Innovative Co-Learning for Agriculture-based Solutions
The globalization of narratives, practices and institutions (values, norms, rules) affects agriculture as a whole and at many levels on spatial, temporal and jurisdictional scales. At the same time, agricultural, forestry and other land-use activities are among the main drivers of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Global agriculture policies are now facing major challenges: nourishing an increasingly urbanized world population that is expected to grow by nearly 2 billion by 2050, while responding to the major challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. Moreover, there is a growing consensus on the importance of using the “food system” approach to address various segmentsof the food production, transformation and consumption. Food systems alsoface increasing societal demand to becomemore responsible by reducing negative externalities on the environment and human health, amongothers.
Thus, more and more Science-Policy platforms and think-thanks (e.g., IDDRI, Belmont Forum, One Earth,FAO, etc.) advocate for a transformative society to face those multidimensional changes and global challenges.
Scientists play a key role in various reflections, discussions and actions which contribute to addressing the challenge of agro-ecological transitionby promoting practices and solutions which conserve natural resources and lead to more desirable socio-ecosystems. One way of achieving this is through crosscutting disciplines, methodologies and approaches inaddressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The consultation process within its research network, initiated by Agropolis Fondation in 2019, led to the collective identification of key research issues and challenges regardingthe Foundation’s scope. This aligns with the key research questions to guide further development based on scientific certainties and controversies. The consultation helped define the overall objective of promoting agro-ecological transition for tomorrow’s agricultures, and the three cros scutting axes, namely:
- Axis 1: Agriculture and climate change: adaptation and mitigation;
- Axis 2: Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity;
- Axis 3: Responsible production and consumption
Building on the above and in complementarity with Calls issued by the I-Site MUSE9 and others (ANR, Belmont Forum10, Fondation de France & Fondation Carasso...), this current Call therefore aims to capitalize on, enhance or strengthen such practices andmake them more visible, as well as to explore new transdisciplinary, crosscutting or resolutely different methodologies, tools, approachesand sectors. It aims to support innovative, inter-sectoral and cross-disciplinary learning, for promoting agroecological transition through transformative approaches and tools, innovative teams and networks.
