broadening the range of FGR used by European breeding programmes
• preparing new forest management scenarios and policy frameworks fully integrating genetic conservation and breeding aspects, to adapt forests and forestry to changing environmental conditions and societal demands.

GenTree focuses on economically and ecologically important tree species in Europe, growing in a wide range of habitats and covering different societal uses and values.

EC funding : 6,7M € (Budget 8M €)

Duration : 4 years
Start : March 1st 2016
Coordinator : Bruno FADY - bruno.fady@inra.fr
Project manager : Yohan LECUONA – yohan.lecuona@inra.fr

Website : http://www.gentree-h2020.eu/

ZELCOR:

Zero Waste Ligno-Cellulosic Bio-Refineries

Objectives

Zelcor project aims at demonstrating the feasibility of transforming lignocellulose biorefinery recalcitrant side streams into high added-value biobased products, including fine chemicals. Its concept is to combine chemical and enzymatic catalysis with insects-based biological conversion, within a biorefinery integrated approach. The project is conceived to avoid waste production by recycling waste bio-based products and improve the sustainability of existing second generation biorefineries. It addresses three types of recalcitrant raw materials: lignocellulosic residues from ethanol production, lignins dissolved during pulping process and lignin-like humins formed by sugars conversion. Enzymatic and process engineering will be implemented to design efficient conversion routes and permit technological breakthroughs. A transversal platform for the characterisation of biomolecules will be settled to identify bio-products of commercial interest among lignins and humins multifunctional nanoparticles, phenolic antioxidants, insects-based chitosans and aromatic chemical intermediates. Thanks to this platform, Zelcor will enhance knowledge of the structure-function relationships and the mechanisms involved in recalcitrant raw materials catalytic depolymerisation and bioconversion. Demonstration of the approach feasibility will be performed by process scaling-up, formulation of end-product prototypes and value chain sustainability and safety assessment. The presence of industrial partners all along the value chains, from lignocellulosic feedstock to end products, will facilitate demonstration activities and technological transfers. With this strong industry drive, Zelcor will lead to large scale production of biomolecules for cosmetics, packaging and chemical industry, as well as novel biocatalysts.

EC funding : 5 256 994 euros (Budget : 6,7M €)
Duration : 4 years
Start : October 1st 2016
Coordinator : Stéphanie BAUMBERGER - stephanie.baumberger@inra.fr
Project manager : Marion BONDOUX – marion.bondoux@inra.fr

ParaFishControl:

Advanced Tools and Research Strategies for Parasite Control in European Farmed Fish

Objectives

ParaFishControl is a European Union funded project under the Horizon 2020 programme. The overarching goal of ParaFishControl is to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of the European aquaculture industry. The 29 partner strong consortium will achieve this by improving our understanding of fish-parasite interactions and by developing innovative solutions and tools for the prevention, control and mitigation of the most harmful parasitic species affecting the main European farmed fish species.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food producing sector worldwide, currently providing half of all aquatic animals for human consumption. If responsibly developed and practised, aquaculture can generate lasting benefits for global food security and economic growth. Parasites and related infections can cause significant damage to farmed fish resulting in poor growth performance, impaired welfare and high mortality rates, which can significantly hamper aquaculture production and economic performance. Disease prevention and management are therefore essential for the sustainability of the aquaculture industry.

The concept of ParaFishControl is to strengthen the applied knowledge base for parasites of European farmed fish, bridging the gap between fundamental knowledge of parasite biology, host-parasite interactions and the development of practical applications for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the principal parasitic diseases, as well as characterising transfer of parasites between wild and farmed fish populations.

Activities in ParaFishControl will be carried out over five years in working groups arranged into nine work packages which are cross-cutting and integrate all fish host species and their relevant parasites.

ParaFishControl will carry out a dynamic programme to ensure dissemination of the research findings to a variety of stakeholders such as scientists working in academia or industry, fish farmers/growers, fish health professionals, agricultural advisors, breeders, consumers and policy makers as well as the public.

EC funding : 7,8M € (Budget 8 063 877,50 €)
Duration : 5 years
Start : April 1st 2015
Coordinator : Ariadna Sitjà-Bobadilla - parafishcontrol.coordination@csic.es
Project manager : Enric Belles-Boix – enric.belles-boix@paris.inra.fr
Website : www.parafishcontrol.eu