Partnership between ANSES and CIRAD: a stronger commitment to safeguarding every type of health

A stronger partnership to take a holistic approach to health issues

This partnership aims to provide a more effective joint response to overall challenges in public health, food safety and biodiversity in a “One Health” context. It is following on from a first framework agreement signed in 2019. 

The two institutions are reaffirming their commitment to working together on several priority research areas, with a special focus on pathogens, vectors, pests, and biological and chemical contaminants. In this regard, particular attention is being paid to the issues of the French overseas territories, which are at the forefront of global changes related to climate disruption, among other things. This collaboration is taking the form of joint research and the sharing of data, biological materials and experiences relating to reference, monitoring and quality activities.

Priority areas of cooperation

The areas of cooperation defined for the next five years are part of an approach aimed at providing a more effective joint response to public health issues:

• Characterising pathogens and pests: developing innovative methods to identify, track and monitor pathogens and pests in animal, plant and human health. This includes studying their virulence, resistance and transmission mechanisms.    
• Collaborating within epidemiological surveillance platforms for animal and plant health: participating in the platforms’ working groups, particularly on international health monitoring.    
• Reducing the use of antibiotics: contributing to research and innovation to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock farming and better understand trends in antimicrobial resistance.    
• Analysing environmental contaminants: studying the fate and transformation of chemical and biological contaminants and their impact on ecosystems and living organisms, with a view to better understanding health and environmental risks.    
• Making data available: promoting data sharing and processing. These data relate in particular to exposure to contaminants and the nutritional composition of food and feed.

The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) provides public decision-makers with the scientific benchmarks needed to protect humans and the environment against health risks. It studies, assesses and monitors all the chemical, microbiological and physical risks to which humans, animals and plants are exposed, thereby helping the public authorities take the necessary measures, including in the event of a health crisis. A national agency working in the public interest, ANSES comes under the responsibility of the French Ministries of Health, the Environment, Agriculture and Labour.

CIRAD is the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development, working for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions. It works with its partners to build knowledge and solutions for resilient farming systems in a more sustainable, inclusive world. It mobilises science, innovation and training in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Its expertise supports the entire range of stakeholders, from producers to public policymakers, to foster biodiversity protection, agroecological transitions, food system sustainability, health (of plants, animals and ecosystems), sustainable development of rural territories, and their resilience to climate change. CIRAD works in some 50 countries on every continent, thanks to the expertise of its 1800 staff members, including 1240 scientists, backed by a global network of 200 partners. It also supports French science diplomacy operations.