MAAF
Organization (acronym): MAAF
Country: France
Webpage: http://agriculture.gouv.fr/
Description:
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, Rural affairs and Spatial Planning (MAAPRAT) defines national policies in all these areas.
Each year the ministry dedicates more than 80M€ to fund national research programmes related to technical institutes in order to promote innovation in the sustainable use of resources (soils, water, etc.) for specific production chains and transformation processes.
In the forestry area, the Directorate of Forest and Wood (SDFB) in the General Directorate of Agriculture, Food and Rural Policies (DGPAAT) supports activities of the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), among other institutes. It funds public research in many fields, such as:
- Adapting forests to climate change.
- Preserving and breeding programmes of forest genetic resources.
- Developing geomatic tools for a better valuation of wood resources.
- Developing innovative wood uses.
- Preserving from risk (e.g. fire) and conservation of biodiversity.
- Assessment of forest policies.
In 2011 the SDFB will dedicate 2.3M€ to specific public research studies.
The French Ministry of Agriculture is also deeply involved in cooperation policies in connection with the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. It pays great attention to the strengthening of European research: MAAPRAT is an active partner in 4 ERANETS and is applying in 2011 for 4 other ERANET programmes.
Key personnel:
Jaques Andrieu - Forest and Wood Director in the General Directorate of Agriculture, Food and Rural Policies (DGPAAT) in the Ministry of Agriculture (MAAPRAT).
Elisabeth Van de Maele - Head of the forest investments department in the forest and wood directorate.
Laetitia Poffet - Worker at the forest investments department on adaptation of forests to climate change.