Playing a part in modifying public policy relating to food security, agroecological transitions, biodiversity, health and climate change is a strong lever for rolling out the necessary changes on a broader scale. Decision support is a key instrument for fulfilling our remit: helping to build resilient farming systems for a more sustainable, inclusive world.
To this end, CIRAD uses tools and processes that are not limited to merely transferring knowledge to political spheres.
CIRAD coordinates and publishes several types of research-based recommendations and analyses, to provide scientific support for public policymaking. These include:
CIRAD and its partners conduct foresight studies to shed light on possible futures, notably by means of:
CIRAD supports French public policymakers by making its scientific expertise available to politicians. For instance, at the request of parliamentarians, it contributes to the work of the French National Assembly and Senate by providing research-based analyses and guidance on agricultural questions, global issues or matters specific to the French overseas regions. It also works with territorial authorities and elected representatives.
In the French overseas regions, the organisation assists overseas authorities with sustainable natural resource management, food self-sufficiency and biodiversity protection, by means of regional observatories and innovation projects.
Vingt-trois leviers pour améliorer l’autosuffisance alimentaire des départements d’Outre-mer sont identifiés dans une étude, coordonnée par le Cirad et présentée au Salon international de l’agriculture.
CIRAD also contributes to France's scientific reputation worldwide, by playing an active part in the scientific components of major events led by France or with which the country is associated. Within this framework, it proposes projects, operations and recommendations to support the authorities concerned.
The One Health Summit will be held in Lyon on 7 April 2026, World Health Day. With the participation of CIRAD.
CIRAD analyses public action and instruments, whether on its own initiative or on request. This may concern policy in support of agroecological transitions, food, forestry or value chain support, low-carbon economy incentives, etc.
Furthermore, in the countries in which CIRAD works, public players work alongside us on participatory action research operations, notably by means of the ImpresS approach. These players are a powerful lever for accelerating and steering change and improving its efficacy to benefit sustainable development.
For six years, the EU VCA4D project has been assessing the sustainability of agricultural value chains, as the EU sees those chains as vital levers for alleviating poverty. More than 40 studies have been conducted of a range of products, in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The results are a mine of information for decision makers that is being discussed at a two-day conference on 18 and 19 January.
The "Overseas 4 per 1000" study, coordinated by CIRAD in partnership with INRAE and IRD, set out to inventory soil carbon stocks in the French overseas regions. The authors made operational and research recommendations to preserve these substantial stocks and tackle the main agricultural issues resulting from climate change on a national and territorial level.
CIRAD also regularly organises or co-organises international conferences. Events such as the second Global Sorghum Conference on sorghum in the 21st century in 2023 and the International Symposium on Cocoa Research or the International Horticultural Congress in 2022 brought together up to over 1000 experts, including a number of policymakers.
CIRAD experts participate in bodies at the science-policy interface, to support policymaking from the national level (CICID, GISA, ANSES, etc.) to the global level (IPCC, IPBES, RSPO, etc).
In particular, we chaired the FAO High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) from 2015 to 2019. This body publishes reports that are used during the adoption of recommendations and guidance from the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).
Lastly, CIRAD also provides scientific expertise to support international talks on global issues, acting as a bridge between research and global political bodies. In particular, it works within the framework of the main multilateral environment conventions (Climate, Biodiversity and Desertification COPs), where it helps to maximise the societal impact of its work to tackle global issues. Its teams analyse multilateral policies and instruments, and propose concrete solutions supported by its in-depth knowledge of grassroots realities in various situations.
CIRAD also works with major international organisations such as FAO, UNEP and WOAH, to optimise the coherence and efficacy of its operations.
CIRAD has defined six key thematic fields to guide its targeted research.
We have developed an "impact culture" based on a better understanding of innovation for development.
Our remit: to invent resilient farming systems for a sustainable, inclusive world.
