The National Institute for Agronomic Research

Set up in 1946

A public, scientific and technological establishment

Under the joint authority of the Ministries of Agriculture and Research.

Second largest French public research organisation, with a staff of nearly 9000 and a budget of 573 millions euros

Largest European organisation for agricultural research, and amongst the top three world-wide

1946/1960 INRA was one of the principal actors in the modernisation of farming.

1960/1980 Through its research and innovation, INRA contributedto the development of the French agrifood sector.

1980/2000 The Institute integrated new and fundamental technologiesin the life sciences (biotechnologies, molecular biology,genetic engineering…) in response to new environmentaland consumer demands.

Since 2001 INRA is taking up the scientific challenges of the life sciences, helping to accomplish profound changes in farming, responding to new demands from society (food safety and quality, ethics, science-society debate, etc.)

by strengthening its resources in three major fields:

1. The development of sustainable agriculture

2. Nutrition and its effects on human health

3. The environment and regional development

by integrating them in the construction of the European Research Area

by actively participating in the internationalisation of science

Missions 

1. To produce and disseminate scientific knowledge and innovations

2. To contribute to training in and through research, to the dissemination of scientific culture and to the science/society debate

3. Through its expertise, to participate in informing the decisions made by public and private sector actors

Research priorities

>> The environment and rural areas Protection of natural resources

>> Human nutrition and food safety Eating safe and healthy foods

>> Integrative biology From genomes to plant and animal populations

>> Bioinformatics Informatics and high throughput biology

>> Social sciences Informing decision-makers in the public and private sectors

>> The environment and rural areas Protection of natural resources

1. Management and protection of physical resources: water, soil, the atmosphere

2. Valorisation and preservation of biological resources

3. Management of agrarian and forest systems

4. Support for public policies on the environment and rural areas

>> Human nutrition and food safety Eating safe and healthy foods

1. Relationships between nutrition and human health

2. Quality and biological safety

of foods

3. Determinants of food consumption

>> Integrative biology From genomes to plant and animal populations

1. Genotyping

2. Genome mapping

3. Integrative biology

4. Risk assessment and the management of innovation

>> Bioinformatics Informatics and high throughput biology

1. Management of genome data

2. Interfaces for biologists

>> Social sciences Informing decision-makers in the public and private sectors

1. Analysis of the role and functions of agriculture, nutrition and rural areas

in society

2. Analysis and design of public policies or organisational methods in the economic and social contexts

3. Development of methods for risk analysis and management

4. Development of integrative research, strengthening of forecasting

A strengthened partnership policy

>> Scientific collaborations in France with - research organisations- higher education

>> Construction of the European Research Area

>> Socioeconomic partnerships with industry and farming

>> Local activities with public regional bodies

>> International collaboration

>> Contributing to the debate and informing public decision

>> Scientific collaborations in France

140 Joint Research Units out of a total of 257 research units > 44 with agricultural or veterinary Grandes Ecoles > 32 with universities > 9 with other research organisations > 43 involving several of these partners

Participation in 26 federated research institutes > 23 in the life sciences > 2 in environmental sciences

Contribution to higher education (figures for 2001)> More than 1100 staff members provided more than 12,000 hours of lectures,

> 830 doctoral students being trained every year, and some 250 doctoral theses presented

>> Construction of the European Research Area

6th European PRTD (Programme for Research and Technological Development) > Preparation and participation > National Contact Point for the high-priority programme on Food Quality and Safety.

Bilateral agreements with European Union partners (Netherlands, United Kingdom, Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Spain, etc.).

Scientific cooperation > with Central and Eastern European countries (some 60 projects)

> with Mediterranean countries, in collaboration with the CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies)

Member of Euragri The club which brings together representatives from the principal research organisations and agriculture ministries in member states of the European Union

Member of the European Science Foundation A European association which groups 70 major research organisations in 24 member states

>> Socioeconomic partnerships

Industrial partnerships

> Intellectual property (figures for 2001)- a strategic and ethical challenge in the life sciences- 252 licenses (know-how and patents), 187 French patents and 3240 patent applications in other countries

> Exploitation of research resultsA high-performance organisation based on independent subsidiary companies:

- Agri-Obtentions: selling commercial licences for plant varieties and innovations aimed at improving plant health

- Inra Transfert: economic exploitation in partnership or through the creation of companies

Partnerships with the world of farming

> Increased focus on studies on processes for high-quality, sustainable production and on rural development

> Application of the concept of multifonctionality in agriculture to national and European policies

> Development of research programmes in collaboration with actors in agricultural development

>> International collaboration

Research partnerships with industrialised countries (United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc.)

Scientific collaboration with Eastern European and Mediterranean countries and with emerging agricultural and scientific powers (China, Brazil, India)

Strong policy of welcoming grantholders from other countries

Breakdown of foreign grantholders at INRA

Northern European Economic Space

Southern European Economic Space

Central and Eastern European Countries

Mediterranean countries(not includins Europe)

North America

South America/Caribbean

Asia/Pacific

Sub-Saharan Africa

The INRA research budgetrepresents 6% of the French civil public research budget

INRA share in 2003of the civil research and development budget

(staffing grants and programme approvals in millions of Euros)

Strategic axes in the 2003 budgetBreakdown of resources

Improving living conditions, preserving theenvironment and ensuring sustainable production 

Developing generic strategies for knowledgein the life sciences

Informing the decisions of public and private sector decision-makers

Improving human nutrition, preserving consumerhealth and understanding consumer behaviour 

Diversifying products and their uses,improving their competitiveness  

Adapting species, practices and productionsystems to changing contexts 

 Department management

One Chairman, one Board of Directors

The INRA Board of Directors is chaired by the Chairman of the Institute.The Chairman and Director General are assisted by a Scientific Advisory Board, which discusses and proposes scientific policies and evaluates research activities.

Four Research Support Directorates> Regional activities, higher education and Europe> Finance and general administration> Innovation and information systems> Human resources

Two support missions> Communication> International relations

21 regional research centres

14 scientific research departments

468 units

> 257 research units (including 140 associated with other organisations)> 80 experimental units> 131 support units

Ressources et Organisation

14 Scientifc Departments

Animal geneticsAnimal physiology and husbandry systemsAnimal healthEnvironment and agronomyEcology of forests, meadows and aquatic environmentPlant health and the environmentPlant breeding and geneticsPlant biologyCharacterizing of and research on products issued from agricultureHuman nutritionMicrobiology and food chainApplied mathematics and computer sciencesSocial sciences, agriculture and food, space and environmentSciences for action and development