Consortium
The FORECAST consortium unites leading institutions from Europe and North Africa, working together to promote innovation and sustainability in agroforestry systems.
DEIFIL TECHNOLOGY LDA (DEIFIL)
DEIFIL is a SME of reference in the propagation of woody and horticultural plant species difficult to reproduce seuxally, being the first Plant Biotechnology company in Portugal dedicated to in vitro propagation, on a large scale, of fruit trees. Within FORECAST, DEIFIL brings a team with skills and competences on agricultural innovation, plant biotechnology, natural resources chain value and women entrepreneurship to accomplish the project goals and reach impacts. DEIFIL will contribute with activities in WP1 (Participatory activities for AF/OLs co-creation), WP2 (Resilient, locally-adapted AF/OLs systems: productive/environmental performance & management), WP5 (Policy & socioeconomic tools to promote AF/Ols), and WP6 AF/OLs-derived products).
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri (CNR)
CNR is involved with two institutes: i) IRET, Porano and Sesto Fiorentino-Firenze Sections, located in central Italy; ii) ISPAAM, located in Sassari, Sardinia. IRET carries out studies on terrestrial ecosystems structure, functioning and productivity, and its ‘Biodiversity and sustainable management of agro-ecosystems Group’ carries out activities on biodiversity and the adaptive response of agroforestry systems. ISPAAM focuses its interdisciplinary interest on topics concerning animal production (forage production, environmental sustainability, product quality, business models). CNR leads WP2 (Resilient, locally-adapted AF/OLs systems: productive/environmental performance & management), and contributes to WP1 (Participatory activities for AF/OLs co-creation),, WP4 (Sustainability, resilience & profitability of AF/Ols), and WP5 (Policy & socioeconomic tools to promote AF/Ols), WP6 (AF/OLs-derived products).
AgroParisTech (APT)
As part of Université Paris-Saclay and Agreenium member, APT focuses on agricultural/forestry resources, environmental sciences/agro-industrial transformation, biotechnology, services related to production /sales activities with collaborative efforts with public/private partners. The ‘Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin for Plant Sciences’ (IJPB, a joint research unit under INRAE/APT supervision) is part of Paris-Saclay University. The SEEDEV and PHYGERM teams, together with the IJPB chemistry and metabolomics platform, are involved in the project. APT-IJPB-Versailles will focus on seed quality through, biochemical/proteomic analyses to identify the nutritional benefits of plants/seeds/related food products (WP2, WP3, WP6).
CREA
Research Centre for Forestry and Wood (CREA-FW)
Collaborative Laboratory Mountains of Research (MORE)
MORE is a private non-profit association devoted to deploy new solutions (products, processes and services) promoting the socio-economic development of Mediterranean mountain regions. MORE brings a multidisciplinary Team with competences on agricultural innovation, plant biotechnology, natural resources management, plant physiology, soil sciences, seed technology and knowledge transfer to accomplish the project goals and reach impacts. MORE leads WP1 (Participatory activities for AF/OLs co-creation) and contributes to participatory activities (WP2), and training/ dissemination/engagement (WP7).
University Constantine 1 (UC1)
UC1 participates in FORECAST through a research group from the different Departments (Hydrology, Geography, Spatial Planning, Biology, Geology and Agronomy), bringing together researchers from multiple disciplines. UC1 leads WP3 (Fostering transition to AF/OLs), working with climate data and models, as well as WP4 (Sustainability, resilience and profitability of AF/OLs), focused on the environmental impact of the FORECAST AF/OLs systems. UC1 contributes also to WP2 (Resilient, locally-adapted AF/OLs systems: productive/environmental performance & management).
University of Sfax (US)
US participates with i) the Laboratory of Toxicology-Microbiology & Environmental Health with long-term expertise on development/application of new technologies for detection/characterization of pathogens and contaminants in agricultural products and ii) the Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology (Biochemistry and Microbiology Units) addressing the multi-disciplinarily aspects required in FORECAST. US leads WP6 (AF/OLs-derived products) while contributing to the development of resilient, locally-adapted AF/OLs systems (WP2), participatory activities (WP1), and training/dissemination/engagement (WP7).
Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE)
Top institute for research on agriculture, food, and the environment, it will bring into the project its outstanding reputation in plant molecular genetics, seed sciences and bioinformatics. ‘Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin for Plant Sciences-IJPB’, Versailles (France) is a joint research unit under supervision of INRAE & AgroParisTech, belonging to Paris-Saclay University, and founding member of EUR Saclay Plant Sciences (SPS). The SEEDEV and PHYGERM Teams and the IJPB Chemistry and Metabolomic Platform participate to the FORECAST project, in the frame of WP2 (Participatory activities for AF/OLs co-creation), WP6 (AF/OLs-derived products), and WP7 (training/dissemination/engagement).
University of Pavia (UNIPV)
UNIPV participate through the Department of Biology and Biotechnology with i) the Seed Molecular Physiology Laboratory and the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory bringing solid expertise in seed physiology and molecular biology, ii) the Microbial Genetics Laboratory with long-term expertise in Bacillus subtilis genetic engineering/fermentation and sustainable use of agrifood wastes for biotechnology applications. The Department of Chemistry contrubutes to the project through the Radiation Chemistry & EPR Spectroscopy Laboratory, with long-term expertise in biomass pyrolytic treatment, and preparation of bioplastics from waste materials. UNIPV will coordinate the project and lead WP7 (training/dissemination/engagement), and WP8 (management).
