Embracing...

Challenges and opportunities in agriculture

Faced with global demand for growth, stagnating yields and the resulting transfers of production to new species, along with rising production costs, agriculture has many challenges to rise to. Technological evolution, and the competitiveness and distribution of crops will be key elements for the future. Professor William Wilson, an internationally renowned agricultural economist, considers market trends in agriculture, the challenges in terms of production and productivity and the impact of new technologies.

Genetic resources for vegetables: a vital challenge for the future

The employer's image and the role of corporate culture
Relations in companies are changing. The expectations of job applicants and employees with regard to their employer are evolving too. Elizabeth Thomas-Gache, an Executive Searcher, is in permanent contact with high profile applicants and Limagrain as she has run several missions for us. Her job consists in identifying potential applicants who already have jobs elsewhere, attracting them and offering them recruitment opportunities. She tells us about them, their expectations and the policies that need to be implemented in the company to attract them and retain their talents.

A passion for the green genetic revolution
KeyGeneis a plant biotechnology research company. It provides molecular genetic solutions to satisfy the growing needs of its seed company customers throughout the world. Limagrain, though its subsidiary Vilmorin & Cie, is one of KeyGene's shareholders. From the head office in Wageningen in the Netherlands, its CEO Arjen van Tunen tells us about KeyGene, its mission, its shareholders and its discoveries.

Performance in customer relations at Clause
Two producers of fruit and vegetables talk to us about their production and their relations with their seed supplier Clause. Patrick Gallon, a corn salad producer in France, and Adriano Pretto, a melon producer in Italy, discuss yield, regularity, reliability, responsiveness and innovation. Both of them expect everything from their seeds producer and explain part of the reasons for the commercial success of Clause.

Sustainable development as seen by Limagrain
What is sustainable development? A concept bandied around, utopia, enlightened awareness or a program that looks to future progress? Proclaimed by some to impose a new mode of production and consumption, and displayed by others as a marketing and advertizing slogan, it has become a frontline issue. For Limagrain, it is the expression of a natural commitment, far from fleeting fashions. Jean-Claude Guillon, VP for Sustainable Development, reveals the outlines of Limagrain's program.

Limagrain's future goes hand in hand with the development of GMOs
Limagrain's view, GMOs bear great hopes because of the benefits they provide to farmers. Just as when any new technology is introduced, GMOs remain a source of apprehension for the general public. Georges Freyssinet, Limagrain's Scientific Affairs Manager, is behind the Group's new research on this subject. He takes a look at how this technology has become so vital for the Group, how it is perceived and takes stock of its situation in the world.

“Made to measure” wheat varieties for the needy

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT in Spanish) conserves and cultivates one of the largest banks of genetic resources in the world. This fantastic reservoir of biodiversity is made available for developing countries by CIMMYT, which develops and distributes free seed adapted to their specific needs.

Optimizing the management of genetic resources

Set up to try to solve problems that are specific to agriculture in dry areas, ICARDA's work concerns two themes: the management of natural resources and plant improvement. Plant improvement could well become much more efficient through the Focused Identification of Germplasm Strategy (“FIGS”), co-ordinated by Kenneth Street. This “FIGS” method will help researchers and breeders to find their way through the immense maze formed by the genetic diversity of plants.

A successful Franco-German partnership

AgReliant Genetics, a joint-venture held 50/50 by the French group Limagrain and the German group KWS, is No. 4 for corn seeds in North America. AgReliant Genetics distributes corn and soybean seeds in the United States and Canada. Christoph Amberger and Raphaël Journel relate the success of this partnership.

The keys to the future of agriculture

Born of the merger in 2002 of the Technical Institute for Cereals and Forage (ITCF) and the General Association of Maize Producers (AGPM-technique), ARVALIS-Institut du Végétal produces and disseminates technical and economic information that can be applied directly by agricultural producers. From germplasm through processing to storage, its expertise covers all the areas of food production and concerns 80% of arable land in France.

momagri's combat to support the agricultural world

The movement is entering a phase of academic and institutional recognition. It now takes part in several debates held in international bodies. As we approach the end of 2009, the model is almost totally completed. In 2010, momagri will be launching a rating agency. The momagri think tank is playing the role it set for itself, and after the tools, will be proposing governance principles. Pierre Pagesse, its Chairman, goes over its basic principles, and Jacques Carles, its General Delegate, gives an overview of the latest developments.
www.momagri.org

The first economic model on agricultural volatility

On June 4th and 5th 2009, at la Sorbonne in Paris, momagri brought together around thirty of the best international economists. This workshop was an opportunity to take a critical look at the momagri economic model, the only one that modelizes the volatility of agricultural rates and the impact of speculation. Professors Bertrand Munier and Peter Timmer look back at what was learned from this workshop.