http://ec.europa.eu/research/agriculture/index_en.html
http://cordis.europa.eu/food/introduction.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/research/biosociety/kbbe/basics_en.htm
Objective
Building a European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy17 by bringing together science, industry and other stakeholders, to exploit new and emerging research opportunities that address social, environmental and economic challenges: the growing demand for safer, healthier and higher quality food and for sustainable use and production of renewable bio-resources; the increasing risk of epizootic and zoonotic diseases and food related disorders; threats to the sustainability and security of agricultural, aquaculture and fisheries production including those resulting in particular from climate change; and the increasing demand for high quality food, taking into account animal welfare and rural and coastal contexts and the ways of meeting specific consumer needs.
Rationale
Innovations and advancement of knowledge in the sustainable management, production and use of biological resources (micro-organism, plants, animals), will provide the basis for new, sustainable, safer, eco-efficient and competitive products for agriculture, fisheries, feed, food, health, forest based and related industries. In line with the European strategy on life sciences and biotechnology18, this will help increase the competitiveness of European agriculture and biotechnology, seed and food companies, in particular high tech SMEs, while improving social welfare and well-being. Research into the safety of food and feed chains, diet related diseases, food choices and the impact of food and nutrition on health will help to fight food related disorders (e.g. obesity, allergies) and infectious diseases (e.g. transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, avian-flu), while making important contributions to the implementation of existing and the formulation of future policies and regulations in the area of public, animal and plant health and consumer protection.
The diversity and mainly small size of the European industries in these areas, while being one of its strengths and an opportunity, leads to fragmented approaches to similar problems. These are better addressed by increased collaboration and sharing of expertise, for example on new methodologies, technologies, processes and standards that result from changing EUCommunity legislation.
Several European Technology Platforms contribute in setting common research priorities, in fields such as plant genomics and biotechnology, forestry and forest based industries, global animal health, farm animal breeding, food and industrial biotechnology. The research will also provide the knowledge base needed to support19: the Common Agricultural Policy ; agriculture and trade issues; food safety regulations; European Forest Strategy; Community animal health, disease control and welfare standards; and the Common Fisheries Policy reform aiming to provide sustainable development of fishing and aquaculture and the safety of seafood products. A flexible response to new policy needs is also foreseen, in particular with respect to new social or economic trends.
Activities
Sustainable production and management of biological resources from land, forest and aquatic environments: Enabling research including 'omics' technologies, such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, systems biology, bioinformatics and converging technologies for microorganisms, plants and animals, including sustainable exploitation and usage of its biodiversity. For land-based biological resources, research will be focused on: Soil fertility, improved harvests and production systems in all the diversity, including organic agriculture, production and monitoring quality schemes, and evaluation of GMO impacts in the environment and human beings; plants health; sustainable, competitive and multifunctional agriculture and forestry; integrated rural development; animal health and wellbeing, breeding and production, including research in vaccines and diagnose; infectious diseases in animals, including epidemiological studies, zoonosis and its pathogenic mechanisms, and diseases related to animal fodder; other threats to sustainability and security in food production, such as climate change and safe storage of animal waste. For biological resources from aquatic environments, research will support fisheries sustainability and competitiveness. It will also provide the scientific and technological basis for fishing managements and will support sustainable development of aquaculture, including production and wellbeing. Development tools required by policy designers and other actors I areas such as agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, and rural development (landscape, land management practice, etc.), socio-economic and ethical contexts of production.
“From the Fork to the Farm”; Food, health and wellbeing: Aspects of consumers, aspects of society, cultural, industrial and health aspects of food and fodder, including behavioural and cognitive sciences; nutrition and diet-related diseases and disorders, such as obesity and allergies; health benefits from certain foods and diets; innovative foods and fodder processing technologies (including packaging); improvements to quality and chemical and microbiological safety of foods, drinks and fodder; integrity (and control) of the food chain; environmental impacts in and from food/fodder chains; impacts in -and resistance from- the food chain to global changes; complete concept of the food chain (including sea food); traceability.
Life Sciences and Biotechnology for non-food products and processes: Improved crops/harvests and forestry resources, fodder stock, sea products and biomass (including sea resources) for energy, environment and high added-value products such as materials and chemicals, including innovative agricultural production systems, bioprocesses and biorefinery concepts; biocatalysis, new and improved microorganisms and enzymes; forestry and forest-based products and processes; environmental bioremediation and cleaner bioprocessing; utilization of agro-industrial waste and related products.
Life Sciences and Biotechnology for non-food products and processes: Improved crops/harvests and forestry resources, fodder stock, sea products and biomass (including sea resources) for energy, environment and high added-value products such as materials and chemicals, including innovative agricultural production systems, bioprocesses and biorefinery concepts; biocatalysis, new and improved microorganisms and enzymes; forestry and forest-based products and processes; environmental bioremediation and cleaner bioprocessing; utilization of agro-industrial waste and related products.