The Flanders Research Institute for agriculture, fisheries and Food (ILVO)

ILVO performs multidisciplinary, innovative and independent research aimed at economically, ecologically and socially sustainable agriculture and fisheries in a from farm to fork approach. ILVO’s mission consists of performing and coordinating policy-supporting scientific research and associated public service in view of sustainable agriculture, fishery, and food from an economic, ecological and social perspective. The institute has four research units: Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences, Social Sciences, and Technology and Food Sciences and has a large infrastructure: 200 hectares of experimental fields, 15000 m2 of glasshouses and more than 20000 m2 of experimental animal housing, test benches, a plant diagnostic center, and various accredited laboratories and pilot installations for milk, food and seed processing. Environmental aspects became more and more important.

The ILVO Expertise Center for Agriculture and Climate (ILVO-ELK) was established at the end of 2016 as a multidisciplinary and independent knowledge center, where policy and private stakeholders can go for advice and research. ILVO-ELK wants to help the government and the sector to respond adequately to the climate challenge. For that support, ILVO-ELK focuses its climate research on three tracks. The first track, the climate mitigation, must introduce technologies and systems that allow the impact of agriculture and fisheries on the climate to be reduced. The second track, the climate adaptation, must investigate the possibilities for adapting Flemish agriculture and fisheries to the changing climate. Thirdly, work is also being done on research into the C-low economy and the role of agriculture in the broader climate issue.

The food science research in the Technology and Food Science Unit covers the entire food production chain: from primary agricultural and fisheries products to the processed product, ready for consumption with an emphasis on innovation and sustainability aspects. The research disciplines are microbiological and chemical food safety, product innovation, product quality, and authenticity.
 

EV-ILVO (WP5 and 7) was/is a member and WPL in several ERA-NETs: ICT-AGRI 1 and ICT-AGRI 2, SUSFOOD, COFASP, EUPHRESCO, MariFish, CORE Organic II, Ruragri. EV-ILVO has built up experience in all tasks assigned to in the current proposal. 

Contact: Marijke Hunninck, Marijke Hunninck@ilvo.vlaanderen.be and Katrien Broekaert, Katrien.Broekaert@ilvo.vlaanderen.be
Website: https://www.ilvo.vlaanderen.be