Au pôle de protection des plantes (Réunion)
Science & Research

Scientists, let's promote your work in the Indian Ocean
and collaborate here!

Cirad Réunion at the heart of regional policy in Europe

Written by David JOSSEROND Modified on the

  • Visite du commissaire européen Johannes Hahn au 3P (© G. Cellier)
  • Visite du commissaire européen Johannes Hahn au 3P (© G. Cellier)
  • Visite du commissaire européen Johannes Hahn au 3P (© G. Cellier)

During his trip to Réunion for the 19th Conference of outermost European regions, Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, visited Plant Protection Centre (3P) on October 17th, accompanied by all the Presidents of the ORs.

The outermost European regions (ORs)* should be seen for their strengths rather than their difficulties, especially in the field of research and innovation. This is certainly the will of Reunion Island, OR in the heart of the Indian Ocean. It is committed to provide an action plan to the European Commission on how it intends to make better use of funding from the European Union for the 2014-2020 period. Among the priorities of the action plan are two objectives for CIRAD Reunion and the Plant Protection Centre (3P) : support the tropical bio-economy and promote regional cooperation projects.

Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, together with the presidents of the ORs, at the invitation of Didier Robert, President of the Regional Council of Reunion, and chairman of the group of eight ORs visited the 3P on October 17th. Three workshops, on the impact of global change on plant health, biodiversity conservation and management of genetic resources of agricultural interest were presented, showing the split of interest between the ORs and continental Europe.

The EU delegation was shown the importance of high-level equipment and became familiarized with some research projects financed by European funds. "Research conducted by Cirad Reunion is obviously at the service of scientific knowledge, but also of regional and interregional economic development, said Gilles Mandret, Regional Director of Cirad Reunion – Mayotte, to entire delegation, adding that "a research platform called PReRAD which will strengthen regional partnerships in the field of tropical agriculture should soon become a reality in Reunion”. Cirad Reunion is currently the second largest Cirad research center but also one of the most important centers of European research in the Indian Ocean.

See CIRAD Réunion research programmes co- financed by the European Union

* Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, French overseas collectivities of Saint -Martin, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.

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