Collective projects

Society assigns an increasing number of objectives to the policies influencing the agricultural sector and rural areas that it expects to see fulfilled. Therefore, justifications for policies extend well beyond mere food production. Evidence-based policy making implies the development and maintenance of appropriate instruments for use in the design of these policies and for the monitoring of their effects, taking advantage of new socio-economic approaches and increased possibilities opened up by progress in the ICT area.

Since their discovery, anti-microbials have played an essential role in the treatment of infectious diseases in humans and farmed animals, whether terrestrial or aquatic, and have enormously improved population health as well as food security and safety. However, with the widespread use of anti-microbials for human and animal health in recent decades, the world is increasingly confronted with the emergence and spread of microbes that resist anti-microbial treatment. Discoveries of new anti-microbials are not keeping up with pace anti-microbial resistance (AMR).

EU animal welfare legislation has evolved on the basis of scientific knowledge, improving the quality of animals' lives taking into account citizens' expectations and market demands. Nevertheless, a number of problems remain unsolved and the sector faces challenges to cope with them. Research is needed to further improve the management of animal welfare, by looking into new opportunities offered by technological developments, development of appropriate business models and linking animal welfare with other production parameters, including animal health and environmental performance.

Agricultural biodiversity is understood to comprise all components of biological diversity that (i) are of relevance for food and agriculture and all components of biological diversity that (ii) constitute agro-ecosystems. It is the result of highly dynamic interactions between the environment, genetic resources, agricultural practices and historical land management. The various dimensions of agricultural biodiversity play a significant role in conferring stability, resilience and adaptability to farming systems.

European aquaculture provides 1.25 million tonnes of seafood annually, valued at over 4 billion euro. However, Europe heavily depends on external markets to ensure consumer demands for seafood (including from fresh water) is met. EU aquaculture needs to increase the competiveness of its food products and to respond to consumer demands for high-quality and safe food, in a challenging context of climate change, greater competition for natural resources, and conflicting interests for space and markets.

The design of modern rural policies requires capturing and anticipating the long-term trends affecting European rural areas. The EU has already invested in rural research on a variety of issues, although the impact on policies has been insufficient due to the diversity of rural areas, the complexity of the problems at stake and the multiplicity of policy makers involved.

Le pôle recherche et prospective de la Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme (FMSH), apporte son soutien à la mise en œuvre de projets dédiés à des thématiques novatrices en sciences humaines et sociales (SHS).

En conformité avec les missions de la FMSH, il apportera son appui scientifique et matériel à des projets de recherche en cours d’élaboration afin de les aider à asseoir leur problématique, développer leur méthodologie et constituer leurs réseaux de recherche.

La Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (FMSH), en partenariat avec la Fondation Calouste Gulbenkian délégation en France, apporte son soutien à la mise en œuvre de projets dédiés à la thématique « Arts et sciences humaines et sociales ».

Da qui al 2050 l’età media della popolazione mondiale sperimenterà un significativo innalzamento. Le recenti stime delle Nazioni Unite suggeriscono che l’Europa si collocherà plausibilmente in testa alla classifica dei continenti più anziani con il 34% della popolazione con età superiore ai 60 anni, mentre in Asia e negli altri continenti, con eccezione dell’Africa, gli ultra 60enni saranno circa uno su quattro. In linea con il resto dell’Europa fra il 2007 e 2050, l’Italia vedrà aumentare gli oltre 65enni dal 20% al 30%.