Fascination of Plants Day Event

Organised by Plant ETP with support from EPSO, Euroseeds, Copa-Cogeca and ILVO.

On 11th September 2024, Plant ETP organised an event for Fascination of Plants Day, highlighting the crucial role of plant breeding in ensuring sustainable and circular agri-food systems, with a particular emphasis on public-private partnerships.

Titled ‘Celebrating Plant Breeding as the Pillar of Our Agri-Food Systems: How Public-Private Partnership Collaborations Ensure the Translation from Basic Research to New Plant Varieties’, the event was hosted at ILVO-Plant, Melle and supported by COPA-COGECA, EPSO, and Euroseeds. It brought together policymakers, breeders, academics, and farmers to discuss the critical need for sustained funding in plant-breeding and explore how public-private partnerships are driving innovation in the field.

The programme featured a series of insightful presentations:

  • Amrit Nanda, Executive Manager of Plant ETP, set up the context and highlighted the vital role of plant breeding in improving crop production while reducing land use and stressed the need for long-term investment and strong policy support. You can find her presentation here.
  • Odd Arne Rognli, President of EPSO and professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, brought in the academic perspective and discussed the Nordic Public-Private Partnership, showing how collaborative efforts in pre-breeding research are advancing agricultural innovation in the Nordic regions. His full presentation can be found here.
  • Hendrik Tschoep, Director of Global Breeding at SESVANDERHAVE, emphasised the benefits of public-private partnerships for accelerating the development of new crop varieties, especially for smaller breeding companies. You can find his presentation here.
  • Thor Kofoed, farmer and Chair of Working Party Seeds at COPA-COGECA, brought in the farmer’s perspective and spoke about how better seed varieties are crucial to meet industry demand and how developing these varieties, which use fewer resources, will be vital in the context of climate change and the transition to more sustainable agri-food systems. Read his presentation here.
  • To conclude the presentation round, Johan Van Huylenbroeck, Scientific Director at ILVO, provided examples of successful public-private partnerships that have improved local crop breeding, such as soybean, chicory, and hop. Find his presentation here.
Plant Etp Fopd Event Programme (3)

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion, where speakers discussed the challenges of securing funding, the importance of EU-wide collaboration, and the need to engage young professionals in plant breeding. They also addressed the role of new breeding technologies and protein crops in ensuring food security and tackling climate change.

At the end of the day, participants had the opportunity to visit ILVO’s fields and facilities, including the HYDRAS phenotyping platform. The tour showcased ongoing breeding projects for crops like maize, chickpea, and sugar beet, emphasising the long-term research and development required for successful breeding programmes.

All in all, the event highlighted the need for increased funding in plant breeding and recognised innovation as a key factor for more sustainable agri-food systems.

Read the press release for the event here.

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