Marion Guillou is a French engineer and polytechnician, specialized in global food security. She was the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the École Polytechnique (2008-2013) and President and CEO of INRA (2004-2012). She is a member of the High Council for Climate, a structure created in 2018 and working alongside the French Prime…
Madagascar is going through a major food crisis for decades, to the extent that some regions are affected by famine. On site, Bertrand Muller, an agronomist and a researcher at CIRAD (French Center for international cooperation in agricultural research for development) talks about the ways in which scientists are working to increase the fertility of…
In Africa, particularly in Northern Botswana, fungus growing termites build giant termite mounds in a very specific pattern that improves soil fertility. John van Thuyne, a Swiss soil scientist at the University of Lausanne, explains this phenomenon, which he has been studying for several years.
Carbon sequestration is one of the major challenges of the 21st century in the context of climate change. Around the world, researchers are studying new methods to store it underground. Xavier Dupla is one of them. He is a soil specialist and a PhD student at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. He is currently…
In this region of the world, several studies show that traditional agricultural practices degrade the soil, reduce groundwater reserves and increase greenhouse gas emissions.
The deleterious effects of conventional agriculture are not confined to industrialised countries. In South Asia, which is home to almost 25% of the world's population, it is mainly rice and wheat…
Marion Guillou is a French engineer and polytechnician, specialized in global food security. She was Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the École Polytechnique (2008-2013) and President and CEO of INRA (2004-2012). She is a member of the High Council for Climate, a structure created in 2018 and working alongside the French Prime Minister.…
Vegetables draw nutrients from the soil to grow. A study by a researcher at the University of Kansas deciphers this process, which is fundamental to the quality of our food.
In Champagne, a group of 25 winegrowers has been experimenting for 10 years with plant cover between the rows of vines during the winter. A practice that facilitates the circulation of water and reduces the use of herbicides.
Wetlands near agricultural land can significantly reduce the amount of excess pollutants from conventional agriculture. A recent study by the American Society of Agronomy shows that even a small wetland is effective. Explanation.
A study by INRAE (Institut national de la recherche agronomique) shows an increased presence of micro-organisms in biodynamic soils. These conclusions concern in particular viticulture, a sector at the forefront in this field.
The result is indisputable. According to a meta-analysis carried out by Amélie Christel, of AgroParisTech, Pierre-Alain Maron and Lionel Ranjard, of the…