Research and innovation can play an important role in meeting the global issues in regulating planetary boundaries by addressing challenges such as global warming, biodiversity loss or changes in land use. However, research efforts should be stepped up, particularly in key areas.

Drastically reducing the use of pesticides in agriculture is one of the major challenges for the sustainable protection of ecosystems, and thus for the preservation of biodiversity. Pesticides also relate to a public health issue, due to their direct use and the environmental pollution they cause, in water and soil, and through bioaccumulation in living organisms and in the food chain.

The "Cultiver et Protéger Autrement" (Growing and Protecting crops Differently) French Priority Research Programme aims to contribute to these challenges, through accelerating research into alternatives to synthetic pesticides that have a harmful effect on the environment and on human health. The programme’s ambition is to generate breakthroughs in insufficiently explored scientific fronts in order to promote the development of high-performance and pesticide-free agriculture by 2030–2040.

Launched in 2019 by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the General Secretariat for Investment, the French Priority Research Programme (PPR) "Cultiver et Protéger Autrement" is part of the 3rd Programme for Future Investments and of the « France 2030 » Plan. With a budget of €30 million, the PPR is managed by the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE). Within the frame of the PPR, 10 six-year research projects have been funded and launched since 2021 in different disciplines to explore several scientific areas while targeting various agricultural sectors.

2024 marks the mid-term for the programme and its 10 research projects: BE CREATIVE, BEYOND, CAP ZERO PHYTO, DEEP IMPACT, FAST, MOBIDIV, PHEROSENSOR, SPECIFICS, SUCSEED, VITAE.

To highlight this, we are very delighted to invite the research and agricultural sectors to attend the mid-term results presentation on November 13 and 14, at the Pathé Beaugrenelle cinema in Paris. On November 13, the full day will be in English, aimed specifically but not only at the international scientific community, and on November 14, the day will be fully in French and aimed at the French professional sectors.