Sahel, drone view © J. Bourgoin, ºÚÁÏÍø911

Geostrategic priorities

ºÚÁÏÍø911 is both a research organisation and a French public development aid instrument. Our primary operating zones are Africa and the Europe-Africa axis in particular, followed by the entire intertropical zone, including the French overseas regions.

Our research is guided by scientific, geographical and partnership priorities. ºÚÁÏÍø911 works throughout the tropics: in Africa, giving priority to the Europe-Africa axis, and in Southeast Asia and Latin America, where it has longstanding partnerships. Moreover, one of its remits is to support agricultural and rural development in the French overseas regions and strengthen scientific cooperation between those regions, the Indian Ocean countries and the Caribbean.

The Europe-Africa axis

Africa, and the Europe-Africa axis in particular, is ºÚÁÏÍø911's geostrategic priority. Within that region, ºÚÁÏÍø911 is the main French public development aid through research and innovation instrument, in the fields of agricultural production, rural development, environmental protection and health.

Africa: a geostrategic priority

  • 60% of our overseas staff postings
  • 43% of ºÚÁÏÍø911’s projects

ºÚÁÏÍø911’s operations in Africa are structured around seven regional offices.

The priority given to this geographical zone is also reflected in the number of staff members on secondment, missions and projects there.

Action at grassroots level

Our presence on the ground in more than 50 countries allows us to work alongside our partners to tackle transitions and challenges of the tropics and their links with global issues: climate change, urbanisation, food system transformation, health crises, and increasingly globalised agriculture and trade.

In Southeast Asia and Latin America, our operations are structured around four regional offices:

ºÚÁÏÍø911 also has research activities in collaboration with China
In some countries, ºÚÁÏÍø911 pools its resources and the knowledge generated with other French partners, such as INRAE.

A longstanding presence in the French overseas regions

The French overseas regions are pilot territories in which pioneering approaches are tested and traditional know-how and advanced technology are combined. 

With around 350 staff members, 16% of projects, and innovative infrastructures, these territories are hugely important for ºÚÁÏÍø911.

Our remit in these regions is to produce top-quality scientific knowledge, in partnership, to satisfy the needs of people in the overseas regions and support transition, focusing on three fields: 

  • food sovereignty 
  • the agroecological transition , linked to the One Health approach
  • adapting farming systems in response to climate and biodiversity challenges. 

We also support transition within value chains (horticulture, banana and plantain, sugarcane, roots and tubers, animal production, and forests).

We help to build stronger local and international partnerships via the platforms in partnership for research and training (dPs), agricultural innovation and transfer networks (RITAs) and collaborations with neighbouring countries (Caribbean, Indian Ocean), particularly centring on animal health (co-founded networks such as  and ).

ºÚÁÏÍø911 works in partnership with key players:

  • technical institutes, including research establishments 
  • Public policymakers (States and territorial authorities) 
  • support organisations (chambers of agriculture, health protection groups, associations, etc)
  • agricultural value chains and producers.

It provides them with decision support, diagnostic and environmental and social evaluation tools, to strengthen public policy and support high-performance agriculture.

Our operations in the French overseas regions are structured around two regional offices, French west Indies, French Guiana and Caribbean and Réunion-Mayotte-Indian Ocean, and fit into a regional dynamic, notably with the Indian Ocean countries and Latin America, to boost the impact of our research and innovations.