Management and Plant Experimentation (MEV)

The vast majority of vegetable foodstuffs are obtained through intensive agriculture. This form of agriculture was implemented in France after the Second World War. It was the perfect answer to the social and economic demands of the time by allowing the production of food in quantity and at low cost. The development of intensive agriculture was only possible thanks to fundamental research studies in various fields such as plant biology and physiology, genetics and agronomy. Currently, it is commonly accepted that advances in crop yields are half due to agronomy and half due to genetics. This past experience suggests that a multidisciplinary approach based on strong scientific research is necessary to develop a type of agriculture.

Intensive agriculture does not have only qualities. It is based on the massive use of inputs (fertilizers and phytosanitary products) which represents a source of environmental pollution and causes health problems. It therefore seems important to change agricultural practices in order to limit the use of inputs and move to a model of sustainable agriculture. This shift in agricultural practices has been underway for the past twenty years, but it has been accelerated by the ECOPHYTO plan, which aims to reduce the use of phytosanitary products by 50% in 2018. This reform of agriculture must also be done under the pressure of an additional difficulty: climate change. In order to develop a more environmentally friendly agriculture in a context of climate change, it is necessary to have multidisciplinary approaches combining genetics (development of varieties that make better use of nitrogen and water, resistant to existing diseases, etc.),agronomy/physiology/ecology (adapting cultivation itineraries, introducing micro-organisms, Natural Defense Stimulators, etc.) and plant pathology (development of Bio-Control, etc.) Plant experimentation, the driving force behind changes in agricultural practices, therefore requires managers capable of writing, carrying out and evaluating projects.          

 If the stakes of developing sustainable agriculture are important for developed countries, they are crucial for many countries in the South that cannot afford fertilizers or phytosanitary products anyway. CIRAD and IRD have developed partnerships with research centers in the South. Seed or production companies (e.g. sugar, etc.) in the South need high quality executives.

This master's program has been designed to be followed in alternating years. A certain number of students will have the possibility to have a double master's degree: MEV (carried by the faculty of sciences) and management (carried by the IAE).

For more information on this course and its content, go to https://bioagro.edu.umontpellier.fr/biologie-des-plantes/management-de-lexperimentation-vegetale/