Topics
The National Research Strategy Bioeconomy2030, published in 2010, has been developed
against the background of the global challenges of the 21st century. Agricultural research
necessarily deals with these global issues, often with national and regional specifics. Trade
flows become more global and especially the financial crisis has led to a focus of agricultural
economists on price volatility and forward-trading of agricultural products.
Another internationally relevant and major topic is resource efficiency, not only in plant production
but resource efficiency in general, which is also connected to climate efficiency (more
efficient production, less GHG emissions). Nutrient circulation, sufficiency, soil-
metagenome, population growth – there is a broad range of themes mentioned in the
interviews, indicating that achieving a global sustainability is still the main challenge
agricultural science needs to contribute to. In this respect Isermeyer (2014) states that
research on these themes often leads to publications; applicable solutions, however, are
still missing.
In Germany and neighbouring countries societal demands regarding agricultural production
are currently another important topic, which means both less use of pesticides and water
and, emerging as a top issue, animal welfare. Both issues are connected with public
acceptance of agriculture. Meeting societal demands is an important issue when discussing
future priority setting. Often it is not a question of the total amount of funds but on deciding
what to focus on.
Research on animal husbandry, for example, was mainly focused on
productivity and not on needs of animals.
EU Forecast
euf:ba18h:54/nws-01