INRA and BBSRC give evidence
1 February 2011
The House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment heard from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research and the UK Biotechnology and the Biological Sciences Research Council as part of its inquiry into Innovation in EU Agriculture on Wednesday 2 February.
The aim of the inquiry is to identify how innovation in EU agriculture can be best supported, particularly at a time when factors such as population increase and climate change have greatly affected the scale of the challenges facing agriculture in the UK, Europe and globally.
11.00am: Madame Marion Guillou, President, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
Professor Douglas Kell, Chief Executive, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
The witnesses were asked questions in relation to:
- the extent of innovation in agriculture today, and the appropriate role for agricultural bio-technology
- obstacles to innovation
- challenges likely to drive innovation in the future
- key players and structures needed to support innovation in EU agriculture
- assistance from the Common Agricultural Policy and EU Research Programme
The evidence session took place on Wednesday 2 February at 11.00am in Committee Room 3a.