The “C and N Models Inter-comparison and Improvement to assess management options for GHG mitigation in agrosystems worldwide” (CN-MIP) addresses theme 1, topic 1 of the FACCE-JPI 2013 call. Our project will coordinate international development, evaluation and inter-comparison of agricultural process-based models to reduce uncertainty in estimating greenhouse gas emissions from crops, grassland and livestock systems. The project will focus on improving the simulation of management options to enable evaluation of credible mitigation strategies adapted to diverse agrosystems under different climatic conditions. CN-MIP responds to the priority of the core theme 5 "Mitigation of Climate Change" of the FACCE-JPI strategic research agenda, to improve the greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory methods, particularly the "certified" modellingTIER3 modelling approach for quantifying emissions and the effects of mitigation options. The project also supports initiatives outlined in the Global Research Alliance (GRA) on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, which aim to improve measurement methodology and modelling, as well as inventory of GHG emissions and C sequestration in soils. The consortium comprises eleven partners: INRA (France), University of Aberdeen (UK), Helmholt-Zentrum Postam (GER), University of Florence (IT), CRA-Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura (IT), University of Milan (It), University of Sassari (IT), New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research (NZ), Colorado State University (USA), Woods Hole Research Center (USA), Queensland University of Technology (AU). The proposing partners are experienced modelers and experimentalists, already involved in internationally funded projects on measuring and modelling of greenhouse gas emissions,soil carbon sequestration, and reactive nitrogen, for a variety of agricultural conditions (annual crops, grasslands, tree crops) under temperate, Mediterranean and tropical conditions (GRA CN, Livestock and Cropland groups, AgMIP, MACSUR, Reactive N RCN, NANORP, etc.). This network will provide connections and sharing of models, modelling protocols and datasets, but also the necessary interactions with stakeholders. The project will be undertaken from January 2014 to December 2016, in 4 work packages (i) Definition of model data requirements, selection of process-based CN models (i.e. DNDC, DNDC mobile, DSSAT, Roth C, DayCent, PaSim, STICS, APSIM, EPIC, CN-SIM), selection of appropriate databases; (ii) development of common protocols for modelling and model inter-comparison; (iii) identification and testing of mitigation options, improvement of models for coverage, predictive capability and reliability; (iv) dissemination and training. Deliverables will be guidelines for the selection of database and the simulation of mitigation options, evaluation of uncalibrated and calibrated model performances for an array of GHG emission outputs, improved model tools, peer-reviewed research papers, communication and reports to policy makers and stakeholders, and training sessions for students and scientists.

CHIC is the Chicory Innovation Consortium. Its objective is 1) to implement New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs) in chicory in order to establish it as a multipurpose crop for the production of health-related products with clear benefits for consumers, and 2) to develop co-innovation pathways with stakeholders for game-changing technologies, such as NPBTs. CHIC will develop four different NPBTs. They will be used to steer bioprocesses in chicory and mobilize its under-explored potential to produce immunomodulatory prebiotics and medicinal terpenes. The conceptually different NPBTs will be assessed with respect to technological potential, risks, regulatory framework and their socio-economic impacts. This will be done in close consultation with a Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) composed of relevant stakeholders in industry and society. Ongoing project activities and results will be discussed with stakeholders and communicated to interested public using innovative methods including cultural communication and linking art to science. In this context, CHIC will develop two business cases in different application areas, inulin as healthy food ingredient and terpenes as medicinal lead compounds. This effort requires a highly interdisciplinary approach with expertise from molecular sciences, economy, arts, social sciences & humanities, and legislation. The partnership includes three SMEs and a chicory end-user, and international collaboration is established via a research institute in New Zealand. The SAG plays a crucial role in consultation in all phases and activities of the project. Via this co-innovation approach, we aim to contribute to leadership in responsible research innovation and to promote improved understanding of plant biotechnology. Chicory will be boosted as a robust multipurpose crop, tolerant to adverse environmental conditions from which bioactive compounds can be extracted, contributing to sustainable agriculture and a biobased economy.

The fall armyworm (FAW) is a highly invasive and polyphagous pest native to the Americas, first detected in Africa in 2016 and which has since spread globally, including western Asia. By late 2023, FAW had reached mainland Europe, with detections in Greece and Romania. This pest now presents a major threat to European agriculture, as climate change and increased trade increase the likelihood of its establishment or presence across wide areas of Europe. The aim of EUFAWREADY is to provide European agricultural stakeholders—including farmers, advisors, and phytosanitary services—with the tools they need to respond quickly and effectively to potential FAW outbreaks. This involves tools to detect the presence of the pest the earliest possible and to effectively and sustainably manage the pest, thus minimizing the economic, environmental and social impact and the reliance on synthetic pesticides. The specific objectives of EUFAWREADY are to: i) Raise awareness and improve stakeholder preparedness regarding FAW risks, and enhance their engagement in management efforts; ii) Generate new knowledge on the biology of European FAW populations, focusing on traits that enhance their invasiveness potential; iii) Assess the economic and environmental impacts FAW could have on Europe; iv) Provide effective strategies for early detection and monitoring of FAW; v) Investigate a diversified array of sustainable control options that could be offered to European farmers, including the use of FAW natural enemies, microbial agents, and plant-based and natural semiochemical solutions; vi) Integrate these management strategies into guidelines intended to plant health actors, and an IPM toolbox to be provided to European farmers and advisers; vii) Ensure the project's scientific and technical findings are widely shared, so stakeholders are fully informed on FAW risks and management strategies by the project's end.

It is not possible to avoid all the challenges to plant health posed by global trade, increasing travel activities and climate change. However, it is possible to optimise strategies to address these challenges with effective cooperation and coordination. The success of the Euphresco self-sustained network as a platform for the coordination of European phytosanitary research has set the ground for discussions on the development of initiative(s) to address the needs of other regions of the world and on global phytosanitary research coordination. The aim of the project is to enhance national and regional phytosanitary research coordination beyond what the Euphresco self-sustained network has achieved and to set the foundations for global phytosanitary research coordination. This will be achieved by building on the foundations developed by the Euphresco self-sustained network and explore fit-for-purpose activities. The objectives of the project are: -To develop a strategic research agenda. The document will guide phytosanitary research programming activities of EU countries and support them to address regional and global challenges through synergies with other regions/continents of the world. -To organize joint calls on common research priorities to support and enhance international collaboration through the commissioning and implementation of research projects. Monitoring of the research projects will ensure that they remain relevant to the needs of the research funders and policy makers and impactful. -To develop and test models for the governance, the structure and the operation of a global network for phytosanitary research coordination. A business plan will be established to guide the development of a global network for phytosanitary research coordination. -To engage with relevant plant health research stakeholders and foster knowledge exchange, engagement in the project activities, co-development, dissemination and adoption of outputs.