Center for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development

CIRAD is the French agricultural research and international cooperation organization for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions.

Status

CIRAD (Centre for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development) is an Epic placed under the dual supervision of the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Activities

Its activities relate to life sciences, social sciences and engineering sciences applied to agriculture, food, the environment and land management.
It works around 6 major thematic areas centered on food security, climate change, management of natural resources, reduction of inequalities and the fight against poverty.

Assignment

With its partners in the South, CIRAD produces and transmits new knowledge to support innovation and agricultural development. It puts its scientific and institutional expertise at the service of public policies in these countries and international debates on the major challenges of agriculture. It supports France's scientific diplomacy.

Development through research

CIRAD has a priority objective: to build sustainable agriculture, adapted to climate change, capable of feeding 10 billion human beings in 2050, while preserving the environment.

He considers that in order to develop over the long term and develop appropriate public policies, a society must participate in the production of the knowledge it needs. This development through research is based on the ability of countries to equip themselves with an appropriate higher education and research system, supported by the public authorities, but with real autonomy of action.

From local to global, through its lasting partnerships, it contributes to the development of an agriculture that serves everyone, and particularly small farmers, who make up the vast majority of producers.

It thus responds to the global challenges of food security and climate change, but also of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Training and knowledge sharing

Training, dissemination of information, sharing of knowledge and innovations naturally complete CIRAD's research mission by giving partners and development players the ability to make the choices that are theirs.

Diploma or professional training in the countries of the South is an essential dimension. It is based on the commitment of each researcher.

CIRAD is also a major player in dialogue between Europe and Africa. Involved in numerous European and international networks, it facilitates the access of its partners in the South to Community programs and their integration into international scientific cooperation networks.

Partnerships

CIRAD has a network of partners on three continents and 14 regional offices, from which it works with more than 100 countries. Its long-term partnership is structured by 23 research and teaching systems in partnership (dP) bringing together 200 institutions in Southern countries, to which 200 of its researchers are assigned (100 in Africa, 50 in Asia and 50 in South America). ).

In France, it offers the national and international scientific community an important research and training facility, located mainly in Montpellier and in the French overseas territories.

CIRAD is a member of two French consortia: Agreenium/IAVFF and AllEnvi.

CIRAD in figures

• 1650 agents, including 800 researchers.
• Activities in partnership with more than 100 countries and 200 institutions.
• 3 scientific departments: Biological systems (Bios), Performance of tropical production and processing systems (Persyst), Environment and societies (ES).
• 33 research units.
• 13 regional offices around the world.
• Thirty or so collective research tools accessible to Southern and European partners.
• Nearly 5 million euros devoted to doctoral training.
• More than 400 doctoral students supervised each year, 60% of whom come from a country in the South.
• International masters created with major schools or universities in southern countries.
• 800 researchers and technicians from all over the world welcomed and trained each year.
• An annual budget of 200 million euros in 2015.