European Agricultural Research in the 21st Century, 1998 Which Innovations Will Contribute Most to the Quality of Life, Food and Agriculture?

Jointly published with INRA, Paris.

What will people eat in the future and how can the food requirements in terms of quantity and quality be met? This EU-based study elucidates the need for a productivity level that will make agriculture competitive on the market and yet is reconciled with the need to manage natural resources and lands wisely. In this book the necessary changes for European agriculture from the biological, medical, economic and political perspective are discussed.

The New International Economic Context for European Agricultural Research.- Trends in Food Consumption in the European Union: Towards a Euro Diet?.- Consumer Choices: Tastes, Preferences, Constraints.- Effects of Media Discourse and Marketing.- Influence of Media and Marketing.- The Components of Quality.- The Strategy of the Food Industry.- Quality from a Consumer’s Perspective.- Application of Biotechnology in the Food Industry.- The Role of Public Authorities at the National and International Level.- Food Choice and Health.- How Functional Foods in the Diet Contribute to Health.- Food Safety.- Water Management for Agriculture.- Soil Management and Agriculture.- Man and Biodiversity.- The Genetic Control of Plant Parasites: „Un plat de résistance“.- Objectives and Challenges in Improving Biological Material for Animal Breeding.- Integrated Agriculture.- Improvements in Production Systems.- Non-Food Production: Economic, Environmental and Land Use Aspects.- Non-Food Production: Technological and Scientific Bottlenecks, The Role of Bioenergy in Europe’s Energy Strategies.- Forest and Agroforestry.- Trends in Fisheries and Aquaculture Production in Europe.- The Diversity of Rural Space and its Typologies.- Agriculture at the Local and Regional Level.- Amenities in Rural Areas: Responding to a New Social Demand.- Lessons from a Macro-Historical Analysis: The Future of European Agricultural Research.- Agricultural Research and Technical Change in Agriculture: Lessons from Microeconomic Studies.- The Agro-Food Industry and Innovation.- Agricultural Research in France. A Useful Tool in Effective, Pervasive Agriculture.- First Panel Discussion: Scientific and Industrial Partnerships.- Second Panel Discussion: Future Relations Between Agricultural Research and Agricultural Extension Services.- Why are Public Organisations Needed for Agronomic Research?.- Third Panel Discussion: Scientific Expertise and Public Decision.- Scientific Appraisals: The Organisation and Responsibility of Experts.- European Agricultural Research, World Food Situation and Development. Agricultural Research after the World Food Summit.- European Agricultural Research, World Food Situation and Development.- Europe and Agricultural Research for Development.- Closing Speech.