Conference: What role could microorganisms play in sustainable and healthy European agri-food systems by 2050?

Micro-organisms have been used for thousands of years in food systems, for example in food fermentation. In recent years, our knowledge of microbiomes – the microorganisms, their genes, the molecules they produce and their environment – has advanced considerably, notably thanks to high-throughput sequencing technologies. We now know that microorganisms are ubiquitous in our environment and play a major role in the health of soils, plants, animals, humans and ecosystems more broadly. Because of their many functions, they are seen as potential solutions to the challenges of developing more sustainable food systems, from farm to fork. Microorganisms could, for example, help reduce the use of synthetic chemicals in crops, limit the use of antibiotics in livestock farming, diversify protein sources, or improve the taste, texture or shelf life of food products through fermentation.

How will microorganisms and microbiomes be used in tomorrow’s agriculture and food systems? What practices, knowledge and technologies will shape their development? What policies and regulations will support their use? How will farmers and consumers perceive these developments?

This is what the “Microbes” foresight study has explored by developing different scenarios for sustainable and healthy European agricultural and food systems based on microorganisms by 2050.

The conference will be held on December 15 at the Maison de la RATP in Paris. You can attend in person or remotely, in French or English. 

Registration will open shortly and the detailed programme will be available soon.

This foresight study was supported by INRAE’s Holoflux metaprogramme, the Ferments du Futur Grand Challenge (INRAE, ANIA) and the Food Systems, Microbiomes and Health PEPR programme (INRAE, Inserm).