The EU (European Union) Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy set the over-arching agenda for European agriculture in the coming decades. We need to produce more with less, increase sustainability, restore nature and biodiversity, secure stable production of healthy food under more frequent and severe climate extremes, and find solutions to mitigate the climate changes. To meet these huge challenges, we need to foster fast and novel solutions. The only chance we have to reach the goals is to gather all the available competencies.
In Denmark we have recently launched AgriFoodTure — the first mission-driven partnership that unites universities, research institutions, authorities, national- and international companies within the plant, dairy, meat, and ingredients sectors. The vision is to develop new, groundbreaking solutions and technologies that will assist Denmark in reaching its climate goals. The ambition is that the solutions will have global applications. The partnership is co-funded by the Danish government.
The first projects have already been initiated to develop tools, crops, and best practices to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Being a core partner in AgriFoodTure, DLF is dedicated to contributing with solutions, which comprise specific grass and clover varieties developed for the purpose.
Years before the climate agenda really hit the markets, breeding companies and scientists from universities in Denmark joined forces to develop crop breeding tools for future climates. As a strategic initiative, the consortium Crop Innovation Denmark built the world’s largest and most advanced open-field root screening facility, RadiMax, in which scientists and breeders can screen the root profiles of several hundred plant lines simultaneously. This facility has allowed DLF to develop grass varieties with up to 30% deeper roots, resulting in better drought tolerance and improved nitrogen uptake.
These products can now be included, and further developed, in the AgriFoodTure partnership projects. Without the creative and open-minded cooperation between research institutions and breeding companies, some even competitors, RadiMax would never have seen the light, and we would not have had a head start on climate solutions in plant breeding.
AgriFoodTure and Crop Innovation Denmark represent examples of partnerships including key players from the value chain, industry and research community that are crucial for driving the innovation and development. We have a mission – we must stop climate change and we must continue to produce sufficient healthy and sustainable food for an increasing world population.
Without partnerships we will not get there!
