Plants for the Future

You may have been hearing a lot about Golden Rice lately… So at this week's #PlantasticDiscoveries we wanted to uncover, what exactly is Golden Rice, and why everyone is talking about it right now? 🤔 🌾 Golden Rice is a type of rice that has been genetically modified to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A with the aim to tackle Vitamin A deficiency in some low-income countries. 🧬 This is done by adding genes from daffodils and bacteria to the rice plant. The rice plant then has beta-carotene in its rice grains, which when ingested, our livers turn into vitamin A. 🩺 Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for human health, and it is estimated that around 250 million people suffer from a Vitamin A deficiency, especially affecting children, who can end up losing eyesight and their lives due to this deficiency. ⚠️ Despite being under development for over two decades and there being extensive evidence of the safety and potential of Golden Rice, there is a lot of opposition, in particular from NGOs, as well as a lot of disinformation around it. 🚫 Most recently, as a result of Greenpeace opposition the genetically modified rice, the Philippine Court of Appeals revoked the permit of Golden Rice cultivation which was approved in 2021. 🔬 Many scientists have voiced their concerns about this result, saying that this will delay the tackling of Vitamin A deficiency, leading to thousands of deaths. 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 #𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵! #GoldenRice #GMOs

🌱 Have you ever wondered, what exactly is Plants for the Future? Or what European Technology Platforms (#ETPs) are and what they do? 🤔 In this week’s #PlantasticDiscoveries, we’re introducing ourselves and shedding light on the vital role ETPs play in shaping research and innovation across Europe. Plants for the Future is the ETP dedicated to the plant sector. But what are ETPs? ➡️ These platforms were introduced by the European Commission as public-private partnerships to: ✅ Address fragmentation in research ✅ Increase private investment in research and innovation ✅ Align research priorities by bringing together industry, academia, policymakers, and other stakeholders ETPs play a key advisory role, defining strategic research agendas and helping to influence research and innovation programmes at European, national, and regional levels. Curious to know more? Scroll through! ➡️ ✨ Also, exciting news! We’ve just launched our Instagram! Follow us there for bite-sized insights into plant breeding and plant sciences: https://lnkd.in/ewC2Jhzw ---- ALICE, Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe (ETP LOGISTICS), EATIP, EPoSS Association, ERTRAC - European Road Transport Research Advisory Council, ETIP-Geothermal, ETP4HPC European Technology Platform for HPC, EUMAT - Additive Manufacturing, FABRE TP, Manufuture ETF (European Technology Platform), European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN Association), Photonics21, Textile ETP, TP Organics, Water Europe, Forest-based Sector Technology Platform (FTP), Food for Life, FoodDrinkEurope, SusChem ETP

🌱 How can the EU close its protein gap sustainably?   In this summary post, we explore key insights from a technical report by the Joint Research Centre on the EU's protein challenges, including heavy reliance on imported soya meal, shifts in dietary habits, and their impact on the environment. The report presents four scenarios to enhance sustainability, from supporting domestic protein crop production to encouraging dietary shifts towards more diverse and healthy eating.   Swipe through for the highlights! 👉   📄 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eYBc8tgi European Commission | EU Science, Research and Innovation

🌟 Last week, we published our report on European Public Investment Trends in Plant Breeding R&I 🌱 ➡️ Swipe through the post below to find key highlights and insights from the report, covering trends in funding, challenges to project continuity, and recommendations for stronger support in plant breeding R&I. 📊 While overall #HorizonEurope’s total funding has increased, the share dedicated to plant breeding R&I has only seen modest growth, projected at just 9% by Horizon Europe’s end. This is despite a substantial 277% increase in the Agrifood subprogramme—the main source of plant breeding R&I funding—indicating a declining share allocated specifically for plant breeding R&I within overall FP funding. 📄 For the full report and detailed analysis, head to the link ➡ https://lnkd.in/djf2S9Hd EU Science, Research and Innovation

✨ GeneBEcon is driving change through cutting-edge research on potatoes🥔 and microalgae 🟢. ✅ By creating virus-resistant potatoes with improved starch, we’re reducing pesticide use and chemical processing. Meanwhile, tailored microalgae are being developed not just to feed poultry, but also to provide renewable, high-value compounds for use in industrial and healthcare applications. 📄 GeneBEcon is also providing vital recommendations to policymakers on how to regulate the new genomic techniques (NGTs)! 👆 We’ve analyzed several policy options and their implications for human and environmental safety, as well as economic competitiveness. 📃 Policy brief: https://lnkd.in/gCDEqy9E 📑 Report: https://lnkd.in/eTSViSNK #NGTs #newgenomictechniques #geneediting #genomeediting #plantbreeding #sustainableagriculture #bioeconomy Wageningen University & Research ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek) Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Plants for the Future Euroseeds XPRO Consulting Limited Danish Technological Institute Slovak University of Agriculture

🌱 Yesterday, Amrit attended the "NGT Innovations for Competitive European Farming" event in Brussels, hosted by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The event gathered experts, policymakers, and SMEs committed to transforming our food systems. Cutting-edge advancements in gene editing technology were showcased as promising solutions to enhance sustainability and competitiveness in European agriculture.   The presentations from innovative SMEs showcased real-world applications of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) with benefits for both society and the environment:   🍐 Pairwise - Showcasing novel gene-edited fruits and vegetables. 🍓 J.R. Simplot Company: Leading sustainable advancements in potatoes and strawberries. 🍌 Tropic: Offering resilient solutions for banana crops.   With insights from key stakeholders and a panel discussion featuring representatives from the European Parliament, the European Commission, COPA COGECA, the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, and an innovative SME in the field, the event highlighted the potential of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) and supportive regulatory frameworks to build a more sustainable and resilient future for European farming. 🌍✨

Plants for the Future: Trends in Plant Breeding R&I Funding Plants for the Future, a European public-private research initiative, published a report revealing concerning trends in public investment for plant breeding R&I from FP7 to Horizon Europe. Despite an overall 42% budget increase in the EU’s Horizon Europe framework, funding for plant breeding-related projects has been declining. The report analyzed 235 plant breeding projects funded since 2007, with most support concentrated in Agrifood, the European Research Council (ERC), and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) subprogrammes. This decline, particularly evident in fundamental research and training, has raised questions about the long-term sustainability of the R&I cycle in plant breeding. “Plant breeding is the heart of our agrifood systems and contributes to addressing challenges across the value chain and at the consumer level,” stated Amrit Nanda, Executive Manager of Plants for the Future. “To further leverage its full potential, there is an urgent need to develop a dedicated mechanism to support R&I in plant breeding in a strategic and coordinated way across the entire EU.” Read more here -> https://lnkd.in/epeUYeNB ********************* Follow us for more udpates! Subscribe to our newsletter at agtechdigest.com/subscribe for a complete recap of this week's news.

 📣 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥&𝗜 📊   Today we have released a new report showing a concerning trend: while Horizon Europe funding has increased by 42% compared to FP7, funding allocation for plant breeding research and innovation (R&I) is on the decline.   🌱 Since 2007, a total of 235 plant breeding-related projects have been funded under programmes such as Agrifood, ERC, and MSCA. Fundamental research and training of the next generation of researchers and entrepreneurs is noticeably more affected by this funding decrease in plant breeding R&I, raising concerns about the continuity of the R&I cycle.   📉 The report also highlights a loss of momentum in plant breeding innovation, partly due to restrictive call texts in work programmes and regulatory uncertainty for NGT plants.   🌾 “Plant breeding is the heart of our agrifood systems and contributes to addressing challenges across the value chain and at the consumer level,” says our Executive Manager, Amrit Kaur Nanda. “To fully realise its potential, we need a coordinated EU-wide mechanism that strategically supports plant breeding R&I.”   📄 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲  ➡ https://lnkd.in/dtq7Wnhq

🌱 Joint Statement Alert 🌱   On October 31st, Plants for the Future ETP, alongside 17 other European Technology Platforms (ETPs), released a Joint Statement to the European Commission. This statement reinforces the critical role of ETPs as public-private partnerships and calls for continued support in the upcoming EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10).   Since 2003, ETPs have aligned research and innovation (R&I) priorities across Europe, turning R&I outputs into practical solutions for industry and society. This statement highlights the power of ETPs to mobilise EU-wide networks and provide valuable guidance that drives impactful research. Responding to the EU Council’s call for a strong European industry for a green, digital, and resilient future, the statement urges the Commission to strengthen ETPs’ advisory roles to bring EU research closer to the market.   ✅ At Plant ETP, we're committed to bridging the gap between plant science research and real-world solutions, thereby promoting the flow of innovation to the market, for the benefit of society.   🔗 Read the full statement below or at the link here ➡ https://lnkd.in/d2pyPQYr ALICE, Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe (ETP LOGISTICS), EATIP, EPoSS Association, ERTRAC - European Road Transport Research Advisory Council, ETIP-Geothermal, ETP4HPC European Technology Platform for HPC, EUMAT - Additive Manufacturing, #FABRETP, Manufuture ETF (European Technology Platform), European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN Association), Photonics21, Textile ETP, TP Organics, Water Europe, Forest-based Sector Technology Platform (FTP), Food for Life, FoodDrinkEurope, SusChem

🌟 This morning, Amrit attended an insightful roundtable at the European Parliament, hosted by Danish MEPs Niels Fuglsang, Stine Bosse, and Sigrid Friis. 🇩🇰 Organised by START -Denmark's interdisciplinary agri-food research initiative - the event focused on presentations by START members and discussions on recommendations for sustainable agri-food systems in the new political term. The session provided examples of excellent interdisciplinary research and possible solutions from a Danish perspective, with ideas on how these could be scaled across the EU. Rosalinda Scalia (DG RTD) and Orsolya Frizon-Somogyi (DG AGRI) also presented, contributing EU-level insights. The roundtable concluded with a productive dialogue among all participants. 🌱 #SustainableAgriculture #EUAgriFood #ResearchAndInnovation