Agroscope research master plan 2008-2011

The Agroscope research master plan provides information for interested and involved players, supports coordinated research and acts as a tool for the planning and legitimisation of research work. It was drawn up by the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council and Agroscope. Agroscope’s research aims and focal points for the period 2008-2011 were laid down on the basis of an analysis of the related area, an analysis of Agroscope’s customer requirements and a strengths/weaknesses profile of the research stations. Three sustainability and three process targets were set: 1) an economically efficient agricultural sector, 2) an ecologically and ethologically responsible agricultural sector and 3) socially acceptable development of the agricultural sector, 4) early warning, 5) problem-oriented system research and 6) communication and knowledge management. These targets are intended to focus research more on the understanding of systems and to foster an exchange of knowledge. Inter- and transdisciplinary research is also to be developed. With this in mind, in the period 2008-2011 Agroscope will carry out three multidisciplinary research programmes in the areas of “competitive crop farming systems in lowland regions”, “product quality/product safety, health and nutrition”, and “development, implementation and monitoring of promising production systems in mountain areas”.