30 Projects. for Competitive and Environmentally Aware Agriculture. Agriculture & Innovation 2025 #AI2025. October 2015

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1 30 Projects for Competitive and Environmentally Aware Agriculture Submitted by: Jean-Marc BOURNIGAL François HOULLIER Philippe LECOUVEY Pierre PRINGUET October 2015

2 Projects for Competitive and Environmentally Submitted by: Jean-Marc BOURNIGAL François HOULLIER Philippe LECOUVEY Pierre PRINGUET Aware Agriculture In response to a request by the French Ministers in charge of Agriculture and of Higher Education and Research in 2015, a taskforce prepared a report to provide direction and guidance for the future French governmental roadmap "Agriculture Innovation 2025". The taskforce was composed of four prominent figures involved in French agricultural and food research and innovation and this report presents an overview of their recommendations. In the mission statement for this report, the Ministers recalled that agriculture is at the heart of the issues that concern all of society, and faces global challenges such as Climate Change, Food Security, Biodiversity Conservation, and the Digital Revolution. Specifically, the following themes were a focus of analysis to correspond to the report s mandate: Agro-ecology in its integrative dimension; Bioeconomy; Biocontrol and its place in the strategies of integrated crop and livestock health management; Plant biotechnologies in their diversity, integrating the related societal issues; Agricultural equipment and the development of digital agriculture.

3 04 05 Summary 06 Priorities Thematic areas pages Projects 1 Developing a systems approach and using agriculture to fight climate change 2 axes- 9 projects- 31 actions AGROECO BIOECO Agroecology Bioeconomy [Agroeco1] [Agroeco2] [Agroeco3] [Agroeco4] [Agroeco5] [Bioeco1] [Bioeco2] [Bioeco3] [Bioeco4] Advancing soil biology research Improving soil fertility and mitigating climate change Preparing for and adapting to climate change: developing and promoting integrated water management Preparing for and adapting to climate change: creating a portal for agricultural services Developing rapid health diagnostic tools for farm use Promoting protein autonomy in France and Europe Expanding research on technology and process engineering Organising systems biology and synthetic biology research for bioindustries Organising research on and for the bioeconomy DIGI Digital agriculture 18 [Digi1] [Digi2] Creating an agricultural data portal for open innovation Organising research on digital technology in agriculture 2 Allowing for the full development of new technologies in agriculture 4 axes -12 projects - 45 actions ROB GEN Robotics Genetics & biotechnology [Rob1] [Rob2] [Rob3] [Gen1] [Gen2] [Gen3] [Gen4] Accelerating research and development in agricultural robotics Organising and supporting industrial activity in agricultural robotics Designing methods to test and certify agricultural robots Improving genomic selection in plant and animal breeding Managing new biotechnology Developing the industrial potential of secondary metabolites Diversifying and broadening this potential Updating procedures and regulations to encourage new genetic developments and their adoption BIOCH Plant & animal biocontrol 24 [Bioc1] [Bioc2] [Bioc3] Organising and supporting research and development on biocontrol for plant pests and diseases Supporting biocontrol in livestock systems to improve performance and animal health Adapting procedures and regulations for assessing plant and animal biocontrol measures 2 Bringing 3 together all agricultural research and development stakeholders to foster competitiveness 3 axes - 9 projects - 22 actions INNOV ECO Open innovation Agricultural economics [Innov1] [Innov2] [Innov3] [Innov4] [Eco1] [Eco2] [Eco3] Incorporating farm experience into innovation efforts Mobilising agricultural RDI to meet social challenges Creating regional Living Labs to study agroecology and bioeconomy Upgrading research networks and farm observation networks Developing and disseminating multicriteria assessment tools for agricultural and food systems Diversifying sources of agricultural revenue and financing Establishing an international competitiveness observatory on agriculture and agrifood TRAIN Training 34 [Train1] [Train2] Improving training and support schemes to match skill requirements Building capacity to support change in agriculture SUMMARY OF THEMATIC AREAS/PROJECTS/ACTIONS 36

4 Colinet L., Joly P-B., Gaunand A., Matt M., Larédo P., Lemarié S., ASIRPA Analyse des Impacts de la Recherche Publique Agronomique. Rapport final. Final Report. Prepared for INRA. Paris, France. 61 pages. 2. National Symposium on INRA s research impacts, INRA, Paris, 28 September Technology readiness levels (TRL) are a method of estimating a technology s maturity through laboratory testing prior to its launch. wiki/technology_readiness_level Summary 1. Challenging circumstances Agriculture at the start of the twenty-first century faces a number of challenges: feeding humankind, with demand from emerging countries for animal protein constantly increasing; reducing its environmental impact; mitigating and adapting to climate change through agroecology transition; and making full use of biomass to supply resources suited to energy, chemical, and material uses. Meeting these concurrent challenges will require wide-scale change to the economics of agricultural production and supply chains, keeping in mind that: consumers are at one end, with a wide range of food product needs, from the most commonplace products through to haute cuisine, and also with a wide range of opinions about production processes (sourcing, animal welfare, social and environmental impact, etc.), at times in ways that may be contradictory. In all cases, consumers want products that meets their needs and expectations, with a strong emphasis on quality and safety, at an attractive price; farms and farmers are at the other end. Farms are incredibly diverse by nature, and are located around the world with different relationships to their local environments. As a result, there is no single model that farms follow but, for all, the ability to be sufficiently profitable is essential. Consequently, satisfying our economic, environmental, and social needs will require a high level of efficiency across agricultural production and supply chains. In today s world, this means being more competitive, while giving due regard to sustainable development concerns. The search for sustainable competitiveness is what inspired this Mission and the action plans set out here, which were shaped by the conviction that innovation is essential. 2. An open and inclusive methodology The Mission s methodology drew on dialogue with all stakeholders, including industry representatives, farmers unions, agricultural chambers of commerce, consumer organisations, research bodies, technical institutes, and universities. In total, more than 300 people were involved in the project. All interviews and workshops conducted as a part of the project were carried out with the aim of identifying concreate action plans. Once meetings were concluded, participants were asked to further develop their ideas in draft proposals. It was not possible, in the time given, to fully explore some of the issues identified. These would, however, merit further consideration, and recommendations to this end were put forward by the Mission. The Mission purposefully chose a very broad spectrum, stretching from scientific research to innovation, and including their transfer and dissemination in the field, while also encompassing training and regulatory aspects where these seemed relevant. Studying the impact of agricultural research demonstrates that a variety of actions and partnerships are involved over timeframes lasting from one to dozens of years. (1,2) The projects and actions identified varied in their substance. They included drawing road maps for particular issues, formulating and carrying out projects and programmes for research, development and transfer, creating research infrastructure, developing partnership agreements, training, and regulatory action. The Mission sought to deal with those subject explicitly set out in its mission statement. Nevertheless, the scope of its recommendations covers the broader range of issues identified over the course of its work. The Mission endeavoured to fully incorporate the considerations and guidelines set out in France s national research strategy. The agrifood industry was not specifically mentioned in the mission statement. Additional work in this area would be of merit, given the input provided by various industry stakeholders and owing to the interconnected nature of developments in agriculture and agrifood. The Mission looked to guide and inform its work using three complementary analyses and approaches: benchmarking agricultural research strategies in other countries; an analysis of the future outlook for research, development, and experimentation in France, carried out as a part of the GIS Relance agronomique group on agricultural renewal; and an overview of mechanisms for financing agricultural research and development in France. 3. Proposals for projects Thirty draft proposals for projects constitute the core of this report. They identify, as clearly as possible, the issues involved, the actions to take, the stakeholders concerned, the sources of financing, a technological readiness level assessment (TRL) (3) where appropriate, project milestones, and a project calendar. Three major priorities were identified, based on nine thematic areas: 1 Developing a systems approach and using agriculture to fight climate change by: Supporting and spurring agroecology transition [AGROECO]. This thematic area follows on from Marion Guillou s 2013 report and from the 2014 French Law on the Future of Agriculture. There is a wide range of proposals for this thematic area, including research on soil, an action plan for mitigating climate change (4 per 1000 initiative), a portal for services and climate data for agriculture, integrated water management, and rapid health diagnostic tools designed for farm use. Developing bioeconomy research and innovation [BIOECO]. Bioeconomy is the sustainable use of natural capital through the production, processing, and recycling of plant and animal biomass. Projects in this area address specific issues (protein autonomy in France and in Europe, as a follow-on from Anne Lauvergeon s Innovation 2030 report), further engineering and technology research projects already funded by France s Investing in the Future programme (PIA) (biorefineries, highspeed fermentation), leading-edge science (systems biology and synthetic biology for bioindustries), and, more broadly, the way bioeconomy research is structured (finalisation of an intragovernmental roadmap, creation of interdisciplinary research centres) and the need to develop more systemic approaches. 2 Allowing for the full development of new technologies in agriculture by: Pressing forward with the digital revolution [DIGI]. This thematic area continues the work undertaken in 2014 by Jean- Marc Bournigal on agricultural equipment. Its scope is quite broad, spanning research programmes (decision-making tools, sensors) to economic development projects (creation of an open-access resource for digital agricultural data, new testing methods using digital technology). Accelerating the development of agricultural robotics [ROB] This area is also a follow on from Jean-Marc Bournigal s 2014 work on agricultural equipment. In this case, a very focused approach was adopted, namely adding a programme dedicated to agricultural robotics to France s new industrial plan, developing public private partnerships in this area, and creating an open facility for testing and assessment.

5 08 09 Mobilising genetic resources and biotechnologies [GEN]. This area is vital in terms of staying competitive. France has a very high level of research skill in this area, which is internationally very competitive, but has fallen behind in terms of experimental research and knowledge dissemination. GEN projects include genomic selection in plants and animals, improving new biotechnology, and making use of diversity in plant metabolisms. It also includes an element of regulatory control with regard to the development of approval processes for biotechnology-derived varieties (in coordination with France s Higher Council on Biotechnology (HCB) and the European Union). Supporting the emerging field of biocontrol [BIOC]. Here, it is necessary both to coordinate biocontrol research (creation of a public private consortium on plant biocontrol) and to support its development and dissemination (launch of a number of integrated research development dissemination projects as a part of France s Ecophyto Plan. One project is specifically addressing the development of animal biocontrol methods, and another is looking at processes to evaluate biocontrol products. 3 Bringing together all agricultural research and development stakeholders to foster competitiveness: 4. The need for sustained effort The proposals put forward do not, of course, constitute an immediate response to the current agricultural crisis, which was not a part of the mission statement and was beyond the scope of the authors expertise. The proposals do not directly address France s loss of market share to overseas agrifood players, but these difficulties in themselves could be seen as indicative of a lack of competitiveness in France s agricultural and food industries. It is the deeply held conviction of the authors that the proposals put forward under the nine thematic areas form the appropriate response for creating the conditions for sustainable competitiveness to 2025, both internationally and within France. Providing that the development and implementation of these project proposals can be supported, they will help to chart a course for French agriculture and to rebuild trust between agricultural industries and consumers. Encouraging open innovation [INNOV]. This is linked very clearly with experiments carried out at farm and landscape levels. This thematic area is aimed at the rapid dissemination of methods and tools to stimulate innovation, such as landscapelevel Living Labs, system experiment networks, assessment tools, and sharing on-the-ground experiences. Measuring multiperformance and innovating in agricultural economics [ECO]. The scope of this thematic area is the broadest. Proposals here included developing multicriteria assessment tools to measure performance in agricultural systems, innovative agricultural financing, improving responses to risk (climate, health, market), and the need for innovation at organisational levels. Supporting training [TRAIN] in line with current developments, particularly in four key areas: digital for agriculture, agroecology, bioeconomy, and plant and animal genetics. Together, these nine thematic areas form a single unit. They are not independent of each other, and thus they must be viewed holistically as a coherent whole in line with Agriculture Innovation 2025 s mission statement and which does not require the creation of corollary layers of organisation. They do not, however, cover the full range of actions being carried out in research, development, dissemination, and innovation by scientists and specialists. They instead represent priorities.

6 011 1 Developing a systems approach & using agriculture to fight climate change

7 Developing a systems approach & using agriculture to fight climate change AGROECO 1. How can French agriculture contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions?: Abatement potential and cost of ten technical measures. Report, INRA, International Symposium on Agroecology and Research, INRA, Paris, 17 October International-Symposium-on- Agroecology-and-Research Agroecology Supporting and spurring agroecology transition Challenges Agroecology first appeared as a field of study in the first half of the twentieth century seeking to combine agriculture and ecology, and is associated with a range of practices and agricultural models. Agroecology views crop and livestock systems as ecosystems wherein the natural environment is transformed by agricultural practices that themselves are shaped by the local landscape. It seeks to understand the way these human-managed systems operate, how they use natural resources, and the web of interaction among its living organisms. Agroecology was incorporated into legislation with France s Law No of 13 October 2014 on the future of agriculture, food and forests. It is an essential part of developing and implementing production systems that are highly productive, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, safe, and socially aware. The move towards agroecology is taking place against a backdrop of climate change that is already exacerbating disparities among European agricultural regions. Although these changes have generally had a net positive effect for northern Europe, changes in southern and central Europe have tended to be negative, and all European regions will be affected by increasingly severe climate fluctuation. This raises the question of the dynamics operating between agricultural systems, industries, and landscapes on one hand, and climate on the other. Climate change affects agriculture, but agriculture also contributes to climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The challenge, therefore, is to make agriculture a part of the solution. For example, it is possible to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions by 20% without reducing agricultural productions levels. (1) Current assessment To deliver goods and services of which agricultural products naturally are a major component agroecology engineering seeks to better align human activities with natural patterns. To do so, it draws on three key areas: (2) Biodiversity and biological interactions. Agroecology makes use of biodiversity by fostering both intraspecific genetic variation (populations, cultivar mixtures) and interspecific variation (intercropping, diversified crop rotations, long crop rotations, mixed grazing systems), and by combining various plant elements, for example through agroforestry practices. Biocontrol practices [Bioc1-3] and genetic resources [GEN1] must be given due consideration in this regard. Water and other major element (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) cycles. When these cycles are too open, water, nutrients, organic soil matter, and energy are wasted and lost, while water, soil, and air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions increase. Agroecology practices support cycles that are more closed. The organisation and performance of agricultural landscapes in terms of managing the distribution of plots, production facilities, residual spaces, and environmental infrastructure, such as hedges, grassy verges, wetlands, and thickets). These elements are more effective when they are managed at landscape or drainage-basin levels. Landscape mosaics can be used to purify water and air, to store car At system and landscape scales, these three areas often work in synergy [INNOV2-4]. Each area draws on recent scientific findings and involves acute observation and wide-scoped study (from farmed species to biodiversity, from plot to landscape, from fertiliser application to element cycles, and from seasons to multiyear perspectives). Farm work must be constantly managed to adapt decisions to current observations, a process that may take considerable time particularly during transition periods. Specific indicators and tools for training [TRAIN1, TRAIN2], multicriteria assessment models and decision-making tools [ECO1] are thus needed, as are new technologies to facilitate observation and interpretation [DIGI1, DIGI2] and to save time when using more complex practices and techniques, such as seeding under crop cover, mixing species, and agroforestry [ROB1, ROB2, ROB3]. Priorities Beyond research currently being carried out by various bodies dealing with agroecology transition,(1) and in addition to the other contributing priorities listed in other thematic areas as outlined above, the priorities described here will make agroecology more responsive to climate change. They focus on critical soil and water resources, climate change adaptation strategies, and the early detection of plant and animal pests and diseases: AGROECO1: Soil plays a major role in plant and animal production ecosystems. It is also key to closing major element cycles. Leading-edge scientific findings and technology now allow biodiversity to be studied in profoundly new ways. It is important to take advantage of this opportunity to improve our understanding of soil and the mechanisms at work therein, and to develop new assessment and decision-making tools. AGROECO2: The most significant opportunities in fighting climate change are likely to come from storing carbon in the organic soil matter of crop- and grasslands, and the restoration of degraded soil. If overall soil carbon stocks increased by 0.4% per year, it would be enough to offset the increase in atmospheric CO2 by doubling the continental carbon sink. The goal therefore is to pair, at international level, a large-scale research programme with an action plan focused on this target. AGROECO3: In light of current climate change, managing water quality and quantity is of major concern for agriculture. The aim is to develop an integrated management approach to managing water resources at regional level. AGROECO4: The fight against climate change calls for models and tools that can evaluate and weigh various options with regard to mitigating GHG emissions, predicting impacts and regional outcomes, and adapting to change, be it in short-term, crisis-response situations or for long-term strategies to shape productions choices or to manage risk. AGROECO5: As shifts such as climate change become more marked, health and safety risks become more acute. New scientific findings can be used to develop new tools for early detection, diagnosis, and tracking plant and animal pests and diseases.

8 Developing a systems approach and using agriculture to fight climate change BIOECO 1. Bioeconomy/ scar/pdf/ki enn.pdf 3. org/en/ 4. com/en/ 5. (in French) infos-adherents/sinfoni-misea-disposition-des-3-premiersgabarits-de-ches-techniques (in French) com/en/ Bioeconomy Developing bioeconomy research and innovation Challenges Bioeconomy, as put forward by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2009, has become a vital sustainable development policy for promoting long term economic growth. Broadly understood, bioeconomy is the ensemble of economic, innovation, development and research activities that produce and use biological products and processes (1). This includes the production and processing of biomass into foodstuffs and animal feeds, as well as chemical and energy uses, and for the manufacture of biosourced products. The concept allows the traditional dichotomy of food and non-food uses to be sidestepped so that competition and synergy between food, energy, and chemical systems can be taken into account, as all three use biomass. Biomass and biomass lifecycle lie at the heart of the bioeconomy. Biomass is the aggregate of organic matter produced by living organisms plants, animals, microbes or by their derivatives, including agricultural, forest, and marine products, the byproducts and wastewater from processing organic matter, and other organic waste (municipal waste, sewage, household waste, yard waste). Renewing biomass is the primary feature that distinguishes bioeconomy from a fossil-fuel-based economy. The bioeconomy is expected to meet a number of challenges. These include, at European Union level, (1) moving towards autonomy in terms of protein (at present, more than half of the protein used in animal feed is imported), (2) contributing to energy sovereignty and diversifying the energy mix through the use of the region s biomass, and (3) supporting reindustrialisation by creating new, biomass-derived products and associated industries. Consequently, the question of sustainability is an important one that must consider production, processing, and recycling systems in all their complexity (cradle-to-grave analysis, acknowledgement of regional differences, land-use pressures caused by competition and changing production patterns). Current assessment In 2012, the European Commission took up notion of bioeconomy. (2) Other Western countries did the same in order to define their own industrial and science strategies. France s first Investing in the Future (PIA) programme helped to organise research, development, and dissemination activities. A variety of projects were supported, including joint research programmes centred around certain plant species (3) and new production processes, (4) energy transition institutes led by the private sector, (5,6) and precommercial demonstration projects. (7) One of 34 Carnot institutes, 3BCAR (8) is a national network of research facilities working in the field of transforming biomass into bioenergy, biomolecules, and biobased materials. 3BCAR is unique because it uses interdisciplinary approaches, ranging from plant biology to functional property analysis, and employs ecodesign practices, to encourage the use of renewable resources in energy, chemistry, and materials. Public private partnerships are an essential promote bioeconomy across regions, with competitiveness centres playing a major role. One example is the SINFONI project, (9) which seeks to build a national supply chain for technical linen and hemp fibre for material uses by bringing together industrial, academic, and other experts across the value chain. IMPROVE, (10) a shared facility for innovation in plant protein, is another such example. A unique aspect of the bioeconomy is that it challenges the notion of exclusive links within the various stages of a transformation process (or production chain). There are two main reasons for this. The first is that most forms of biomass are interchangeable, through biorefining, to meet end-product needs. While sometimes glossed as a circular economy, the three drivers of bioeconomy fractionation, conversion, and cascade use must be studied as one integrated system (systemic analysis). The second reason is that relationships among stakeholders are often unstable because innovation and technology lead to continuous restructuring in these industries. A systemic approach, giving due consideration to interactions among regional food, chemical, and energy systems, encourages ecodesign, whereas the traditional product-based approach lacks a holistic perspective and the ability to see the needs to each group. Priorities There is a wide range of actions that can support the bioeconomy and help it meet the challenges it faces. The first step is to make better use of the biomass that is already being produced by introducing new extraction and processing technologies, and by improving the use of byproducts. Going forwards, next steps will address the quantity and quality of biomass produced. Possible ways to do this include increasing yields and cultivated land area by making use of land that is not suited to food crops, controlling the quality of biomass regularly supplied to biorefineries, and applying new technology to facilitate the use of new, or improved, species. The priorities listed below are broad ranging. They complement the [ECO1] project, which is essential for adopting systemic approaches, and [GEN] projects dealing with plant biotechnology. BIOECO1: The aim is for focused research and development to keep pace with the expected surge in demand for plant proteins. Key focus areas include improving our understanding of protein metabolism, developing new extraction technology, and making production more sustainable. BIOECO2: This technology- and engineering-driven project seeks to improve processes and agents used in processing. Its primary aim is to support the development and interconnection of the tools described above that have proven effective. BIOECO3: Green and white (or industrial) biotechnologies, and the innovation created by new findings in contemporary biology are vital catalysts. Here, emphasis is placed on one such major development, systems biology, and synthetic biology as a whole. BIOECO4: The bioeconomy must be viewed in terms of a system, wherein all operations (production, processing, recycling) and all interaction are considered as a whole to understand the system s overall efficiency. Creating an interdisciplinary bioeconomy research centre can draw on this unique aspect and will support future-oriented studies in this field.

9 Allowing for the full 2 development of new technologies in agriculture

10 Allowing for the full development of new technologies in agriculture DIGI Digital agriculture Data: new knowledge and new services These measures bring significant potential for industrial renewal in France. Technological and organisational innovation surrounding e-agriculture will revolutionise traditional agricultural production, agricultural products and services, and even relationships among stakeholders [INNOV2]. Current assessment Many multinational agricultural-supplies businesses, such as seed and agrochemical companies (Monsanto, Pioneer), and equipment manufacturers (John Deere, AGCO (Massey Ferguson), CNH Industrial (New Holland Agriculture)) are now positioning themselves in the e agriculture services market. In the United States, major players in the agricultural industry have recognised the value of, but also the attendant issues raised by, big data, and have put forward a Privacy and Security Principles of Farm Data (2) charter. In Denmark, a different approach was implemented, where farmers themselves took charge of developing databases ( Industry stakeholders in developing countries are also harnessing the power of open data through programmes such as Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development (CIARD), created by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 2008, and Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN), launched in 2013 as a G8 initiative. coherently, using an interdisciplinary approach bringing together mathematicians, computer scientists, data scientists who straddle the line between statistics and technology, and agricultural scientists, as well as sociologists and management scientists. Parallel research on processing big data for agriculture is equally as important. These priorities are tied to the existence of broadband coverage at both high speeds (3G/4G) and low speeds (for connected devices, as offered by Sigfox). These must also be adequate in rural areas to allow the use of innovative technology and to connect to digital services. 1. Threat comparable to that extra-national clouds, which led to the establishment of national cloud offerings, or GPS, which resulted in the European Galileo project uploads/*privacyandsecurity PrinciplesForFarmData.pdf 3. Yara, Veris, Geonics, Dualem, Geocarta, Geophilus, N-Tech, Topcon, Corhize, Hydromet, Fruition, Force A, Hiphen, Agri-esprit, Inozy, Exotic Systems etc. Challenges Agriculture, like all other aspects of our economy, is moving into the digital age. As technologies develop to capture, store, and treat massive amounts data onsite or offsite through supercomputers accessed via ultra-high-speed communication networks the new era of big data for agriculture has begun. These advances will facilitate new discoveries, and can lead to new services and decision-making tools to increase precision and effectiveness in agriculture professionals choices. The capture and dissemination of essential data are major assets for meeting the global challenges facing agriculture, food, and the environment. The agriculture of today and tomorrow must not only produce, but must produce more and better by being triply effective [ECO]. These changes will lead directly to agroecology projects [AGROECO]. As a consequence, people involved in agriculture will increasingly have to reconcile multiple goals. Complex decision-making situations require the development of new, integrated tools that draw on big data. For France, these changes are strategic. At stake are its balance of agricultural trade in a perilous position for certain products and its balance of trade in agricultural equipment [ROB] already in the red. It also raises the question of national economic, agricultural, and food sovereignty should French production come to rely on foreign data and services (1). This area is also an important emerging field for SMEs, French startups, and both large- and small-scale operators using wireless communication networks and connected devices. Data capture is a critical part of the new digital agriculture. An increasing number of mobile and nonmobile connected devices and sensors are supplementing satellite information (weather, Sentinel programme) provided by suppliers and partners. Both in France and abroad, a number of companies, startups included, are starting to develop these types of tools. (3). Priorities Two priority areas were identified for digital agriculture to contribute substantively to this shift for French agriculture while benefitting national information and communications technology (ICT) businesses as well. DIGI1: Creating an agricultural data portal that will provide access to a wide range of data, including georeferenced open public data, health and safety data, economic data, and private data from farmers and other industry stakeholders. Data will be the catalyst to open innovation and will encourage the creation of new knowledge, new decision-making tools, new systems based on modelling and simulation, and new agricultural advisory and training services. DIGI2: Digital agriculture is built on two key areas in particular: data capture and data processing. For data capture, multiple approaches are needed, for example through calls for projects to develop sensors to meet identified needs for agriculture and livestock. For data processing, modelling big data presents new challenges and requires new resources. This is one reason why is it particularly important to organise research

11 Allowing for the full development of new technologies in agriculture ROB 1. In 2013, France s Livestockbreeders Institute recorded more than 3,800 farms with at least one milking robot. 2. An American advanced research agency for defence projects that organises on- and off road challenges for autonomous vehicles As reported by the IEEE Technical Committee on Agricultural Robotics and Automations. See: fieldrobot.com/ieeeras/community. html Challenges Robotics Fast, precise, and safe agricultural equipment New practices some of which may require the development of entirely new kinds of agricultural equipment are needed as agriculture moves towards a multifunctional approach for economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Together with developments in sensor technology, robotics offers breakthrough opportunities to support, or even to shape, changes in agricultural practices and systems. Highly autonomous machines make it possible to better leverage human inputs over space and time, and to work more precisely. The success of milking robots in France (1) proves that farmers are interested in innovative technical solutions that are reliable, increase their bottom line, and improve their working conditions. It is highly likely that developments in agricultural robotics will bring about major changes to agricultural practices. Consequently, it is not a simple matter of introducing robots into existing production systems, but rather one of creating new production systems that use robotics. To do so, the robot and the agroecosystem must be designed in tandem, for example, in terms of the size and layout of orchards, the interrow distance in market gardens, and the design of livestock buildings, in the way that milking robots led to new dairy farming practices. The aim for robotics, from a social point of view, is to improve comfort and safety for their users and to lighten their physical and mental workload, thereby freeing time for tasks with higher added value, such as monitoring crops, managing the farm, buying and selling, and so on. Beyond the social and environmental interest in agriculture, there are considerable economic returns in the field of agricultu- ral robotics as well. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), agriculture is the second largest market for industrial robots. In 2013, worldwide sales of agricultural robotics reached USD 817 million, a figure that is set to rise to USD 16.3 billion by 2020 (WinterGreen Research). Investing in a national agricultural robotics industry in France is thus a strategic decision that would involve multinationals, startups, and SMEs alike, which are currently very involved in this emerging market. Current assessment Agricultural robotics is involved in a very wide range of situations. Automated milking systems, feeding robots, and automated greenhouses systems, designed to work in relatively closed and structured environments, are already well established. Cobotics collaborative robotics are designed to aid the user complete physically demanding tasks and may prove highly useful in the agrifood industry (for avoiding musculoskeletal disorders) and in areas that may be dangerous to humans. Automated mobility technology will take many forms and will become available at different points in time. Assisted driving technology will come online in the near future, while the medium term will see assistance robots that work together with human operators, and longer term will see autonomous robots carrying out a wide range of tasks, including monitoring, hoeing, spraying, and even harvesting. Although robotics challenges in recent years, such as DARPA, (2) have shown progress with regard to autonomous mobility in open environments (primarily on roads and in urban environments, which are more structured than fields), autonomous robots generally remain in development stages at present. There are a number of issues that need to be resolved in terms of science and technology, performance (precision, autonomy, perception), reliability, security, costs, as well as with regard to regulations (allowing robots to be used in open environments), and their level of acceptance by society. France is well set to rise to the challenges of this field. It has a number of companies involved in producing commercial robots, ranging from startups to multinationals. Available educational resources are excellent, both in engineering schools and in universities. It has considerable research capacity; public research in robotics in France currently brings together more than 1,300 researchers and engineers across 58 laboratories (3) conducting research in various fields (manipulation, humanoid) and with various applications (defence, automotive, humanoid robots, healthcare, outer space). Agriculture is not well represented, mostly because its potential is not recognised. Internationally, around 20 laboratories currently work in agricultural robotics, (4) with a primary focus on harvest (United States, Israel, Japan, Netherlands). Priorities There are a number of avenues to explore in support of developing and disseminating agricultural robotics. They are grouped across three priority areas. ROB1: To encourage research and development in agricultural robotics, specifically focused programmes must be established to bring together researchers and the private sector and combine skills in pure robotics with those in outdoor robotics. Work in the following areas is foreseen: (1) mobility, particularly with regard to replacing large machines with lighter, cooperated robots, (2) modular robots with interchangeable tools, and (3) robots to perform activities with high human risk, such as crop spraying. ROB2: Industrial policies supporting the development of agricultural robotics. France, through its multinational agricultural-equipment, automotive, and aerospace companies, its many agricultural equipment specialist SMEs, and its proinnovation and startup policies, has the potential to lead the way in this economic growth area. ROB3: Designing methods to test and certify agricultural robots will be necessary to support growth in this area. Agricultural robots are profoundly different when compared to traditional agricultural machinery. As they become more widespread, it is imperative to develop methods to assess and guarantee their performance and reliability. It is crucial that we are proactive, anticipating this need and ensuring that adequate measures are in place from the moment demand appears so that market access for new technologies is not impeded.

12 Allowing for the full development of new technologies in agriculture GEN Genetics & biotechnology Mobilising genetic resources and biotechnologies for plant and animal production Challenges Plant and animal genetics are vital to the fight against food insecurity. While they are not the only avenue to explore, they certainly play a major role in increasing competitiveness and sustainability in French agricultural and agrifood industries. This field is undergoing profound and rapid change. Many factors are pushing for more broad-based research objectives in animal and plant breeding and improvement, including the transition to agroecology, the multiperformance objectives set out in the 2014 Law on the Future of Agriculture, and the fight against climate change, as well as the new opportunities from the bioeconomy and the changing demands of consumers and markets. Wider objectives should consider species (for crop diversification, for example), characteristics (such as disease resistance, reduced need for pesticides or drugs, drought and heat resistance, robustness in animals for better sustainability, and quality levels consistent with end use as food or in bioindusties), and the interaction of genetics environment farming-practices to develop plants and animals adapted to local conditions. Digital developments in the field of science have had knockon effects leading to the emergence of high-throughput biology and biotechnology. Sequencing complex genomes and the ability to edit them in targeted ways are major technological breakthroughs. (worth slightly less than USD 60 billion globally in 2012), increased competition in animal breeding industries, and challenges to the French livestock industry model, based largely on agricultural cooperatives. Managing genetic resources is a major issue in terms of protecting biodiversity and intellectual property rights, and a strong policy framework is developing, both at national (Law No of 8 December 2011 on plant breeders rights, Seeds and Sustainable Development Action Plan) and international levels (Convention on Biological Diversity, International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), Nagoya Protocol). Genetics and biotechnology are experiencing tectonic shifts, often happening at the same time, and with fierce levels of scientific and economic competition. This creates tension, but also leads to cutting-edge developments. Some of the technology that has been developed has been fiercely debated in the public sphere and provoked conflict that will require, at the very least, the creation of mediation mechanisms that bring together all stakeholders. Current assessment Despite continued genetics gains, yields for a number of major crop species have stagnated, primarily due to climate change and agricultural practices. In addition, research private sector research in particular is increasingly focused on a small number of species, which is of major concern with regard to the diversification needed in agricultural systems. In-depth understanding of genetic diversity, and the structure and evolution of plant and animal genomes, make it possible to use available genetic diversity to improve production traits such as product quality. Research is being carried out in France notably to obtain genetic durable resistance for such traits. New genotyping and sequencing technologies have made phenotyping and big data management and analysis major components of breeding programmes. Genetic resources are the key to these programmes. Identifying, using, and conserving these resources requires increased research capacities and infrastructure. France has two collaborative groups bringing together public and private research with ambitious research aims, AGENAE and GIS Plant Biotechnology (GIS BV). France also participates in two European Union programmes, Animal Task Force and Plants for the Future. As a part of France s PIA programme, a number of infrastructure projects were put in place (in genomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, plant phenotyping, and animal genetic resources), and a cluster of biotechnology bioresource projects on a few major crop species were likewise financed. While these efforts are laudable, they are not sufficient given the expectations of, and changes happening in, this field, and should be extended and given broader remits. leadership position weakened. Following public calls therefor, even research on the impact of contentious technology cannot be carried out to expected standards. Priorities Priorities for this thematic area do not cover the full scope of biotechnology research carried out in the public and private sectors. They do not include research related to industrial biotechnology or synthetic biology put forward in the [BIOECO] thematic area. They are focused on projects deserving of particular attention to achieve competitiveness and sustainability goals. GEN1: Improving plant and animal breeding. Involve a larger number of species and traits, by developing the necessary technology and infrastructure, and by integrating them into existing techniques. GEN2: Managing new biotechnology. New techniques, particularly with regard to genome editing, present a range of new opportunities for science and for their potential application. Being able to manage them will be a precondition for understanding their possible uses and limitations. GEN3: Developing the industrial potential of secondary metabolites. Although they are involved in a very wide range of health actions, only a very small number of secondary metabolites have been described. Significant effort is needed to leverage the assets they may hold to increase competitiveness. GEN4: Updating procedures and regulations to encourage new genetic developments and their adoption. Regulations and intellectual property rights are fundamental to innovation in the field of plant and animal genetics. These must be strengthened to leverage genetics and biotechnology in favour of innovation, competitiveness, environmental health, and safety. The field is going through a period of massive change. This includes consolidation in the rapidly growing seed industry With new, more powerful and more precise and controversial biotechnology rapidly coming online, France has seen its former

13 Allowing for the full development of new technologies in agriculture BIOC 1. MAAF, Plan Ecophyto, 2. MAAF, Plan Ecoantibio 2017, ecoantibio Plant & animal biocontrol Organising research and supporting innovation Challenges For agriculture to be sustainable, it must effective across multiple axes: production, economics, social, environmental, health and safety. At present, crops, trees, and livestock animals are still largely protected through the use of high levels of synthetic pesticides and veterinary drugs. While these have offered highly effective levels of protection, it has come at a significant cost to the environment and to human health (soil, water, and air pollution, chemical residue in food products, drug and pesticide resistance, etc.). French agriculture must find alternative and/or complementary solutions to becoming more innovation and competitive, and to create added technological, economic, social, and environmental value. This is a major challenge that can only be met with recourse to a wide range of diverse solutions whose effects may only be partially felt but that, when working in unison, will at least equal gains from synthetic chemistry. (1,2) Biocontrol of plant and animal pests and diseases is one solution with considerable potential. In addition to developing and encouraging the use of biocontrol products, it is necessary to incorporate biocontrol into integrated plant and animal health management systems. Biocontrol must find its place within new crop and livestock systems. Such systems will rely less on synthetic pesticides and veterinary drugs, but will be more challenging to design, implement, and manage. Support for biocontrol research and innovation will drive economic growth and job creation in France in a dynamic industry where the creation, merger, and acquisition of specialist and mainstream companies are increasing internationally. Current assessment France has many resources to help it make the most of biocontrol s potential. These include a strong and internationally recognised research community, although the community is geographically and thematically diffuse and split among many institutions, committed agricultural institutes, although these are not well integrated into pure and applied upstream research structures or into downstream biocontrol businesses at present, significant research facilities that can be put to use to test biocontrol measures in a variety of situations [INNOV], and French and international companies with biocontrol research, development, and innovation (RDI) activities in France that are eager for rapid, worldwide progress in the field. The French public s desire for crop and livestock systems that depend less on synthetic chemical inputs is strong. The following proposals draw on these resources while also addressing existing shortcomings in terms of the organisation, coordination, and management of the RDI community, developing targeted research in key scientific and technological areas to overcome the current approach which is too often piecemeal (one biocontrol product or agent for one agricultural product), longterm support for precompetitive projects of interest to all, or at least most, RDI stakeholders, and for targeted competitive projects on integrating biocontrol solutions into crop and livestock systems. There is also considerable government support for reducing the use of synthetic pesticides and veterinary drugs, notably through its Ecophyto and Ecoantibio programmes. (1,2) These programmes follow on from France s Grennelle Roundtable on the Environment. They have contributed to tangibly reducing antibiotic use in livestock systems. Progress in reducing pesticide use has been less marked, hence the revision process currently underway, with the first draft of the new Ecophyto plan expected by the end of The proposals that follow build on these two plans to increase their effectiveness in terms of biocontrol measures. More broadly, these proposals also fall within the scope of agroecology [AGROECO]. Priorities Three avenues for encouraging the development and dissemination of biocontrol measures in crop and livestock systems are have been developed across three projects. BIOC1: Organising the RDI community around the public private biocontrol consortium on plant pests and diseases that is currently being established. Efforts must ensure that groups working in this field are large enough and well connected with each other. Support will come from financing targeted research projects in key scientific and technological areas, and from integrated RDI projects on major crop systems. BIOC2: Establishing an equivalent public private biocontrol consortium for livestock, with the same aims of developing and disseminating biocontrol solutions for animal diseases. It will be organised in the same way around the RDI community and supported by long-term project financing. Projects will carry out the research needed to develop a range of solutions that act on animal flora (digestive track, skin, lungs), and create a new generation of more effective vaccines. BIOC3: Adapting procedures and regulations for assessing biocontrol measures to make them more effective (in terms of making product available on the market more quickly), while maintaining rigorous safety standards.