Research

Providing direction for strategic research for the short, medium, and long term, to meet the needs of the plant sector in the transition to more sustainable agricultural systems

How Plant ETP promotes research for the benefit of society

Basic and applied research are essential for European plant science to contribute to the transition towards more sustainable agricultural systems. In order to increase the impact and value of research findings, it is essential that research aims to provide solutions for current, as well as future challenges, while considering the inter-dependencies and complexities related to agricultural systems and value chains. Plant ETP supports R&I by bringing together public and private research, as well as actors throughout the agricultural value chains, in order to improve the use value of research and the flow of innovation to the market.

Plant ETP promotes multidisciplinary research and systems thinking to address environmental and socio-economic challenges and aims to develop a vibrant research environment bridging the gap between life and social sciences.

The EU Green Deal aims to make Europe the first carbon neutral continent by 2050. It kick-starts a change process that will require a 30-year period of learning and improving, for which research will be essential. Maintaining plant production for food, feed and biobased raw materials, while at the same time securing business continuity throughout the transition, will be crucial.

Plant ETP previously published its Research Action Plan demonstrating key research areas where immediate action is needed to enable the plant sector to contribute to the EU Green Deal goals:

  • Increase sustainable plant production and yield by improving resource use efficiency, yield and yield stability, resilience to dynamic environments, and plant health
  • Improve the quality of food, feed and biobased raw materials by breeding plants with increased nutritional properties and/or other properties relevant for use in downstream processing for non-food products
  • Promote a vibrant research environment by developing and implementing horizontal actions and strengthening basic and applied research infrastructure

When relevant Plant ETP participates in EU-funded research projects, either directly as a partner in a consortium, or by providing input on behalf of the plant sector as a member of a Stakeholder Advisory Board.

See our projects page for more information

 

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