Study day Fascination of Plants Day 2024

Celebrating Plant Breeding as the Pillar of Our Agri-food Systems

How public-private collaborations ensure translation from basic research to new plant varieties

Celebrating the Fascination of Plants Day, Plants for the Future invites you to join us in September to hear from farmers, researchers, and breeders on the critical role of plant breeding in ensuring sustainable agri-food systems, within the Green Deal framework. The event will also feature a field visit of the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO).

Programme

11:00 - Bus from Brussels to Melle

12:00 - Lunch

13:00 - Fascination of Plants Day Event

• Welcome and opening remarks by Kristiaan Van Laecke, Head of Plant Sciences Unit at ILVO
• How plant breeding sustains our agri-food systems by Amrit Nanda, Executive Manager at Plants for the Future ETP
• From fundamental research to crop production
  • Laying the groundwork by Odd Arne Rognli, EPSO President and Professor at NMBU
  • Developing new plant varieties by Hendrik Tschoep, Director Global Breeding at SESVANDERHAVE
  • Meeting the challenges with adapted crops, by Thor Kofoed, Farmer and Chair of Working Party Seeds at Copa-Cogeca
  • Case examples of the benefits of public-private partnerships by Johan Van Huylenbroeck, Scientific director of Plant Sciences Unit at ILVO
• Panel discussion with speakers moderated by Amrit Nanda
• Wrap up and instructions for field visit by Amrit Nanda and Kristiaan Van Laecke

15:00 - Coffee/tea break

15:30 - Fields visits

17:00 - Closing remarks by Amrit Nanda

17:15 - Bus return to Brussels with approximate arrival at 18:00