Our strategy

Societies in the global South are in the throes of demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, climate and sanitary changes, and need to address several major issues urgently and quickly if they are to steer their development along sustainable pathways.

Science as the backbone of our operations

To tackle these issues and help those societies respond to unprecedented levels of change, CIRAD has identified six key thematic fields, in other words areas necessitating substantial scientific investment, which will form the backbone of its research services, aimed at shaping the future. These integrated services will involve various groups, working on multi-disciplinary, cross-cutting projects.

Biodiversity as a lever of development and resilience
An integrated approach to plant, animal and ecosystem health
Agro-ecological transition engineering
Territories as levers for sustainable, inclusive development
Supporting the transition to more sustainable, inclusive food systems
Helping farming systems in the global South adapt to climate change

These key thematic fields will be complemented by cross-cutting actions involving the building and application of institutional cultures. They will generate new practices and expertise.

Gender aspects in research and innovation
An integrated approach to tropical agricultural value chains
Research data and model repositories

Partnerships overseas and in the French ultraperipheral regions

CIRAD's geo-strategic priority is still Africa and the Mediterranean, and the Platforms in partnership for research and training (dPs) remain the preferred, albeit not the only, channel for cooperation in the global South.

CIRAD's regional offices overseas and in the French ultraperipheral regions will continue to play a role in terms of strategic watch and of co-building and coordinating the implementation of its strategy.

CIRAD is also continuing its commitment to Europe by participating in European initiatives, and in contributing actively to European cooperation policy, particularly with Africa.

Training for the global South

Training is now a major priority for CIRAD. Without substantial investment in building capacity in the global South, there will be no virtuous development circle.

Innovation and impact

Scientific and technical knowledge is one of the main drivers of the innovation systems that will ensure progress towards sustainable development. CIRAD's remit of development through research means it must help build capacity amongst stakeholders, generate useful knowledge and ensure that societies benefit from that knowledge. It is vital that it understands the processes that foster or hinder these research impacts.

Resources policy

Like any other organization, CIRAD will not be able to make this major strategy switch unless all the components of that strategy are geared towards the same priorities, and include and share the same objectives. To this end, priorities have been established in terms of resources policy, to contribute to the implementation of the establishment's scientific and partnership strategy.

Update date: 19/02/2019

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