From Research to Policy: Insights from GeneBEcon’s 5th Consortium Meeting

The 5th GeneBEcon Consortium Meeting brought partners and stakeholders together in Berlin to assess progress, strategize for the project’s final phase, and explore ways to maximize the impact of its results. Highlights included insightful presentations from project partners, updates from the Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB), and sessions on advancing the project’s Key Exploitable Results. Partners also refined the NGT Transition Action Plan in a Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Workshop facilitated by XPRO Consulting. This plan outlines short-, medium-, and long-term actions to boost awareness of new genomic techniques (NGTs) and counter misinformation across diverse stakeholders, including farmers, the food industry, policymakers, and NGOs.

Participants also engaged in an Exploitation Workshop with external advisors and the Horizon Booster Service, focusing on strategies to sustain the project’s impact beyond its conclusion. The consortium’s work on systems mapping was another focal point, offering frameworks to connect GeneBEcon’s research with policy pathways and practical applications in sustainable agriculture and plant breeding.

Turning Innovation into Action: Explore Key Takeaways from GeneBEcon’s Exploitation

The recent GeneBEcon Exploitation Workshop brought together external stakeholders and Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) members to review and advance the project’s exploitation strategies. During this collaborative session, participants explored the Key Exploitable Results (KERs) presented by project partners and assessed their broader potential within the agricultural value chain. By focusing on strengths and challenges, the workshop aimed to solidify robust, targeted exploitation plans that will drive the practical impact of new genomic techniques (NGTs) across sustainable agriculture and bioeconomy sectors.

Insights from this workshop will be instrumental in aligning GeneBEcon’s goals with real-world applications, ensuring that the project’s outcomes meet the demands of various stakeholders.

The Final RRI Workshop: Advancing the NGT Transition Action Plan

The third and final Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) workshop on the NGT Transition Action Plan, designed and facilitated by XPRO Consulting Limited, took place on 25 October 2024 in Berlin during the 5th Consortium Meeting.

This interactive session brought together the Stakeholder Advisory Board, external stakeholders, and GeneBEcon partners to evaluate and refine the proposed Transition Action Plan for new genomic techniques (NGTs). Participants analyzed actions and their interdependencies across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons, focusing on six key stakeholder groups: farmer associations, breeder associations, the food industry, consumer associations, policymakers, and NGOs.

The workshop aimed at addressing the challenges of misinformation and disinformation, affirming the plan’s strategic direction. Attendees emphasized the importance of inclusive discussions, mutual learning, and actionable steps to enhance NGT awareness and sustainable plant breeding. Building on these insights, the GeneBEcon team at XPRO Consulting is now finalizing the Transition Action Plan, which will result into six specific NGTs Transition Pathways, one for each stakeholder group.

Shaping EU Policy on Genomic Techniques: Explore Key Insights from GeneBEcon’s SAB Workshop

The recent GeneBEcon Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) workshop brought together experts from Plants for the Future, Euroseeds, and ILVO to assess the strategic gathering focused on the progress of the EU legislative proposal concerning plants developed through new genomic techniques (NGTs) and provided a comprehensive update on GeneBEcon’s ongoing systems mapping work.

Participants received a detailed briefing on the project’s latest advancements, with an emphasis on how systems mapping applies to the GeneBEcon project’s objectives. This SAB workshop underscored the importance of aligning insights from stakeholders and research partners, solidifying GeneBEcon’s commitment to making informed contributions to EU policy for sustainable agriculture and plant breeding.

Impacts of accelerating agricultural R&D transfer on global food security

A recent study by researchers at Wageningen University and Wageningen Economic Research within the framework of the GeneBecon initiative underscores the importance of speeding up the transfer of agricultural R&D, particularly in genome editing (GE), to improve global food security.

Published in the journal GM Crops & Food, the research identifies the substantial economic and agricultural costs associated with regulatory delays in the adoption of GE technologies. Such delays impede productivity advancements and impose significant opportunity costs. GE technologies possess the capacity to improve key agronomic traits, including pest resistance, yield enhancement, and nutritional fortification, thus representing a transformative avenue for advancing global food security

Using the MAGNET model, researchers explored the impact of faster R&D transfer on global agriculture and economies under two scenarios: high-income countries and global acceleration. Results show that while the EU and the US would benefit economically, middle- and low-income nations like China and India would gain the most, highlighting the benefits of a coordinated global effort.

The study quantifies economic losses from GE adoption delays, for instance, the EU is projected to lose up to $158 billion from 2020 to 2030 without accelerated R&D, whereas China could gain $358 billion with faster adoption.

Accelerated R&D transfer is anticipated to drive significant increases is expected to boost agricultural productivity, GDP, societal welfare, and food affordability, with improved caloric availability and increased unskilled labour wages relative to cereal prices.

The researchers advocate for a re-evaluation and simplification of the regulatory frameworks governing GE technologies. Streamlined regulatory pathways are essential for sustainable agricultural development and tackling global food insecurity delineated in the study.

Po Policymakers, governments, and all stakeholders, this is your opportunity to make a difference. Explore the full study to uncover actionable insights and data that can drive transformative policies and solutions for sustainable agriculture. Together, we can shape a more secure and equitable food future

Access the study here!

Be Ready for the Science Policy Symposium!

We are cordially inviting you to the Science Policy Symposium brought to you by the GeneBEcon project. Mark your calendars for October 23, 2024, from 15:00 to 17:00. The event will take place at Otto-von-Bismarck-Allee 4a, 10557 Berlin, Germany.

Event Highlights:

  • Organized by BVL & Agroscope: On behalf of the GeneBEcon Consortium, this symposium will provide an in-depth look at the innovative progress of the GeneBEcon project.
  • Expert Insights: Hear from leading experts in science policy and biotechnology.
  • Networking Opportunities: Connect with professionals and stakeholders in the field.

Stay tuned for more information and registration details. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

Keep an eye on our website for updates. We look forward to seeing you there in German!

GeneBEcon Progress Review Meeting Held with European Commission and External Reviewer

On May 21st, 2024, GeneBEcon partners met with the European Commission and an External Reviewer to evaluate GeneBEcon’s progress and achievements. This meeting provided an opportunity to look back at the first half of the project and assess milestones reached so far. To share some of our moments during these first 18 months, we developed a video showcasing our events and research activities, including highlights from our work with microalgae and potatoes in our labs. Tomorrow, the project team will look forward to upcoming plans during the online consortium meeting.

The second System Mapping Approach (SMA) Workshop

Ilvo hosted the second System Approach Workshop. The workshop brought together multi-sectoral actors to assess the impact of New Genomique Techniques on the starch potato value chain and it’s broader system.

Sil Allaert introduced the GeneBEcon project as well as the Systems Mapping Approach and the goal of his PhD. Katrijn Van Laere explained NGT’s and the technology we will use

Event Details:

  • Date: April 17, 2024
  • Location: Ellipse Building, Room 0A11, Koning Albert II Laan 35, 1030 Brussels

Agenda Highlights:

The second Systems Mapping workshop proved the importance of engaging new perspectives to the approach. In a small setting, every participant had the opportunity to share their expertise. This led to constructive and thought-provoking discussions about the societal impacts of New Genomic Techniques, the position of science in the debate, and many other topics. Filled with new insights, the coming months will be used to further develop the Systems Maps

For more information about the workshop’s outcomes and future events, please follow GeneBEcon’s social medias and website. We appreciate the active participation and valuable contributions from all attendees and look forward to further collaboration in our upcoming workshops!

More information:

To access the agenda: Click Here!
To access ‘Mapping the System: Systems Thinking in the European Gene Editing Debate: Click Here!

See bellow some pictures from our event!

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New Poultry Science Paper: ´´Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing of microalga Chlorella vulgaris and its digestibility in broiler feed´´

One way to improve the bioeconomy is by adding microalgae, such as biomass, to animal feed, which can potentially enhance animal health and nutrition by releasing bioactive molecules in the intestinal tract. The digestibility of Chlorella vulgaris and its impact on the overall digestibility and biobased impact of broiler feed represent a first step in assessing its characteristics as a feed supplement. Various methods can be used to increase the digestibility of the algae. Methods such as pulsed electric fields (PEF) and freezing were assessed to disrupt autotrophic (A) and heterotrophic (H) Chlorella vulgaris cells to increase their availability and impact, followed by in vivo trials. Pulsed electric fields were shown to have disruption efficiencies of 83.90% and 79.20% for heterotrophic and autotrophic C. vulgaris, respectively, demonstrating significant biobased impact.

Read more here.