Final Report Summary - FACCE CSA (Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change)
Executive Summary:
FACCE CSA (Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change) was a 3-year Coordination and Support Action (CSA) started in April 2011 with the aim to prepare and support the successful development of the FACCE JPI (Joint Programming Initiative). It has developed a common Strategic Research Agenda which through its implementation will tackle the global challenges of food sufficiency within a context of growing population and climate change.
12 partners from 9 European Member/Associated States – out of the 21 currently involved in the FACCE JPI – have contributed to the FACCE CSA, sharing and developing necessary tools and structures intended to facilitate the coherent implementation of the joint programming process. To reach this goal, the FACCE CSA coordinated the alignment of the JPI activities at a high strategic level, to ensure relevance, rigor and robustness of the emerging agriculture, food security and climate change concepts, visions and roadmaps, notably through the development, delivery and continual updating of a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA).
Working in close collaboration with the FACCE-JPI Governing Board (GB), the FACCE CSA has now successfully achieved its planned supportive role through achieving the actions originally set out in the CSA proposal as well as many additional activities.
Among the many achievements are:
• The elaboration of a first SRA, outlining key priority areas to meet the challenges of agriculture, food security and climate change as well as a first Biennial Implementation Plan giving priority actions for 2014 & 2015 in the form of alignment, investment and exploration actions;
• Maps of national research programmes and capabilities in these priority areas; and, based on the analysis and deliberation of the compiled and analyzed data:
• Identification of complementarities, duplications and gaps in current and future research and identification of areas for coordination and cooperation;
• Creation of common context underpinning commitment for joint actions;
• Principles and procedures for implementation of joint actions (best practices), now and in the long-term, including best fitting funding model(s) of cross-border research;
• A Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the initiative as a whole, its joint actions and the projects of the actions;
• The constitution of a Stakeholder Advisory Board (StAB);
• Successful implementation of the pilot action, MACSUR
• Five additional ongoing actions: an international call on agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation research, a joint call with the ERA-NET BiodivERsA, a joint call on Food security and land use change, an ERA-NET Plus call on Climate Smart Agriculture, the preparation of an ERA-NET cofund on “sustainable and resilient agriculture for food and non-food systems” (subject to approval by the EC).
• Communication actions, notably but not exclusively coordination with other relevant initiatives at the national, transnational, European and international levels;
• The high level « Great Debate » at the 2012 ESOF meeting;
• Principles for closer cooperation with relevant international activities;
• An agreed long-term governance and management structure of the FACCE JPI.
Project Context and Objectives:
Joint programming is a member-state driven, voluntary process that seeks to make better and more efficient use of the 85% of research efforts nationally planned and organised to tackle societal problems in a few key areas in a more efficient and coherent way. Joint Programming specifically aims to increase the efficiency and impact of national public research funding throughout Europe through reinforced coordination of national research programmes, exchange of knowledge and know-how, and sharing of resources. Joint programming Initiatives (JPIs) seek to identify areas or research activities that would benefit from coordination or joint calls for proposals or pooling of resources or other novel means of integration, in order to reduce fragmentation and duplication, and cover research gaps. As one of the objectives of the European Research Area, JPIs aim to export and disseminate knowledge, innovation and interdisciplinary approaches to other parts of Europe and worldwide and to ensure the effective use of research outputs to enhance European competitiveness and policy making. Joint Programming is further seen as a long-term and an iterative process to meet the grand societal challenges.
The FACCE Coordination and Support Action was developed to prepare and support the successful development and launch of JPI Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (acronym: FACCE). The CSA was designed as a tool integrated within the JPI to allow it to address the challenges of sustainable agriculture and food security in the face of climate change. It thereby contributed to the overall EU objective of building the European Research Area through enhanced cooperation and coordination of national research programmes.
Concretely, the CSA aimed to actions contributing to the development of a Strategic Research Agenda and the means for its implementation as well as at the development of long-term governance and management structures of the FACCE JPI. To do so, the CSA developed tools and structures for the JPI.
The objective of the FACCE CSA was to allow the FACCE JPI to go beyond its current state of play and to develop the means for its long term continuation.
It aimed to:
• Define the research priorities in terms of research pillars as well as agendas based on
• Foresight and a common understanding of the challenges ahead
• Finely map the European research in the agreed prioritised areas
• Inventory the available resources in terms of expertise as well as financial, material, and intellectual assets
• Share knowledge, know-how as well as equipment and infrastructures
• Inventory possibilities for joint actions and their implementation
• Initiate joint actions through pilot actions
• Ensure dialogue with both European and international stakeholders
• Propose a long-term governance and management structure of the FACCE JPI
FACCE CSA achieved its original objectives and went well beyond what was originally planned. At this time, the SRA has been published as well as a first Biennial Implementation Plan, six joint actions are in different stages of development, a Monitoring and Evaluation framework has been established, the JPI has achieved broad visibility and permanent governance has been defined.
Project Results:
WP1 – Refining and updating the Strategic Research Agenda
Task T1.1: Refining the Scientific Research Agenda (ScRA)
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M2
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
The Secretariat, currently assured by INRA and BBSRC, established the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), organised all its meetings, prepared agendas, documents and reports, and has provided a communication link between the SAB and other FACCE-JPI bodies (Governing Board, Stakeholder Advisory Board, FACCE CSA).
The SAB includes 12 members who are elected by the Governing Board using the following criteria:
1) Outstanding academic record and international visibility and reputation.
2) Recent and active participation at international level, e.g. IPCC, ICSU panel.
3) Broad vision of the challenges facing agriculture, food security and climate change.
Current FACCE-JPI Scientific Advisory Board Members are :
• Anne-Marte Tronsmo (NO), Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway (since May 2014)
• Dirk Inzé (BE), Department Director, Plant Systems Biology, Ghent University, Belgium (since May 2014)
• Fabio Fava (IT), Professor of Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Italy (since June 2014)
• Frank Ewert (DE), Professor, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Germany (since May 2014)
• Harry Clark (NZ), Director, Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, New Zealand (since Sept 2012)
• Jean-François Soussana (FR), FACCE-JPI SAB Chair, Scientific Director (Environment), INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research) (since June 2010)
• Leslie Lipper (US), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy (since February 2013)
• Margaret Gill FRSE (UK), FACCE-JPI SAB Vice-Chair, University of Aberdeen, UK (since Sept 2012)
• Marketta Rinne (FI), Professor at MTT Agrifood Research, Jokioinen, Finland (since May 2014)
• Peter Gregory (UK), Chief Executive East Malling Research and Professor at the University of Reading, UK (since Sept 2012)
• Rattan Lal (US), Professor at The Ohio State University, US (since June 2013)
• Reinhart Ceulemans (BE), Professor at the University of Antwerp, Belgium (since June 2013)
The SAB produced a Scientific Research Agenda (ScRA), which was adopted by the FACCE-JPI Governing Board (GB) in February 2010. The ScRA presented the common scientific vision of the SAB, organised in five research Core Themes:
Core Theme 1: Sustainable food security under climate change, based on an integrated food systems perspective: modelling, benchmarking and policy research perspective.
Core Theme 2: Environmentally sustainable growth and intensification of agricultural systems under current and future climate and resource availability.
Core Theme 3: Assessing and reducing trade-offs between food production, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Core Theme 4: Adaptation to climate change throughout the whole food chain, including market repercussions
Core Theme 5: Greenhouse gas mitigation: N2O and CH4 mitigation in the agriculture and forestry sector, carbon sequestration, fossil fuel substitution and mitigating GHG emissions induced by indirect land use change.
The ScRA also included recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term actions that FACCE-JPI could take forward as joint actions. As a result, several actions have been launched, e.g. the Knowledge Hub MACSUR (www.macsur.eu).
Task T1.2: Translating the Scientific Research Agenda into the Strategic Research Agenda
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M8
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
The ScRA produced by the SAB has provided the basis to develop the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). The SRA was adopted by the FACCE-JPI Governing Board in October 2012 and is designed to set out clear policy-relevant research priorities for the short-,medium- and long-term on agriculture, food security and climate change in Europe, and to list the strategic actions involved in achieving these goals in aligning current national research programmes.
The SRA was developed by the Secretariat and is the result of a 2 year process involving all FACCE-JPI bodies (Governing Board, Scientific Advisory Board, Stakeholder Advisory Board and many inputs : Scientific Research agenda, WP2 mapping meetings, Stakeholder consultation, workshops with ERA-NETs, MACSUR pilot action etc.
The delivery of FACCE-JPI strategy is described in its Implementation Plan 2014-2015, launched in October 2013, which shows the planned joined activities for the next two years in three categories: Alignment, Investing and Exploring.
Task T1.3: Updating the SRA
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M34
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
To contribute to the continuous evolution of the SRA, the ScRA’s core themes have been discussed in depth at SAB meetings. The outcomes of these discussions will contribute to the update of the SRA, complemented by further input from the StAB. The discussions have also provided input and recommendations to mapping meetings. The SAB has also discussed the topic of innovative technologies in depth and have agreed on a list of technologies to be presented to GB for consideration which will feed into the SRA update.
Building on FACCE-JPI SRA, the SAB will complete the review of the five Core Themes and propose an update on scientific priorities by April 2015. The StAB will be included in the process. The updated SRA will take into account the last mapping results, SAB and StAB discussions, and results of exploratory workshops. The SAB will also call on external experts to support this work.
Deliverables
D1.1 Scientific Research Agenda M2
D1.2 Stakeholders input report M6
D1.3 SRA including ScRA M12
D1.4 First updating of the Strategic Research Agenda (including the Scientific Research Agenda) M32
Milestones
M1.1 First SRA draft M10
WP2 – Mapping and foresight for strategic collaboration
Tasks
2.1: Initial exploration of actors, programmes, challenges and ambitions by pillar (M1-24)
2.2: Strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M2-41)
2.3: Managing interactions and producing the reports (M13-36)
The FACCE CSA partners INIA, EZ and Wageningen UR collaborated closely on all tasks within the WP.
The work supported FACCE-JPI particularly in the prioritisation by the Governing Board of joint programming efforts based on scientific, strategic, political and financial aspects. It delivered identification of complementarities, duplications and gaps (in current and future research); identification of areas for coordination, cooperation and exchange of information, people, and practices (networking); identification of perspectives and possibilities for pooling research resources, concerning funding, people, and facilities; and creation of a common context and opportunities for networking. The work resulted in recommendations for joint programming activities.
Strategic mapping and foresight meetings, organised around the core themes of FACCE, were the heart of this work package. For each meeting all JPI member countries were asked to delegate a policy expert and a science expert. The meetings brought together funders, policy makers, scientists (including SAB members depending on the theme) and other stakeholders. The rationale behind uniting these different groups was to advance more rapidly by taking into account scientific, political and financial possibilities and constraints at one time.
After the five thematic mapping meetings, a concluding, Broad-Based, meeting was held. The objective of this final meeting was to provide a global vision of the five previous mapping meetings with the aim to obtain precise inputs for the elaboration of the FACCE JPI Implementation Plan and the updating of the Strategic Research Agenda (Dec 2013). Several discussion tables and a ‘sticker session’ (where the Implementation Matrix topics were prioritized) were performed during the BBCM, resulting in a list of amendments for the final Implementation Matrix with indications of national supports for the proposed topics and concrete remarks on cross cutting issues and cross-thematic aspects.
As the policy and funding data in the posters completed for each mapping meeting was heterogeneous and as systems are different in different countries, an addition study was performed to get a more comprehensive overall picture. To this aim policy and funding information from the five posters were summarized and an online survey was done among the JPI FACCE countries to fill the information gaps on research funding scenarios and details on core themes funding. The report has been submitted to the Governing Board.
For the purpose of mutual learning among JPIs, INIA, EZ, and Wageningen UR organised a dissemination meeting for which those in charge of mapping and foresight of all ten JPIs were invited. This experts group exchanged the experiences with various approaches of mapping and foresight.
Scheme of the WP2 workshops:
- MM1 20-21 June 2011, EZ, The Hague: Climate change mitigation (CT5)
- MM2 22-23 Feb 2012, INIA, Madrid: Climate change adaptation (CT4)
- MM3 11-12 July 2012, Dublin (in conjunction with ESOF 2012): Assessing and reducing trade-offs: food production, biodiversity & ecosystem services (CT3)
- MM4 17-187 Oct 2012, INIA, Madrid: Sustainable growth and intensification of agriculture (CT2)
- MM5 10-11 April 2013, BMELV, Berlin: Sustainable food security under climate change (CT1)
- BBCM 24 June 2013, Copenhagen: Broad-based Concluding Meeting: overarching and cross-cutting. Prioritization of topics for the biannual plan
- DW 4 February 2014, INIA, Madrid: Dissemination Workshop (for JPI actors involved in mapping and foresight)
Deliverables
D2.1 Report on the first two strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M8)
D2.2 Complete set of notes of all strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M32
D2.3 Final recommendations to GB on topics for lines of action in joint programming (M33)
D2.4 Report of Seminar on Mapping Meeting Tool for other JPIs (M37)
D2.5 Report of further desk study on policy and funding data in view of Implementation Plan (M41)
Milestones
MS2. Selection of the 1st 2 themes to be taken up for mapping meeting (M3)
MS3. Selection of the other themes for meetings (M10)
MS4. Strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M32)
WP3 – Design and delivery of implementation modalities
The primary objective of this WP was to implement joint activities in the frame of the FACCE JPI research agenda, and to promote and analyse ongoing activities, as well as secure synergies between the activities and the programme aims. This WP aimed at supporting FACCE-JPI and its Governing Board in the implementation of its research agenda, by preparing and implementing tools and processes. This is an essential and central component of the JPI’s operational management structure. WP3 was focused on delivering more efficient use of the Member States research efforts so as to increase the efficiency and impact of European public research funding and to reinforce coordination of national research programmes, exchange of knowledge and know-how, and the sharing of resources. This is an iterative process of shared leaning to meet these societal challenges identified in the FACCE JPI Strategic Research Agenda.
The most significant constraint to the implementation of transnational research programmes envisaged by the FACCE-JPI is the complexity and variety of operational terms and conditions associated with Member State/Associated State’s public research funding (see draft by the Joint Research Centre JRC-IPTS “Public national R&D investment, research programmes and transnational collaboration in Europe” prepared by Karel Haegeman and Richard Filcak in autumn 2009 and “Voluntary guidelines on framework conditions for joint research programming in research 2010”). It also includes political and legal obstacles. Therefore, a critical element to the success of the FACCE-JPI is developing the modalities and procedures to overcome these constraints.
In order to support FACCE-JPI in the implementation of its research agenda, by preparing and implementing tools and processes, the WP3 approach was based on five discrete but integrated tasks:
• Preparing a toolbox for the future implementation of joint activities
• Preparing of structures, procedures and methods for launching and implementation of joint activities
• Contributing to the promotion of joint activities and the FACCE-JPI brand
• Monitoring of joint activities
• Preparing of procedures for evaluation of the coherence of the FACCE-JPI progress
By the start of FACCE-CSA, the FACCE-JPI GB had agreed to implement an innovative activity, a FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub, aiming at fostering interaction and synergy between European modelers in the areas of crops, livestock and trade, allowing long lasting and large base research and tools and methods for capitalising results, providing European critical mass in the international context and JPI branding, and establishing and reinforcing links between national programmes and supercomputing facilities. This initial action had to address the modelisation of impacts of climate change and the reduction in uncertainties in climate change scenarios.
This pilot action of FACCE-JPI was of tremendous importance, as it should prove the operative capacity of FACCE-JPI. The preparation of the Knowledge Hub included:
- Preparation of the Call Announcement, in cooperation with the FACCE-JPI members joining the action. The Call Announcement included among others national annexes, providing essential information for potential applicants from each country;
- Preparation of a tailor-made submission tool, as the innovative character of the action required specificities which are not available in available tools;
- Preparation of Guidelines for applicants;
- Launch of the call at M4, and first establishment of a “FACCE-JPI Call Office”, central contact point for applicants. Again, due to the specificity of the action, many questions arose both from funders’ as from applicants’ side. In this regard, the support of the Call Office was an essential aspect for the success of the action;
- Collection of “Letters of Intent” until M6. These applications were then forwarded to the respective representatives, for their formal eligibility check and selection of research groups allowed to participate in the final Knowledge Hub;
- Organisation of a Networking Meeting in Berlin at M7. Selected research groups were invited to join this meeting in order to “trigger” the building up of the network(s), start identifying the future coordinators of the Knowledge Hub and its different parts and then the submission of the final Knowledge Hub Full Proposal.
- Preparing and coordinating the peer-review of the final Full Proposal called “MACSUR” submitted at M9. A high level evaluation committee was established and reviewed the proposal. The final funding recommendation was prepared in cooperation with the funders.
- Feedback on the evaluation to the MACSUR coordinators, including face-to-face meeting with the Chair of the Evaluation Committee, to improve the content of the project and express the recommendations prepared by the Evaluation Committee, including conditions to the funding recommendation.
- Final positive funding recommendation confirmed by the Chair of the Evaluation Committee after reviewing the proposal updated according to the recommendations from the Evaluation Committee.
MACSUR started at M14. It was promoted on FACCE-JPI webpage, including the publication of the fact sheet on the FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub. Meanwhile, MACSUR has made huge progress towards its objectives and is presently preparing the second phase of the network.
In parallel, FACCE-JPI was already preparing the next action in cooperation with the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research (GRA), a Multi-Partner Call on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research, aiming at creating greater impetus and international added value, approaching more researchers and allowing for interdisciplinary R&D projects, coordinated in a common programme, in the field of mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas research. As most initiatives on agriculture and climate change nexus have been taken at national level to date, this joint multilateral approach can maximise the effectiveness of national efforts, develop the much needed expertise on mitigation for agricultural systems and spread the knowledge and the technologies.
The call was launched at M19. Prior to this launch, call documents were prepared in agreement with the involved funders (FACCE-JPI members and international partners, USA, Canada and New Zealand) and a submission tool was prepared. In addition, the implementation of this call consisted in:
- Releasing the call at M19, by publishing the relevant documents, supporting applicants on the phone and by email;
- Collecting Pre-proposals until M21; these proposals were checked for eligibility by the committee of the funders of this call until M22 and the outcomes were communicated to the applicants at M23, while launching the second step of application
- Collecting Full Proposals until M27; the proposals were again checked for eligibility and then provided to a peer-review panel for an in-depth evaluation. The evaluation committee met at M28 and the outcomes forwarded to the committee of the funders who could express their funding recommendation at M29. Projects could start from M30.
The outcomes of this call were published on FACCE-JPI webpage together with fact sheets on each of the 11 projects recommended for funding.
While progressing towards the implementation of its Strategic Research Agenda, FACCE-JPI generates more and more opportunities for joint activities of the members. Keeping in mind the need for long-term sustainability, cost-efficiency, required in a JPI, WP3 developed a Toolbox of potential funding instruments that might be used by FACCE-JPI to implement these opportunities.
This document aims to explore different options, processes and methodologies for the implementation of joint actions of FACCE-JPI. The voluntary guidelines on framework condition for joint programming in research 2010 as well as experiences from existing initiatives, such as ERA-NETs, Article 185, and instruments of FP7 and those planned for Horizon 2020 have been considered to provide synergy and complementarities with FACCE-JPI for maximum work and cost efficiency. This has been complemented by desk studies and further discussions in the process of implementation of FACCE-JPI. This toolbox, depicting potential funding instruments and their main modalities, was presented and made available to FACCE-JPI. Based on the Strategic Research Agenda, FACCE-JPI will be then able to decide faster, depending on the identified priorities, on which funding instrument should be implemented, and tailor-made to run its joint activities. To this aim, tools were listed in this document and featured by some indicators. The toolbox is a non-exhaustive list of tools made available to FACCE-JPI, as a supporting document, which should be revised as new approaches are identified.
Within the scope of FACCE-JPI, different categories of research topics might be identified and subjected to a common approach by FACCE-JPI member countries. The described funding instruments were linked to one/some of these 3 categories which are:
1- Mature research: Areas where there are many activities already funded in each country: therefore these are current priority areas where networking and alignment of national projects and programmes can be readily achieved through knowledge hubs and other means and areas in which only a smaller number of countries have active national research projects: therefore these are priority areas for focused alignment, or the need for capacity building in some countries.
2- Emerging subjects: Emerging areas, which will require new approaches such as ideas laboratories/sand pits or creative workshops.
3- Need for common European efforts and developing research: Priority areas where there is a need for increased European efforts. These are priority areas to stimulate new research projects and programmes.
The toolbox comprises a large palette of instruments, from the classical transnational call, to the FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub, including also the Centres of Excellence, “Sand pits”… It was finalised at M30.
To monitor FACCE-JPI joint activities and evaluate the FACCE-JPI process, the Governing Board adopted a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework document at M36. This paper is the result of an analysis of the best suited procedures and tools for monitoring and evaluation of the joint activities launched by FACCE-JPI. Different approaches to the processes of monitoring and evaluating of JPIs and similar public programmes have been explored as a first step, however none of the evaluations mentioned before have been conducted until now, which was a chance for FACCE-JPI to take a leading role in the development of evaluation guidelines for JPIs. Monitoring is regarded as the iterative process of checking the progress of FACCE-JPIs joint actions and the respective projects by continuously collecting information to analyse the potential to make improvements and increase efficiency. Furthermore, the collected data provides an integral source of information for the evaluation process. Monitoring needs to be specifically tailored to the respective joint action or project. In addition to a set of key questions aiming at the three FACCE-JPI targets, specific aspects of each project have to be taken into account, thus making it necessary to further elaborate the monitoring according to the characteristics of the respective joint action. This has been done for the pilot action, MACSUR, and been integrated as a case study in this paper. The FACCE-JPI evaluation will focus on the organisation, process and outcomes, which requires a continuous effort and forms the organisational basis of the JPI. The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is published on FACCE-JPI webpage.
The work carried out under WP3 was an essential support to FACCE-JPI, also improving its visibility with regards to the research community and enhancing its potential impact and the response to actions in the future. It is now important to keep the impetus and to develop further more sustainable tools, procedures, documents in the perspective of the long-term perpetuation of FACCE-JPI and of its actions.
WP4 - Communication and Outreach
Task T4.1: Design and implementation of the communication/outreach policy
In this task, the communication/outreach strategy of FACCE-JPI was elaborated by WP4 and WP5. This paper is available on the FACCE-JPI website (http://www.faccejpi.com/Press-Events/FACCE-JPI-Communication-Coordination-and-Outreach-Strategy).
A list of European and international stakeholders was drawn up for distribution of FACCE newsletters and other information. The current list has some 1000 names of JPI stakeholders – for example, researchers, farmers, policy makers, industry and consumers and includes other European initiatives such as the KIC Climate and the KIC Food, relevant ERA-NETs and other JPIs.
Task T4.2: Design, development, and maintenance of the Internet-based tools
WP4 has ensured the set up and continual updating of the FACCE-JPI external website (www.faccejpi.com). This external website is used for external dissemination and communication activities, to provide general information on the objectives and activities of the initiative and to store freely available dissemination material, for example flyers, public reports, presentations, and other deliverables. It is used to announce JPI actions and meetings and has reserved pages for governing board (GB), scientific advisory board (SAB) and stakeholder advisory board (StAB) members.
An internal collaborative platform was established for CSA members to exchange internal information on FACCE-JPI.
FACCE-JPI also has a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Facce-Jpi/154197754682051) a LinkedIn group page (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=4556524&trk=anet_ug_hm) and a Twitter page (https://twitter.com/FACCEJPI)
Task T4.3: Design, edition, and production of paper documents
To raise public awareness of the FACCE-JPI within Europe but also at an international level, paper documents (that may be downloaded as well from the website) have been prepared.
These include the JPI logo and graphics standards, the brochure and the newsletter as well as the Strategic Research Agenda and the Implementation Plan. These documents have been widely distributed at different meetings and events throughout Europe by all JPI actors and contribute to raising FACCE-JPI visibility.
The FACCE-JPI Secretariat has also been solicited to give interviews in view of articles on the JPI. Examples include the EPSO newsletter, the first ERA-LEARN newsletter, and an interview with FACCE-JPI Chair, Marion Guillou, in “International Innovation”
Task T4.4: Participation in events
To promote and communicate the diffusion of the FACCE-JPI progress, a list of relevant meetings and conferences has been compiled (WP2, WP5, Secretariat). To the extent possible, FACCE-JPI is represented at all relevant meetings (either by members of the GB, SAB or Secretariat and now as well by the StAB).
The Secretariat is also frequently solicited to present the JPI at different meetings. To the extent possible, a member of the Secretariat (or the GB or SAB as appropriate) participates in these meetings. Table A2 gives an overview of the representation of the JPI at various meetings. The Secretariat also prepares presentations for members of the GB who need to present the JPI.
Participation in large events related to the themes of the FACCE-JPI is carried out when possible and includes. FACCE-JPI participation in the ESOF2012 conference in Dublin (see WP5). FACCE itself organised an important event to celebrate its three year anniversary. This was held on October 22, 2013 in Paris and included a large and diverse audience of European and Member State representatives as well as scientists and FACCE actors.
Major events in the history of the JPI have been the subjects of press releases: a press release from the European Commission marked the first SAB meeting (June, 2010), the approval of the pilot action Knowledge Hub, FACCE MACSUR (April, 2011) and the Great Debate (July, 2012) and the three year anniversary event in Paris (October 2013).
Task T4.5: Organisation of workshops
In order to target initiatives directly related to the activities of FACCE-JPI, a first workshop was organised in October, 2011 with ERA-NETs of thematic complementarity to the JPI. Sixteen ERA-NETs were invited and 14 attended. The European Commission was represented by François Constantin and Zsuzsana König. This meeting allowed for a first contact and a mapping of thematic overlaps between ERA-NETs and FACCE-JPI. Because of the importance of working with ERA-NETs, it was decided to have annual workshops. A second workshop took place in Paris in April, 2013, in close association with a meeting of the project PLATFORM, which is a forum for mutual learning and strategic discussion between KBBE-related ERA-NETs.
As one of the objectives of this task was to allow stakeholder consultation into the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), a different approach was taken to receive stakeholder input into the SRA – an online consultation was carried out. A summary of the responses was prepared as input to the SRA and is available on the website (http://www.faccejpi.com/Document-library/FACCE-JPI-Public-Stakeholder-Consultation-Report). Moreover, as part of the evolution of the FACCE-JPI, it was decided by the GB in the permanent governance to have a Stakeholder Advisory Board. This board consists of representatives of 22 European and international organisations, representing civil society, NGOs, industry, and scientific organisations. Their first meeting was held in September, 2012 and allowed them the opportunity to give feedback on the SRA. Subsequently they have had 2 meetings per year plus an ad hoc meeting in 2013 to give feedback to the SRA.
Finally, in order to allow a maximum of feedback on the SRA, a number of additional activities were organised (stakeholder consultation, establishment of Stakeholder Advisory Board). It was also necessary to have time to get feedback from mapping meetings (WP2), the ERA-NET workshop (this WP) and detailed discussions of core themes in SAB meetings (WP1). The SRA publication was thus later than originally planned, but it was adopted (October 25, 2012 GB meeting).
WP5 – Coordination with international initiatives
WP 5 had two tasks, with three deliverables:
Task 5.1 (end date: Month 4): International coordination strategy development
Deliverables:
D5.1: International Coordination Strategy Report (M4)
D5.2: Report on contacts with international initiatives and list of invitees to GB and SAB meetings (M4)
Both deliverables have been completed:
- WP4 and 5 prepared a joint “FACCE JPI Communication, Coordination and Outreach Strategy”, available on the web site.
- WP5 compiled an inventory of international initiatives (research and funding) relating to agriculture, food security and climate change. This inventory has been posted on the JPI website. WP5 contacted all initiatives listed with an invitation to review their listing and provide feedback.
Task 5.2 (end date: M36): Managing international coordination activities
Deliverables:
D5.3: International JPI conference in Dublin (M24):
This deliverables has been completed successfully. WP5 (with support from WP4) organised “The Great Debate on the battle to feed a changing planet” as one of the centre pieces of the Euro Science Open Forum 2012 (ESOF 2012) in Dublin, Europe’s largest public science event.
In 2011, WP5 successfully applied for a slot at ESOF 2012 in the Great Auditorium of the Convention Centre Dublin, on ESOF’s central Policy Day. The JPI organised two events at ESOF 2012:
1) The Great Debate on the battle to feed a changing planet: this was a highly interactive public debate on the (provocatively branded) subject of “Will we starve or will we burn?”. Keynote debaters included:
a. Prof Pachauri (Chairperson, IPCC)
b. Prof Fresco (University of Amsterdam)
c. Prof Ronald (UC-Davies)
d. Prof Frewer (Newcastle University)
e. Dr Guillou (Presidente, INRA, Chairperson of JPI Governing Board)
The debate was highly interactive, with:
- instant electronic audience voting on the most pertinent questions raised during the debate
- pre-recorded videos of the views of children and an African smallholder farmer
- the debate was broadcast live on the internet
- live Twitter feed from the (global) audience to the panel (>120 tweets received)
The debate was attended by c. 500 people in the audience + 3,700 people watching live online from various continents. Since the debate, over 10,000 people worldwide have watched the recorded video of the Great Debate online: www.esof2012.org/livestream/
The Great Debate gave exposure of the FACCE-JPI to a very wide audience, including policy makers, media, the general public and scientific peers.
2) On the same day and at the same venue, WP5 (with support from WP4) organised an initial joint workshop of international initiatives on agriculture, food security and climate change. This was attend by officials from:
a. FACCE-JPI
b. Global Research Alliance
c. CGIAR’s Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) Programme
d. Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
e. The Wheat Initiatives
This workshop formally established organisational linkages between the initiatives and identified potential areas of future collaboration and alignment.
Additional activities provided by WP5
A successful 2-day workshop was held in Bonn, at the fringes of the UNFCCC SUBSTA meeting. Outcomes:
- memorandum of understanding drafted (attached)
- press release published (attached)
- workshop outcomes communicated at UNFCCC side-event
- agreement for alternate hosting of annual meeting – CCAFS / JPI Secretariat / CFS volunteered to organise 2014 meeting.
WP6 – FACCE consolidation and perpetuation
Task T6.1: Preparation and follow-up of strategic documents
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M36
Task leader: BBSRC
Task participant: INRA
INRA and BBSRC partners have worked together in the planning and organisation of all meetings of the GB, SAB and StAB, as well as preparing and editing content of strategic documents for FACCE-JPI bodies. The task also includes revision of the Terms of Reference of JPI bodies, to ensure these are aligned to the continued evolution of FACCE-JPI work.
For each meeting, work has included:
1. Pre-meeting tasks
- Logistics: reservation of meeting rooms, catering, preparation of badges and name plates, internet access, reservation of travel and hotel for SAB members and external experts and non-GB participants to the meetings, etc and liaison with meeting hosts;
- Meetings with Chairs and Vice-chairs;
- Communication with participants: sending out invitations, inviting experts, requesting and collating presentations and incoming documents and papers, etc;
- Preparing and editing content of strategic documents
- Preparation of agenda, briefs and presentations for chair and vice-chairs as appropriate;
2. Meeting tasks
- Supporting chair and vice-chairs in running of the meeting and in formulating conclusions;
- Overseeing logistics and smooth running of the meeting;
- Writing meeting minutes and drawing up conclusions.
3. Post-meeting tasks
- Circulating meeting minutes/conclusions, requesting comments and collating all inputs, circulating final minutes;
- Handling travel expenses of invited experts, SAB members and other non-GB participants to these meetings;
- Taking forward actions arising from the meetings i.e. generating documents, communicating with members, compiling information, establishing a new meeting, sending out to/getting feedback from third parties, frequently in an iterative cycle until action is completed;
- Drafting of documents and running consultation with FACCE bodies as a result of and/or in preparation of meetings.
Task T6.2: FACCE-JPI permanent governance
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M24
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
As in Task 6.1 INRA and BBSRC have worked together in formulating and establishing the JPI long-term governance, which was agreed upon in February 2012 and describes the rights and duties of the FACCE-JPI members and bodies, composition, role and voting rules for decision making, and advisory inputs.
As described in Task 6.1 this was achieved through preparation of meeting and papers, and consultation with different bodies at meetings or via email.
Task T6.3 : FACCE-JPI permanent management
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M12
INRA and BBSRC have worked together in establishing and running FACCE-JPI Secretariat. The terms of reference of the Secretariat was adopted as part of the permanent governance, and describe the role, the composition and the appointment of the Secretariat as of other supporting teams. The Secretariat has been operating since 2010, with all core activities being led by INRA and BBSRC. The team has developed a high-level and very effective working method, with a flexible distribution of activities, and a common understanding of priorities, which has led to a rapid advancement of FACCE-JPI development. The work of the Secretariat has been complemented by a number of activities, performed in collaboration with partners funded through the first FACCE-CSA from April 2011 until September 2014.
Task T6.4: FACCE-JPI permanent resources
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M12
Task leader: BBSRC
Task participant: INRA
In order to fulfill its objectives, FACCE – JPI requires an operational budget managed by the Secretariat. This budget is composed of entry fees and external incomes, e.g. European Commission FACCE Coordination and Support Action (CSA). Entry fees are provided by Member States/ Associated Countries wishing to join FACCE – JPI, which must pay a 5000€ non-refundable entry fee, held by the Secretariat and used primarily for SAB and GB meetings. A second call for fees was made to the GB in October 2013 to cover secretarial expenses during 2014 following the end of the CSA. No Secretariat salary costs are paid with this budget. The Secretariat provides the GB with an annual financial report and forecast for the operational budget.
BBSRC and INRA have worked together in developing the budget reports, and forecasting future spend, which have helped in the preparation for FACCE-JPI second phase, to be supported in part by CSA2 (subject to successful review), membership fees and a long-term financial plan.
FACCE-JPI has also been supported by substantial in-kind contributions made primarily by BBSRC and INRA, and additionally by partners in the CSA.
Milestones
M6.1 Draft agreement on the permanent governance (M12)
M6.2 Draft agreement on the permanent management structure (M12)
M6.3 Draft agreement on the financial plan (M24)
Potential Impact:
WP1 – Refining and updating the Strategic Research Agenda
FACCE-JPI Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), launched in 2012, describes the scope of this JPI, its five core research themes, and recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term actions. This document presents a unified FACCE-JPI vision amongst 21 Member States for an Integrated European Research Area (ERA) addressing the challenges of Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change to achieve sustainable growth in agricultural production to meet increasing world food demand and contributing to sustainable economic growth and a European bio-based economy while maintaining and restoring ecosystem services under current and future climate change.
FACCE-JPI’s primary impact is on how it is contributing to build the ERA, using the five Core Themes and priorities set in the SRA as the scientific framework to achieve this. Going a step further than the European Research Area Networks (ERA-NETs) and joint calls for projects, JPI instruments enable the generation, on a collective basis, of new forms of knowledge that build on existing research. FACCE instruments – such as the Knowledge Hub, the Knowledge Networks or the Thematic Annual Programming – are innovative and aim to catalyse alignment of national priorities and respond to the needs of the specific scientific communities involved. National research systems are used effectively in the current five different FACCE-JPI joint actions, enhancing transnational cooperation and competitiveness within Europe and internationally.
All five FACCE-JPI joint actions, originating from the FACCE-JPI SRA, facilitate the exchange and mobility of researchers, postdoctoral scientists and students in the European open labour market. All FACCE-JPI Boards strive to foster, achieve and maintain gender balance, e.g. female representation is monitored closely – former Chair and current Vice-chairs of the Governing Board ; Chair of Stakeholder Advisory Board ; Vice-chair of Scientific Advisory Board represent female workforce.
FACCE-JPI SRA has been disseminated actively via FACCE-JPI website and via different communication methods to all its stakeholders within Europe and worldwide.
WP2 – Mapping and foresight for strategic collaboration
Key impact
By an inclusive and integrative approach a wealth of data is gathered and processed towards a common context and perspectives for joint actions. These outcomes are of great importance for the strategic agenda of FACCE JPI and emerging alignment activities.
What characterizes the outcomes is that they are the result of an interactive and inclusive process around a core theme; GB member have been responsible for delegating experts from policy and science from their country and for the (quality of the) mapping of national programmes, policies, and projects. The workshops give a common context. A consensus approach is followed towards conclusions and recommendations.
Dissemination of the outcomes of the mapping and foresight exercises
The direct deliverables from WP 2 were the Provisional Summaries of conclusions and Recommendations, distributed within a week after the meeting, and the Full reports which provide points discussed in break-out sessions and a note about the plenary discussion. Posters prepared by country delegates and GB members, with information on current and future programmes and research funders, and lists of recent and running projects, as well as additional information provided by some countries, and all presentations are also available. These can be consulted for reference or used for further analysis.
Summaries of conclusions and recommendations and the full reports have been sent to the participants of the meetings, the GB, the SAB, the StAB, and the members of the CSA consortium. The reports were public documents, published on the FACCE website. In addition all meeting documents (briefing, presentations, posters) are available for the partners.
Mapping meetings dissemination Workshop
With the aim to exchange best practices and share FACCE’s fruitful experience with the “mapping meetings” approach, a special event was organised: the Mapping Meetings Dissemination Workshop. This event brought together twenty five participants with representatives from eight JPIs. The meeting was organised by the FACCE CSA WP2 (WUR, EZ and INIA) in collaboration with JPIs To Co-Work and took place at the INIA premises in Madrid. The core of the event was a “sharing practices session” where JPIs participants held several presentations about the mapping and foresight procedures they are currently carrying out, followed by group discussion. The meeting conclusions and a compilation of information from an online survey among JPIs have been written down in a report. The event inspired the JPIs on why and how to do mapping and foresight. The mapping meetings were considered by the other JPIs as a very good practice and approach that may also be suitable in their initiatives.
Key messages
• Mapping and foresight activities are a cornerstone for the elaboration of SRAs, implementation plans and identification of joint calls. However it must be kept in mind that mapping is not a goal in itself, but an instrument to identify actions to be undertaken.
• Regarding methodology, FACCE’s Mapping Meetings are considered as a unique exercise with an innovative approach, which was considered a very useful instrument suitable to be applied also in other JPIs. In addition a number of other methodologies, to get some added value by going beyond classical surveys, are recognized: i) questionnaires, followed by an interview, for precise topics; ii) literature studies commissioned to groups of experts; iii) to combine mapping meetings with quantitative research studies and iv) mapping at national level.
• About the participants in a mapping exercise, there is a consensus on the implication of scientific, policy and funding experts. The participation of industry/private stakeholders and pre-selected panels of experts was also considered advisable.
• Regarding when to map, the beginning of a JPI procedure seems to be the most suitable moment, to set a rationale for decisions. However since data gets outdated quite fast, mapping should be considered as a continuous process to be renewed frequently or on need basis (to update the SRA and/or implementation).
• Challenges for mapping activities developed by JPIs are: to find efficient and effective mechanisms to gather information; to go beyond the European level to a global perspective; to elaborate common, or at least inter-comparable, frameworks for mapping at national level; and to improve and reinforce the procedures to go from mapping to new actions in the framework of the Strategic Research Agendas.
• Meetings with a similar approach as developed for mapping can be used in evaluation and monitoring of JPIs and their actions, along with other instruments, as it is a complex exercise that requires a new methodology.
WP3 – Design and delivery of implementation modalities
Several aspects under WP3 may generate a positive impact, mainly (but not only) related to FACCE-JPI, on the progress of research in its widest sense in the fields of sustainable agriculture, food security and impacts of climate change.
The newly innovative developed instrument of the FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub is a new way of aligning research in Europe. It already showed substantial improvements in the specific field of MACSUR but is also meanwhile an example that has been followed by other initiatives, among others the JPI HDHL, who is developing the same instrument for its own use. WP3 participated in this regard at a meeting of the JPI HDHL in Berlin in October 2012 to present the instrument and contributed to the decision of this JPI to implement “its own” Knowledge Hub.
The research projects funded under the Multi-Partner Call on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research are promoted via FACCE-JPI webpage and further networking between these projects, and also with the research community, is expected/eased.
The toolbox is expected to accelerate the implementation of joint actions in FACCE-JPI.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, published on FACCE-JPI webpage, as one of the first documents of this kind for a JPI, will/could be used by other initiatives, among others JPIs.
In a more general way, the work conducted under WP3 paves the way for the further implementation and monitoring of joint activities by FACCE-JPI, keeping in mind the need for sound but efficient procedures. In particular, it will ease the work under FACCE-Evolve, a new CSA recently submitted in order to support FACCE-JPI.
WP5 – Coordination with international initiatives
WP5 was exclusively focused on dissemination, communication and impact.
WP5 participants organised the Great Debate on the battle to feed a changing planet: this was a highly interactive public debate on the (provocatively branded) subject of “Will we starve or will we burn?”.
The debate was attended by c. 500 people in the audience + 3,700 people watching live online from various continents. Since the debate, over 10,000 people worldwide have watched the recorded video of the Great Debate online: www.esof2012.org/livestream/
The Great Debate gave exposure of the FACCE-JPI to a very wide audience, including policy makers, media, the general public and scientific peers.
WP5 (with support from WP4) participants also organised two workshops of international initiatives on agriculture, food security and climate change attended by officials from FACCE-JPI, the Global Research Alliance, CGIAR’s Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) Programme, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and the Wheat Initiatives.
These workshops formally established organisational linkages between the initiatives and identified potential areas of future collaboration and alignment.
WP6 – FACCE consolidation and perpetuation
Since its inception, and with the support of FACCE CSA, FACCE-JPI has made substantial progress in its goal of bringing together European countries to identify, prioritise and deliver research. The permanent governance was established in February 2012, consisting of a decision-making body, the Governing Board (GB) and two advisory boards: a high-level Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and a Stakeholder Advisory Board (StAB), both elected by the GB, as well as an executive body, the Secretariat (up until now staffed by INRA and BBSRC).
FACCE-JPI’s permanent governance outlines the roles, membership and function of its bodies, and aims at providing a long-lasting framework for scientific and strategic advice and decision-making. The permanent governance primary impact is on ensuring the durability of the FACCE-JPI and to maintain flexibility and the possibility to adapt to changes in the speed of the joint programming process.
The Secretariat has been operating since 2010, with all core activities being led by INRA and BBSRC. The team’s high-level and very effective working method, with a flexible distribution of activities, and a common understanding of priorities, has led to a rapid advancement of FACCE-JPI development.
During its first years of existence, FACCE-JPI has operated with the financial support of the European Commission in the form of a first CSA as well as through membership fees from member states. The Secretariat members have worked together in developing the budget reports, and forecasting future spend, which have helped in the preparation of FACCE-JPI second phase to be supported in party by CSA2 (subject to successful review), membership fees and long-term financial plan.
FACCE-JPI permanent governance has been published in the FACCE-JPI website and disseminated to its bodies via email correspondences.
WP4 – Communication and Outreach, WP5 Coordination with international initiatives
During the project, a large number of communication actions have been carried out. The FACCE-JPI website serves as the main source of information on FACCE and its activities. Press releases have been prepared for major events in FACCE such as the launch of new calls. A large third anniversary event was organised in October 2013. FACCE has produced a number of newsletters and the current mailing list is over 1000 recipients. FACCE- JPI has also been widely presented in the scientific community but also to policy makers and other European and international initiatives.
The work with stakeholders included the elaboration of a consultation on the Strategic Research Agenda which had over 150 responses, the formation of a Stakeholder Advisory Board and the organisation of 2 workshops with ERA-NETs, who are a particular type of stakeholder in FACCE.
Internally, a collaborative platform was put in place which was used to share information and documents among FACCE CSA partners. Internal communication to the SAB, StAB and GB was through a reserved space on the FACCE-JPI website.
Through the implementation of its communication and outreach strategy, FACCE-JPI has gained significant visibility over the period of the CSA. WP4 and WP5 have worked together to raise the visibility of FACCE at the European and international level. This approach has been successful based on the following indicators:
• Number of web site visits (see below)
• Number of responses to calls
• Number of people asking to join mailing list
Besides the website and newsletters, FACCE actors (GB members, SAB and StAB members) have served as ambassadors of the JPI, presenting it both nationally and in European and international fora.
At the national level, several countries have organised national information days (e.g. Denmark, Norway) and GB members are tasked with diffusing JPI information (for example on calls) widely in their countries. This has been done in the form of national language press releases for new calls or other important information. At the EU level, FACCE has been presented widely in scientific networks (to various ERA-NETs, through MACSUR…), in European organisations (ETPs, SCAR, EC…) and at European scientific conferences. At the international level, FACCE has organised 2 workshops with international initiatives, has taken part in ESOF 2012, organising the “Great Debate” and through representation in international scientific conferences.
The Secretariat has been invited extensively to present FACCE in different meetings (ERA-NETs, ETPs, meetings of SCAR, EC, GPC, etc.) and is available to provide presentations to JPI actors when requested.
An important event was organised for the third anniversary of FACCE. This event, held October 22, 2013 in Paris, brought together around 100 people including high level policy makers and FACCE-JPI actors to give an overview of FACCE’s achievement This event highlighted the role of FACCE-JPI and other Joint Programming Initiatives in achieving the European Research Area and on the role of science and stakeholders in addressing current and future challenges in agriculture, food security and climate change. An expert roundtable focused on the achievements and ambitions of FACCE-JPI, describing on-going joint actions and launching the first biennial Implementation Plan. Live streaming of the event meant that it was widely viewed throughout Europe.
In terms of publications, FACCE has delivered its Strategic Research Agenda and first Biennial Implementation Plan as well as both a 4 page and a 2 page brochure. A scientific publication from the Scientific Advisory Board presenting the FACCE SRA has also been published (Soussana et al., A European science plan to sustainably increase food security under climate change. Global Change Biology, 18 (11): 3269–3271, 2012).
During the period of the CSA, FACCE-JPI has also significantly improved its communication and exchange with stakeholders. After an initial consultation with stakeholders for the elaboration of the Strategic Research Agenda, a Stakeholder Advisory Board was established, that met for the first time in September 2012. This board represents 22 different European and international organisations and initiatives and has met at least twice a year since its inception. The StAB is regularly consulted in FACCE processes, i.e. update of the SRA, elaboration of a new Implementation Plan, writing of scientific scope of new calls….
In terms of international outreach, besides the workshops organised, FACCE’s efforts have been rewarded in the creation of 2 international calls: one in association with the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research (GRA) and the other with the Belmont Forum. Continuing exchange with international initiatives and partners is occurring and participation of non-JPI countries in upcoming calls is expected.
FACCE-JPI’s ongoing work with the European Commission has led to a fruitful collaboration, resulting in a first ERA-NET Plus call under FP7 and 2 ERA-NET cofund calls under H2020 in addition to the 2 CSA calls open to FACCE.
List of Websites:
The FACCE-JPI website may be found at www.faccejpi.com. The site was initiated in 2010. This website is used for external dissemination and communication activities, to provide general information on the objectives and activities of the initiative and to store freely available dissemination material, for example flyers, public reports, presentations, and other deliverables. It is used to announce JPI actions and meetings and has reserved pages for governing board (GB), scientific advisory board (SAB) and stakeholder advisory board (StAB) members. A first section of the website gives the current news, a calendar with links to upcoming events, a description of the FACCE scope and links to related initiatives. In the page “About us”, descriptions of the different FACCE bodies (GB, SAB, StAB Secretariat), their composition and their Terms of reference can be found. One page is dedicated to the Strategic Research Agenda and the first Biennial Implementation Plan. These documents can be downloaded from the site here. Another page describes the ongoing FACCE activities with a separate page for each action. A page on press and events gives an update on related events, scientific publications, etc. The publicly available pages are completed by a document library from which important documents can be downloaded. An additional part of the site is reserved for access by JPI actors: there is a page each for the GB, the SAB and StAB.
Project participants have provided material for the website (for example mapping meeting reports, toolbox…) and were welcomed to provide articles.
Tracking of site visits indicate a large world-wide interest and a significant number of visits, particularly at the time of call announcements. As an example on November 13, 2014, there were 578 pages views by 268 visitors. The majority of visits come from Europe but all continents are represented in the visits. All indicators show that the web site is an efficient means of communicating.
For further information on the website, the contact person is Heather McKhann (heather.mckhann@paris.inra.fr).
FACCE CSA (Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change) was a 3-year Coordination and Support Action (CSA) started in April 2011 with the aim to prepare and support the successful development of the FACCE JPI (Joint Programming Initiative). It has developed a common Strategic Research Agenda which through its implementation will tackle the global challenges of food sufficiency within a context of growing population and climate change.
12 partners from 9 European Member/Associated States – out of the 21 currently involved in the FACCE JPI – have contributed to the FACCE CSA, sharing and developing necessary tools and structures intended to facilitate the coherent implementation of the joint programming process. To reach this goal, the FACCE CSA coordinated the alignment of the JPI activities at a high strategic level, to ensure relevance, rigor and robustness of the emerging agriculture, food security and climate change concepts, visions and roadmaps, notably through the development, delivery and continual updating of a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA).
Working in close collaboration with the FACCE-JPI Governing Board (GB), the FACCE CSA has now successfully achieved its planned supportive role through achieving the actions originally set out in the CSA proposal as well as many additional activities.
Among the many achievements are:
• The elaboration of a first SRA, outlining key priority areas to meet the challenges of agriculture, food security and climate change as well as a first Biennial Implementation Plan giving priority actions for 2014 & 2015 in the form of alignment, investment and exploration actions;
• Maps of national research programmes and capabilities in these priority areas; and, based on the analysis and deliberation of the compiled and analyzed data:
• Identification of complementarities, duplications and gaps in current and future research and identification of areas for coordination and cooperation;
• Creation of common context underpinning commitment for joint actions;
• Principles and procedures for implementation of joint actions (best practices), now and in the long-term, including best fitting funding model(s) of cross-border research;
• A Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the initiative as a whole, its joint actions and the projects of the actions;
• The constitution of a Stakeholder Advisory Board (StAB);
• Successful implementation of the pilot action, MACSUR
• Five additional ongoing actions: an international call on agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation research, a joint call with the ERA-NET BiodivERsA, a joint call on Food security and land use change, an ERA-NET Plus call on Climate Smart Agriculture, the preparation of an ERA-NET cofund on “sustainable and resilient agriculture for food and non-food systems” (subject to approval by the EC).
• Communication actions, notably but not exclusively coordination with other relevant initiatives at the national, transnational, European and international levels;
• The high level « Great Debate » at the 2012 ESOF meeting;
• Principles for closer cooperation with relevant international activities;
• An agreed long-term governance and management structure of the FACCE JPI.
Project Context and Objectives:
Joint programming is a member-state driven, voluntary process that seeks to make better and more efficient use of the 85% of research efforts nationally planned and organised to tackle societal problems in a few key areas in a more efficient and coherent way. Joint Programming specifically aims to increase the efficiency and impact of national public research funding throughout Europe through reinforced coordination of national research programmes, exchange of knowledge and know-how, and sharing of resources. Joint programming Initiatives (JPIs) seek to identify areas or research activities that would benefit from coordination or joint calls for proposals or pooling of resources or other novel means of integration, in order to reduce fragmentation and duplication, and cover research gaps. As one of the objectives of the European Research Area, JPIs aim to export and disseminate knowledge, innovation and interdisciplinary approaches to other parts of Europe and worldwide and to ensure the effective use of research outputs to enhance European competitiveness and policy making. Joint Programming is further seen as a long-term and an iterative process to meet the grand societal challenges.
The FACCE Coordination and Support Action was developed to prepare and support the successful development and launch of JPI Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (acronym: FACCE). The CSA was designed as a tool integrated within the JPI to allow it to address the challenges of sustainable agriculture and food security in the face of climate change. It thereby contributed to the overall EU objective of building the European Research Area through enhanced cooperation and coordination of national research programmes.
Concretely, the CSA aimed to actions contributing to the development of a Strategic Research Agenda and the means for its implementation as well as at the development of long-term governance and management structures of the FACCE JPI. To do so, the CSA developed tools and structures for the JPI.
The objective of the FACCE CSA was to allow the FACCE JPI to go beyond its current state of play and to develop the means for its long term continuation.
It aimed to:
• Define the research priorities in terms of research pillars as well as agendas based on
• Foresight and a common understanding of the challenges ahead
• Finely map the European research in the agreed prioritised areas
• Inventory the available resources in terms of expertise as well as financial, material, and intellectual assets
• Share knowledge, know-how as well as equipment and infrastructures
• Inventory possibilities for joint actions and their implementation
• Initiate joint actions through pilot actions
• Ensure dialogue with both European and international stakeholders
• Propose a long-term governance and management structure of the FACCE JPI
FACCE CSA achieved its original objectives and went well beyond what was originally planned. At this time, the SRA has been published as well as a first Biennial Implementation Plan, six joint actions are in different stages of development, a Monitoring and Evaluation framework has been established, the JPI has achieved broad visibility and permanent governance has been defined.
Project Results:
WP1 – Refining and updating the Strategic Research Agenda
Task T1.1: Refining the Scientific Research Agenda (ScRA)
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M2
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
The Secretariat, currently assured by INRA and BBSRC, established the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), organised all its meetings, prepared agendas, documents and reports, and has provided a communication link between the SAB and other FACCE-JPI bodies (Governing Board, Stakeholder Advisory Board, FACCE CSA).
The SAB includes 12 members who are elected by the Governing Board using the following criteria:
1) Outstanding academic record and international visibility and reputation.
2) Recent and active participation at international level, e.g. IPCC, ICSU panel.
3) Broad vision of the challenges facing agriculture, food security and climate change.
Current FACCE-JPI Scientific Advisory Board Members are :
• Anne-Marte Tronsmo (NO), Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway (since May 2014)
• Dirk Inzé (BE), Department Director, Plant Systems Biology, Ghent University, Belgium (since May 2014)
• Fabio Fava (IT), Professor of Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Italy (since June 2014)
• Frank Ewert (DE), Professor, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Germany (since May 2014)
• Harry Clark (NZ), Director, Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, New Zealand (since Sept 2012)
• Jean-François Soussana (FR), FACCE-JPI SAB Chair, Scientific Director (Environment), INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research) (since June 2010)
• Leslie Lipper (US), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy (since February 2013)
• Margaret Gill FRSE (UK), FACCE-JPI SAB Vice-Chair, University of Aberdeen, UK (since Sept 2012)
• Marketta Rinne (FI), Professor at MTT Agrifood Research, Jokioinen, Finland (since May 2014)
• Peter Gregory (UK), Chief Executive East Malling Research and Professor at the University of Reading, UK (since Sept 2012)
• Rattan Lal (US), Professor at The Ohio State University, US (since June 2013)
• Reinhart Ceulemans (BE), Professor at the University of Antwerp, Belgium (since June 2013)
The SAB produced a Scientific Research Agenda (ScRA), which was adopted by the FACCE-JPI Governing Board (GB) in February 2010. The ScRA presented the common scientific vision of the SAB, organised in five research Core Themes:
Core Theme 1: Sustainable food security under climate change, based on an integrated food systems perspective: modelling, benchmarking and policy research perspective.
Core Theme 2: Environmentally sustainable growth and intensification of agricultural systems under current and future climate and resource availability.
Core Theme 3: Assessing and reducing trade-offs between food production, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Core Theme 4: Adaptation to climate change throughout the whole food chain, including market repercussions
Core Theme 5: Greenhouse gas mitigation: N2O and CH4 mitigation in the agriculture and forestry sector, carbon sequestration, fossil fuel substitution and mitigating GHG emissions induced by indirect land use change.
The ScRA also included recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term actions that FACCE-JPI could take forward as joint actions. As a result, several actions have been launched, e.g. the Knowledge Hub MACSUR (www.macsur.eu).
Task T1.2: Translating the Scientific Research Agenda into the Strategic Research Agenda
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M8
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
The ScRA produced by the SAB has provided the basis to develop the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). The SRA was adopted by the FACCE-JPI Governing Board in October 2012 and is designed to set out clear policy-relevant research priorities for the short-,medium- and long-term on agriculture, food security and climate change in Europe, and to list the strategic actions involved in achieving these goals in aligning current national research programmes.
The SRA was developed by the Secretariat and is the result of a 2 year process involving all FACCE-JPI bodies (Governing Board, Scientific Advisory Board, Stakeholder Advisory Board and many inputs : Scientific Research agenda, WP2 mapping meetings, Stakeholder consultation, workshops with ERA-NETs, MACSUR pilot action etc.
The delivery of FACCE-JPI strategy is described in its Implementation Plan 2014-2015, launched in October 2013, which shows the planned joined activities for the next two years in three categories: Alignment, Investing and Exploring.
Task T1.3: Updating the SRA
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M34
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
To contribute to the continuous evolution of the SRA, the ScRA’s core themes have been discussed in depth at SAB meetings. The outcomes of these discussions will contribute to the update of the SRA, complemented by further input from the StAB. The discussions have also provided input and recommendations to mapping meetings. The SAB has also discussed the topic of innovative technologies in depth and have agreed on a list of technologies to be presented to GB for consideration which will feed into the SRA update.
Building on FACCE-JPI SRA, the SAB will complete the review of the five Core Themes and propose an update on scientific priorities by April 2015. The StAB will be included in the process. The updated SRA will take into account the last mapping results, SAB and StAB discussions, and results of exploratory workshops. The SAB will also call on external experts to support this work.
Deliverables
D1.1 Scientific Research Agenda M2
D1.2 Stakeholders input report M6
D1.3 SRA including ScRA M12
D1.4 First updating of the Strategic Research Agenda (including the Scientific Research Agenda) M32
Milestones
M1.1 First SRA draft M10
WP2 – Mapping and foresight for strategic collaboration
Tasks
2.1: Initial exploration of actors, programmes, challenges and ambitions by pillar (M1-24)
2.2: Strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M2-41)
2.3: Managing interactions and producing the reports (M13-36)
The FACCE CSA partners INIA, EZ and Wageningen UR collaborated closely on all tasks within the WP.
The work supported FACCE-JPI particularly in the prioritisation by the Governing Board of joint programming efforts based on scientific, strategic, political and financial aspects. It delivered identification of complementarities, duplications and gaps (in current and future research); identification of areas for coordination, cooperation and exchange of information, people, and practices (networking); identification of perspectives and possibilities for pooling research resources, concerning funding, people, and facilities; and creation of a common context and opportunities for networking. The work resulted in recommendations for joint programming activities.
Strategic mapping and foresight meetings, organised around the core themes of FACCE, were the heart of this work package. For each meeting all JPI member countries were asked to delegate a policy expert and a science expert. The meetings brought together funders, policy makers, scientists (including SAB members depending on the theme) and other stakeholders. The rationale behind uniting these different groups was to advance more rapidly by taking into account scientific, political and financial possibilities and constraints at one time.
After the five thematic mapping meetings, a concluding, Broad-Based, meeting was held. The objective of this final meeting was to provide a global vision of the five previous mapping meetings with the aim to obtain precise inputs for the elaboration of the FACCE JPI Implementation Plan and the updating of the Strategic Research Agenda (Dec 2013). Several discussion tables and a ‘sticker session’ (where the Implementation Matrix topics were prioritized) were performed during the BBCM, resulting in a list of amendments for the final Implementation Matrix with indications of national supports for the proposed topics and concrete remarks on cross cutting issues and cross-thematic aspects.
As the policy and funding data in the posters completed for each mapping meeting was heterogeneous and as systems are different in different countries, an addition study was performed to get a more comprehensive overall picture. To this aim policy and funding information from the five posters were summarized and an online survey was done among the JPI FACCE countries to fill the information gaps on research funding scenarios and details on core themes funding. The report has been submitted to the Governing Board.
For the purpose of mutual learning among JPIs, INIA, EZ, and Wageningen UR organised a dissemination meeting for which those in charge of mapping and foresight of all ten JPIs were invited. This experts group exchanged the experiences with various approaches of mapping and foresight.
Scheme of the WP2 workshops:
- MM1 20-21 June 2011, EZ, The Hague: Climate change mitigation (CT5)
- MM2 22-23 Feb 2012, INIA, Madrid: Climate change adaptation (CT4)
- MM3 11-12 July 2012, Dublin (in conjunction with ESOF 2012): Assessing and reducing trade-offs: food production, biodiversity & ecosystem services (CT3)
- MM4 17-187 Oct 2012, INIA, Madrid: Sustainable growth and intensification of agriculture (CT2)
- MM5 10-11 April 2013, BMELV, Berlin: Sustainable food security under climate change (CT1)
- BBCM 24 June 2013, Copenhagen: Broad-based Concluding Meeting: overarching and cross-cutting. Prioritization of topics for the biannual plan
- DW 4 February 2014, INIA, Madrid: Dissemination Workshop (for JPI actors involved in mapping and foresight)
Deliverables
D2.1 Report on the first two strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M8)
D2.2 Complete set of notes of all strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M32
D2.3 Final recommendations to GB on topics for lines of action in joint programming (M33)
D2.4 Report of Seminar on Mapping Meeting Tool for other JPIs (M37)
D2.5 Report of further desk study on policy and funding data in view of Implementation Plan (M41)
Milestones
MS2. Selection of the 1st 2 themes to be taken up for mapping meeting (M3)
MS3. Selection of the other themes for meetings (M10)
MS4. Strategic mapping and foresight meetings (M32)
WP3 – Design and delivery of implementation modalities
The primary objective of this WP was to implement joint activities in the frame of the FACCE JPI research agenda, and to promote and analyse ongoing activities, as well as secure synergies between the activities and the programme aims. This WP aimed at supporting FACCE-JPI and its Governing Board in the implementation of its research agenda, by preparing and implementing tools and processes. This is an essential and central component of the JPI’s operational management structure. WP3 was focused on delivering more efficient use of the Member States research efforts so as to increase the efficiency and impact of European public research funding and to reinforce coordination of national research programmes, exchange of knowledge and know-how, and the sharing of resources. This is an iterative process of shared leaning to meet these societal challenges identified in the FACCE JPI Strategic Research Agenda.
The most significant constraint to the implementation of transnational research programmes envisaged by the FACCE-JPI is the complexity and variety of operational terms and conditions associated with Member State/Associated State’s public research funding (see draft by the Joint Research Centre JRC-IPTS “Public national R&D investment, research programmes and transnational collaboration in Europe” prepared by Karel Haegeman and Richard Filcak in autumn 2009 and “Voluntary guidelines on framework conditions for joint research programming in research 2010”). It also includes political and legal obstacles. Therefore, a critical element to the success of the FACCE-JPI is developing the modalities and procedures to overcome these constraints.
In order to support FACCE-JPI in the implementation of its research agenda, by preparing and implementing tools and processes, the WP3 approach was based on five discrete but integrated tasks:
• Preparing a toolbox for the future implementation of joint activities
• Preparing of structures, procedures and methods for launching and implementation of joint activities
• Contributing to the promotion of joint activities and the FACCE-JPI brand
• Monitoring of joint activities
• Preparing of procedures for evaluation of the coherence of the FACCE-JPI progress
By the start of FACCE-CSA, the FACCE-JPI GB had agreed to implement an innovative activity, a FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub, aiming at fostering interaction and synergy between European modelers in the areas of crops, livestock and trade, allowing long lasting and large base research and tools and methods for capitalising results, providing European critical mass in the international context and JPI branding, and establishing and reinforcing links between national programmes and supercomputing facilities. This initial action had to address the modelisation of impacts of climate change and the reduction in uncertainties in climate change scenarios.
This pilot action of FACCE-JPI was of tremendous importance, as it should prove the operative capacity of FACCE-JPI. The preparation of the Knowledge Hub included:
- Preparation of the Call Announcement, in cooperation with the FACCE-JPI members joining the action. The Call Announcement included among others national annexes, providing essential information for potential applicants from each country;
- Preparation of a tailor-made submission tool, as the innovative character of the action required specificities which are not available in available tools;
- Preparation of Guidelines for applicants;
- Launch of the call at M4, and first establishment of a “FACCE-JPI Call Office”, central contact point for applicants. Again, due to the specificity of the action, many questions arose both from funders’ as from applicants’ side. In this regard, the support of the Call Office was an essential aspect for the success of the action;
- Collection of “Letters of Intent” until M6. These applications were then forwarded to the respective representatives, for their formal eligibility check and selection of research groups allowed to participate in the final Knowledge Hub;
- Organisation of a Networking Meeting in Berlin at M7. Selected research groups were invited to join this meeting in order to “trigger” the building up of the network(s), start identifying the future coordinators of the Knowledge Hub and its different parts and then the submission of the final Knowledge Hub Full Proposal.
- Preparing and coordinating the peer-review of the final Full Proposal called “MACSUR” submitted at M9. A high level evaluation committee was established and reviewed the proposal. The final funding recommendation was prepared in cooperation with the funders.
- Feedback on the evaluation to the MACSUR coordinators, including face-to-face meeting with the Chair of the Evaluation Committee, to improve the content of the project and express the recommendations prepared by the Evaluation Committee, including conditions to the funding recommendation.
- Final positive funding recommendation confirmed by the Chair of the Evaluation Committee after reviewing the proposal updated according to the recommendations from the Evaluation Committee.
MACSUR started at M14. It was promoted on FACCE-JPI webpage, including the publication of the fact sheet on the FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub. Meanwhile, MACSUR has made huge progress towards its objectives and is presently preparing the second phase of the network.
In parallel, FACCE-JPI was already preparing the next action in cooperation with the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research (GRA), a Multi-Partner Call on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research, aiming at creating greater impetus and international added value, approaching more researchers and allowing for interdisciplinary R&D projects, coordinated in a common programme, in the field of mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas research. As most initiatives on agriculture and climate change nexus have been taken at national level to date, this joint multilateral approach can maximise the effectiveness of national efforts, develop the much needed expertise on mitigation for agricultural systems and spread the knowledge and the technologies.
The call was launched at M19. Prior to this launch, call documents were prepared in agreement with the involved funders (FACCE-JPI members and international partners, USA, Canada and New Zealand) and a submission tool was prepared. In addition, the implementation of this call consisted in:
- Releasing the call at M19, by publishing the relevant documents, supporting applicants on the phone and by email;
- Collecting Pre-proposals until M21; these proposals were checked for eligibility by the committee of the funders of this call until M22 and the outcomes were communicated to the applicants at M23, while launching the second step of application
- Collecting Full Proposals until M27; the proposals were again checked for eligibility and then provided to a peer-review panel for an in-depth evaluation. The evaluation committee met at M28 and the outcomes forwarded to the committee of the funders who could express their funding recommendation at M29. Projects could start from M30.
The outcomes of this call were published on FACCE-JPI webpage together with fact sheets on each of the 11 projects recommended for funding.
While progressing towards the implementation of its Strategic Research Agenda, FACCE-JPI generates more and more opportunities for joint activities of the members. Keeping in mind the need for long-term sustainability, cost-efficiency, required in a JPI, WP3 developed a Toolbox of potential funding instruments that might be used by FACCE-JPI to implement these opportunities.
This document aims to explore different options, processes and methodologies for the implementation of joint actions of FACCE-JPI. The voluntary guidelines on framework condition for joint programming in research 2010 as well as experiences from existing initiatives, such as ERA-NETs, Article 185, and instruments of FP7 and those planned for Horizon 2020 have been considered to provide synergy and complementarities with FACCE-JPI for maximum work and cost efficiency. This has been complemented by desk studies and further discussions in the process of implementation of FACCE-JPI. This toolbox, depicting potential funding instruments and their main modalities, was presented and made available to FACCE-JPI. Based on the Strategic Research Agenda, FACCE-JPI will be then able to decide faster, depending on the identified priorities, on which funding instrument should be implemented, and tailor-made to run its joint activities. To this aim, tools were listed in this document and featured by some indicators. The toolbox is a non-exhaustive list of tools made available to FACCE-JPI, as a supporting document, which should be revised as new approaches are identified.
Within the scope of FACCE-JPI, different categories of research topics might be identified and subjected to a common approach by FACCE-JPI member countries. The described funding instruments were linked to one/some of these 3 categories which are:
1- Mature research: Areas where there are many activities already funded in each country: therefore these are current priority areas where networking and alignment of national projects and programmes can be readily achieved through knowledge hubs and other means and areas in which only a smaller number of countries have active national research projects: therefore these are priority areas for focused alignment, or the need for capacity building in some countries.
2- Emerging subjects: Emerging areas, which will require new approaches such as ideas laboratories/sand pits or creative workshops.
3- Need for common European efforts and developing research: Priority areas where there is a need for increased European efforts. These are priority areas to stimulate new research projects and programmes.
The toolbox comprises a large palette of instruments, from the classical transnational call, to the FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub, including also the Centres of Excellence, “Sand pits”… It was finalised at M30.
To monitor FACCE-JPI joint activities and evaluate the FACCE-JPI process, the Governing Board adopted a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework document at M36. This paper is the result of an analysis of the best suited procedures and tools for monitoring and evaluation of the joint activities launched by FACCE-JPI. Different approaches to the processes of monitoring and evaluating of JPIs and similar public programmes have been explored as a first step, however none of the evaluations mentioned before have been conducted until now, which was a chance for FACCE-JPI to take a leading role in the development of evaluation guidelines for JPIs. Monitoring is regarded as the iterative process of checking the progress of FACCE-JPIs joint actions and the respective projects by continuously collecting information to analyse the potential to make improvements and increase efficiency. Furthermore, the collected data provides an integral source of information for the evaluation process. Monitoring needs to be specifically tailored to the respective joint action or project. In addition to a set of key questions aiming at the three FACCE-JPI targets, specific aspects of each project have to be taken into account, thus making it necessary to further elaborate the monitoring according to the characteristics of the respective joint action. This has been done for the pilot action, MACSUR, and been integrated as a case study in this paper. The FACCE-JPI evaluation will focus on the organisation, process and outcomes, which requires a continuous effort and forms the organisational basis of the JPI. The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is published on FACCE-JPI webpage.
The work carried out under WP3 was an essential support to FACCE-JPI, also improving its visibility with regards to the research community and enhancing its potential impact and the response to actions in the future. It is now important to keep the impetus and to develop further more sustainable tools, procedures, documents in the perspective of the long-term perpetuation of FACCE-JPI and of its actions.
WP4 - Communication and Outreach
Task T4.1: Design and implementation of the communication/outreach policy
In this task, the communication/outreach strategy of FACCE-JPI was elaborated by WP4 and WP5. This paper is available on the FACCE-JPI website (http://www.faccejpi.com/Press-Events/FACCE-JPI-Communication-Coordination-and-Outreach-Strategy).
A list of European and international stakeholders was drawn up for distribution of FACCE newsletters and other information. The current list has some 1000 names of JPI stakeholders – for example, researchers, farmers, policy makers, industry and consumers and includes other European initiatives such as the KIC Climate and the KIC Food, relevant ERA-NETs and other JPIs.
Task T4.2: Design, development, and maintenance of the Internet-based tools
WP4 has ensured the set up and continual updating of the FACCE-JPI external website (www.faccejpi.com). This external website is used for external dissemination and communication activities, to provide general information on the objectives and activities of the initiative and to store freely available dissemination material, for example flyers, public reports, presentations, and other deliverables. It is used to announce JPI actions and meetings and has reserved pages for governing board (GB), scientific advisory board (SAB) and stakeholder advisory board (StAB) members.
An internal collaborative platform was established for CSA members to exchange internal information on FACCE-JPI.
FACCE-JPI also has a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Facce-Jpi/154197754682051) a LinkedIn group page (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=4556524&trk=anet_ug_hm) and a Twitter page (https://twitter.com/FACCEJPI)
Task T4.3: Design, edition, and production of paper documents
To raise public awareness of the FACCE-JPI within Europe but also at an international level, paper documents (that may be downloaded as well from the website) have been prepared.
These include the JPI logo and graphics standards, the brochure and the newsletter as well as the Strategic Research Agenda and the Implementation Plan. These documents have been widely distributed at different meetings and events throughout Europe by all JPI actors and contribute to raising FACCE-JPI visibility.
The FACCE-JPI Secretariat has also been solicited to give interviews in view of articles on the JPI. Examples include the EPSO newsletter, the first ERA-LEARN newsletter, and an interview with FACCE-JPI Chair, Marion Guillou, in “International Innovation”
Task T4.4: Participation in events
To promote and communicate the diffusion of the FACCE-JPI progress, a list of relevant meetings and conferences has been compiled (WP2, WP5, Secretariat). To the extent possible, FACCE-JPI is represented at all relevant meetings (either by members of the GB, SAB or Secretariat and now as well by the StAB).
The Secretariat is also frequently solicited to present the JPI at different meetings. To the extent possible, a member of the Secretariat (or the GB or SAB as appropriate) participates in these meetings. Table A2 gives an overview of the representation of the JPI at various meetings. The Secretariat also prepares presentations for members of the GB who need to present the JPI.
Participation in large events related to the themes of the FACCE-JPI is carried out when possible and includes. FACCE-JPI participation in the ESOF2012 conference in Dublin (see WP5). FACCE itself organised an important event to celebrate its three year anniversary. This was held on October 22, 2013 in Paris and included a large and diverse audience of European and Member State representatives as well as scientists and FACCE actors.
Major events in the history of the JPI have been the subjects of press releases: a press release from the European Commission marked the first SAB meeting (June, 2010), the approval of the pilot action Knowledge Hub, FACCE MACSUR (April, 2011) and the Great Debate (July, 2012) and the three year anniversary event in Paris (October 2013).
Task T4.5: Organisation of workshops
In order to target initiatives directly related to the activities of FACCE-JPI, a first workshop was organised in October, 2011 with ERA-NETs of thematic complementarity to the JPI. Sixteen ERA-NETs were invited and 14 attended. The European Commission was represented by François Constantin and Zsuzsana König. This meeting allowed for a first contact and a mapping of thematic overlaps between ERA-NETs and FACCE-JPI. Because of the importance of working with ERA-NETs, it was decided to have annual workshops. A second workshop took place in Paris in April, 2013, in close association with a meeting of the project PLATFORM, which is a forum for mutual learning and strategic discussion between KBBE-related ERA-NETs.
As one of the objectives of this task was to allow stakeholder consultation into the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), a different approach was taken to receive stakeholder input into the SRA – an online consultation was carried out. A summary of the responses was prepared as input to the SRA and is available on the website (http://www.faccejpi.com/Document-library/FACCE-JPI-Public-Stakeholder-Consultation-Report). Moreover, as part of the evolution of the FACCE-JPI, it was decided by the GB in the permanent governance to have a Stakeholder Advisory Board. This board consists of representatives of 22 European and international organisations, representing civil society, NGOs, industry, and scientific organisations. Their first meeting was held in September, 2012 and allowed them the opportunity to give feedback on the SRA. Subsequently they have had 2 meetings per year plus an ad hoc meeting in 2013 to give feedback to the SRA.
Finally, in order to allow a maximum of feedback on the SRA, a number of additional activities were organised (stakeholder consultation, establishment of Stakeholder Advisory Board). It was also necessary to have time to get feedback from mapping meetings (WP2), the ERA-NET workshop (this WP) and detailed discussions of core themes in SAB meetings (WP1). The SRA publication was thus later than originally planned, but it was adopted (October 25, 2012 GB meeting).
WP5 – Coordination with international initiatives
WP 5 had two tasks, with three deliverables:
Task 5.1 (end date: Month 4): International coordination strategy development
Deliverables:
D5.1: International Coordination Strategy Report (M4)
D5.2: Report on contacts with international initiatives and list of invitees to GB and SAB meetings (M4)
Both deliverables have been completed:
- WP4 and 5 prepared a joint “FACCE JPI Communication, Coordination and Outreach Strategy”, available on the web site.
- WP5 compiled an inventory of international initiatives (research and funding) relating to agriculture, food security and climate change. This inventory has been posted on the JPI website. WP5 contacted all initiatives listed with an invitation to review their listing and provide feedback.
Task 5.2 (end date: M36): Managing international coordination activities
Deliverables:
D5.3: International JPI conference in Dublin (M24):
This deliverables has been completed successfully. WP5 (with support from WP4) organised “The Great Debate on the battle to feed a changing planet” as one of the centre pieces of the Euro Science Open Forum 2012 (ESOF 2012) in Dublin, Europe’s largest public science event.
In 2011, WP5 successfully applied for a slot at ESOF 2012 in the Great Auditorium of the Convention Centre Dublin, on ESOF’s central Policy Day. The JPI organised two events at ESOF 2012:
1) The Great Debate on the battle to feed a changing planet: this was a highly interactive public debate on the (provocatively branded) subject of “Will we starve or will we burn?”. Keynote debaters included:
a. Prof Pachauri (Chairperson, IPCC)
b. Prof Fresco (University of Amsterdam)
c. Prof Ronald (UC-Davies)
d. Prof Frewer (Newcastle University)
e. Dr Guillou (Presidente, INRA, Chairperson of JPI Governing Board)
The debate was highly interactive, with:
- instant electronic audience voting on the most pertinent questions raised during the debate
- pre-recorded videos of the views of children and an African smallholder farmer
- the debate was broadcast live on the internet
- live Twitter feed from the (global) audience to the panel (>120 tweets received)
The debate was attended by c. 500 people in the audience + 3,700 people watching live online from various continents. Since the debate, over 10,000 people worldwide have watched the recorded video of the Great Debate online: www.esof2012.org/livestream/
The Great Debate gave exposure of the FACCE-JPI to a very wide audience, including policy makers, media, the general public and scientific peers.
2) On the same day and at the same venue, WP5 (with support from WP4) organised an initial joint workshop of international initiatives on agriculture, food security and climate change. This was attend by officials from:
a. FACCE-JPI
b. Global Research Alliance
c. CGIAR’s Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) Programme
d. Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
e. The Wheat Initiatives
This workshop formally established organisational linkages between the initiatives and identified potential areas of future collaboration and alignment.
Additional activities provided by WP5
A successful 2-day workshop was held in Bonn, at the fringes of the UNFCCC SUBSTA meeting. Outcomes:
- memorandum of understanding drafted (attached)
- press release published (attached)
- workshop outcomes communicated at UNFCCC side-event
- agreement for alternate hosting of annual meeting – CCAFS / JPI Secretariat / CFS volunteered to organise 2014 meeting.
WP6 – FACCE consolidation and perpetuation
Task T6.1: Preparation and follow-up of strategic documents
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M36
Task leader: BBSRC
Task participant: INRA
INRA and BBSRC partners have worked together in the planning and organisation of all meetings of the GB, SAB and StAB, as well as preparing and editing content of strategic documents for FACCE-JPI bodies. The task also includes revision of the Terms of Reference of JPI bodies, to ensure these are aligned to the continued evolution of FACCE-JPI work.
For each meeting, work has included:
1. Pre-meeting tasks
- Logistics: reservation of meeting rooms, catering, preparation of badges and name plates, internet access, reservation of travel and hotel for SAB members and external experts and non-GB participants to the meetings, etc and liaison with meeting hosts;
- Meetings with Chairs and Vice-chairs;
- Communication with participants: sending out invitations, inviting experts, requesting and collating presentations and incoming documents and papers, etc;
- Preparing and editing content of strategic documents
- Preparation of agenda, briefs and presentations for chair and vice-chairs as appropriate;
2. Meeting tasks
- Supporting chair and vice-chairs in running of the meeting and in formulating conclusions;
- Overseeing logistics and smooth running of the meeting;
- Writing meeting minutes and drawing up conclusions.
3. Post-meeting tasks
- Circulating meeting minutes/conclusions, requesting comments and collating all inputs, circulating final minutes;
- Handling travel expenses of invited experts, SAB members and other non-GB participants to these meetings;
- Taking forward actions arising from the meetings i.e. generating documents, communicating with members, compiling information, establishing a new meeting, sending out to/getting feedback from third parties, frequently in an iterative cycle until action is completed;
- Drafting of documents and running consultation with FACCE bodies as a result of and/or in preparation of meetings.
Task T6.2: FACCE-JPI permanent governance
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M24
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
As in Task 6.1 INRA and BBSRC have worked together in formulating and establishing the JPI long-term governance, which was agreed upon in February 2012 and describes the rights and duties of the FACCE-JPI members and bodies, composition, role and voting rules for decision making, and advisory inputs.
As described in Task 6.1 this was achieved through preparation of meeting and papers, and consultation with different bodies at meetings or via email.
Task T6.3 : FACCE-JPI permanent management
Task leader: INRA
Task participant: BBSRC
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M12
INRA and BBSRC have worked together in establishing and running FACCE-JPI Secretariat. The terms of reference of the Secretariat was adopted as part of the permanent governance, and describe the role, the composition and the appointment of the Secretariat as of other supporting teams. The Secretariat has been operating since 2010, with all core activities being led by INRA and BBSRC. The team has developed a high-level and very effective working method, with a flexible distribution of activities, and a common understanding of priorities, which has led to a rapid advancement of FACCE-JPI development. The work of the Secretariat has been complemented by a number of activities, performed in collaboration with partners funded through the first FACCE-CSA from April 2011 until September 2014.
Task T6.4: FACCE-JPI permanent resources
Task start date: M1
Task end date: M12
Task leader: BBSRC
Task participant: INRA
In order to fulfill its objectives, FACCE – JPI requires an operational budget managed by the Secretariat. This budget is composed of entry fees and external incomes, e.g. European Commission FACCE Coordination and Support Action (CSA). Entry fees are provided by Member States/ Associated Countries wishing to join FACCE – JPI, which must pay a 5000€ non-refundable entry fee, held by the Secretariat and used primarily for SAB and GB meetings. A second call for fees was made to the GB in October 2013 to cover secretarial expenses during 2014 following the end of the CSA. No Secretariat salary costs are paid with this budget. The Secretariat provides the GB with an annual financial report and forecast for the operational budget.
BBSRC and INRA have worked together in developing the budget reports, and forecasting future spend, which have helped in the preparation for FACCE-JPI second phase, to be supported in part by CSA2 (subject to successful review), membership fees and a long-term financial plan.
FACCE-JPI has also been supported by substantial in-kind contributions made primarily by BBSRC and INRA, and additionally by partners in the CSA.
Milestones
M6.1 Draft agreement on the permanent governance (M12)
M6.2 Draft agreement on the permanent management structure (M12)
M6.3 Draft agreement on the financial plan (M24)
Potential Impact:
WP1 – Refining and updating the Strategic Research Agenda
FACCE-JPI Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), launched in 2012, describes the scope of this JPI, its five core research themes, and recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term actions. This document presents a unified FACCE-JPI vision amongst 21 Member States for an Integrated European Research Area (ERA) addressing the challenges of Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change to achieve sustainable growth in agricultural production to meet increasing world food demand and contributing to sustainable economic growth and a European bio-based economy while maintaining and restoring ecosystem services under current and future climate change.
FACCE-JPI’s primary impact is on how it is contributing to build the ERA, using the five Core Themes and priorities set in the SRA as the scientific framework to achieve this. Going a step further than the European Research Area Networks (ERA-NETs) and joint calls for projects, JPI instruments enable the generation, on a collective basis, of new forms of knowledge that build on existing research. FACCE instruments – such as the Knowledge Hub, the Knowledge Networks or the Thematic Annual Programming – are innovative and aim to catalyse alignment of national priorities and respond to the needs of the specific scientific communities involved. National research systems are used effectively in the current five different FACCE-JPI joint actions, enhancing transnational cooperation and competitiveness within Europe and internationally.
All five FACCE-JPI joint actions, originating from the FACCE-JPI SRA, facilitate the exchange and mobility of researchers, postdoctoral scientists and students in the European open labour market. All FACCE-JPI Boards strive to foster, achieve and maintain gender balance, e.g. female representation is monitored closely – former Chair and current Vice-chairs of the Governing Board ; Chair of Stakeholder Advisory Board ; Vice-chair of Scientific Advisory Board represent female workforce.
FACCE-JPI SRA has been disseminated actively via FACCE-JPI website and via different communication methods to all its stakeholders within Europe and worldwide.
WP2 – Mapping and foresight for strategic collaboration
Key impact
By an inclusive and integrative approach a wealth of data is gathered and processed towards a common context and perspectives for joint actions. These outcomes are of great importance for the strategic agenda of FACCE JPI and emerging alignment activities.
What characterizes the outcomes is that they are the result of an interactive and inclusive process around a core theme; GB member have been responsible for delegating experts from policy and science from their country and for the (quality of the) mapping of national programmes, policies, and projects. The workshops give a common context. A consensus approach is followed towards conclusions and recommendations.
Dissemination of the outcomes of the mapping and foresight exercises
The direct deliverables from WP 2 were the Provisional Summaries of conclusions and Recommendations, distributed within a week after the meeting, and the Full reports which provide points discussed in break-out sessions and a note about the plenary discussion. Posters prepared by country delegates and GB members, with information on current and future programmes and research funders, and lists of recent and running projects, as well as additional information provided by some countries, and all presentations are also available. These can be consulted for reference or used for further analysis.
Summaries of conclusions and recommendations and the full reports have been sent to the participants of the meetings, the GB, the SAB, the StAB, and the members of the CSA consortium. The reports were public documents, published on the FACCE website. In addition all meeting documents (briefing, presentations, posters) are available for the partners.
Mapping meetings dissemination Workshop
With the aim to exchange best practices and share FACCE’s fruitful experience with the “mapping meetings” approach, a special event was organised: the Mapping Meetings Dissemination Workshop. This event brought together twenty five participants with representatives from eight JPIs. The meeting was organised by the FACCE CSA WP2 (WUR, EZ and INIA) in collaboration with JPIs To Co-Work and took place at the INIA premises in Madrid. The core of the event was a “sharing practices session” where JPIs participants held several presentations about the mapping and foresight procedures they are currently carrying out, followed by group discussion. The meeting conclusions and a compilation of information from an online survey among JPIs have been written down in a report. The event inspired the JPIs on why and how to do mapping and foresight. The mapping meetings were considered by the other JPIs as a very good practice and approach that may also be suitable in their initiatives.
Key messages
• Mapping and foresight activities are a cornerstone for the elaboration of SRAs, implementation plans and identification of joint calls. However it must be kept in mind that mapping is not a goal in itself, but an instrument to identify actions to be undertaken.
• Regarding methodology, FACCE’s Mapping Meetings are considered as a unique exercise with an innovative approach, which was considered a very useful instrument suitable to be applied also in other JPIs. In addition a number of other methodologies, to get some added value by going beyond classical surveys, are recognized: i) questionnaires, followed by an interview, for precise topics; ii) literature studies commissioned to groups of experts; iii) to combine mapping meetings with quantitative research studies and iv) mapping at national level.
• About the participants in a mapping exercise, there is a consensus on the implication of scientific, policy and funding experts. The participation of industry/private stakeholders and pre-selected panels of experts was also considered advisable.
• Regarding when to map, the beginning of a JPI procedure seems to be the most suitable moment, to set a rationale for decisions. However since data gets outdated quite fast, mapping should be considered as a continuous process to be renewed frequently or on need basis (to update the SRA and/or implementation).
• Challenges for mapping activities developed by JPIs are: to find efficient and effective mechanisms to gather information; to go beyond the European level to a global perspective; to elaborate common, or at least inter-comparable, frameworks for mapping at national level; and to improve and reinforce the procedures to go from mapping to new actions in the framework of the Strategic Research Agendas.
• Meetings with a similar approach as developed for mapping can be used in evaluation and monitoring of JPIs and their actions, along with other instruments, as it is a complex exercise that requires a new methodology.
WP3 – Design and delivery of implementation modalities
Several aspects under WP3 may generate a positive impact, mainly (but not only) related to FACCE-JPI, on the progress of research in its widest sense in the fields of sustainable agriculture, food security and impacts of climate change.
The newly innovative developed instrument of the FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub is a new way of aligning research in Europe. It already showed substantial improvements in the specific field of MACSUR but is also meanwhile an example that has been followed by other initiatives, among others the JPI HDHL, who is developing the same instrument for its own use. WP3 participated in this regard at a meeting of the JPI HDHL in Berlin in October 2012 to present the instrument and contributed to the decision of this JPI to implement “its own” Knowledge Hub.
The research projects funded under the Multi-Partner Call on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research are promoted via FACCE-JPI webpage and further networking between these projects, and also with the research community, is expected/eased.
The toolbox is expected to accelerate the implementation of joint actions in FACCE-JPI.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, published on FACCE-JPI webpage, as one of the first documents of this kind for a JPI, will/could be used by other initiatives, among others JPIs.
In a more general way, the work conducted under WP3 paves the way for the further implementation and monitoring of joint activities by FACCE-JPI, keeping in mind the need for sound but efficient procedures. In particular, it will ease the work under FACCE-Evolve, a new CSA recently submitted in order to support FACCE-JPI.
WP5 – Coordination with international initiatives
WP5 was exclusively focused on dissemination, communication and impact.
WP5 participants organised the Great Debate on the battle to feed a changing planet: this was a highly interactive public debate on the (provocatively branded) subject of “Will we starve or will we burn?”.
The debate was attended by c. 500 people in the audience + 3,700 people watching live online from various continents. Since the debate, over 10,000 people worldwide have watched the recorded video of the Great Debate online: www.esof2012.org/livestream/
The Great Debate gave exposure of the FACCE-JPI to a very wide audience, including policy makers, media, the general public and scientific peers.
WP5 (with support from WP4) participants also organised two workshops of international initiatives on agriculture, food security and climate change attended by officials from FACCE-JPI, the Global Research Alliance, CGIAR’s Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) Programme, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and the Wheat Initiatives.
These workshops formally established organisational linkages between the initiatives and identified potential areas of future collaboration and alignment.
WP6 – FACCE consolidation and perpetuation
Since its inception, and with the support of FACCE CSA, FACCE-JPI has made substantial progress in its goal of bringing together European countries to identify, prioritise and deliver research. The permanent governance was established in February 2012, consisting of a decision-making body, the Governing Board (GB) and two advisory boards: a high-level Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and a Stakeholder Advisory Board (StAB), both elected by the GB, as well as an executive body, the Secretariat (up until now staffed by INRA and BBSRC).
FACCE-JPI’s permanent governance outlines the roles, membership and function of its bodies, and aims at providing a long-lasting framework for scientific and strategic advice and decision-making. The permanent governance primary impact is on ensuring the durability of the FACCE-JPI and to maintain flexibility and the possibility to adapt to changes in the speed of the joint programming process.
The Secretariat has been operating since 2010, with all core activities being led by INRA and BBSRC. The team’s high-level and very effective working method, with a flexible distribution of activities, and a common understanding of priorities, has led to a rapid advancement of FACCE-JPI development.
During its first years of existence, FACCE-JPI has operated with the financial support of the European Commission in the form of a first CSA as well as through membership fees from member states. The Secretariat members have worked together in developing the budget reports, and forecasting future spend, which have helped in the preparation of FACCE-JPI second phase to be supported in party by CSA2 (subject to successful review), membership fees and long-term financial plan.
FACCE-JPI permanent governance has been published in the FACCE-JPI website and disseminated to its bodies via email correspondences.
WP4 – Communication and Outreach, WP5 Coordination with international initiatives
During the project, a large number of communication actions have been carried out. The FACCE-JPI website serves as the main source of information on FACCE and its activities. Press releases have been prepared for major events in FACCE such as the launch of new calls. A large third anniversary event was organised in October 2013. FACCE has produced a number of newsletters and the current mailing list is over 1000 recipients. FACCE- JPI has also been widely presented in the scientific community but also to policy makers and other European and international initiatives.
The work with stakeholders included the elaboration of a consultation on the Strategic Research Agenda which had over 150 responses, the formation of a Stakeholder Advisory Board and the organisation of 2 workshops with ERA-NETs, who are a particular type of stakeholder in FACCE.
Internally, a collaborative platform was put in place which was used to share information and documents among FACCE CSA partners. Internal communication to the SAB, StAB and GB was through a reserved space on the FACCE-JPI website.
Through the implementation of its communication and outreach strategy, FACCE-JPI has gained significant visibility over the period of the CSA. WP4 and WP5 have worked together to raise the visibility of FACCE at the European and international level. This approach has been successful based on the following indicators:
• Number of web site visits (see below)
• Number of responses to calls
• Number of people asking to join mailing list
Besides the website and newsletters, FACCE actors (GB members, SAB and StAB members) have served as ambassadors of the JPI, presenting it both nationally and in European and international fora.
At the national level, several countries have organised national information days (e.g. Denmark, Norway) and GB members are tasked with diffusing JPI information (for example on calls) widely in their countries. This has been done in the form of national language press releases for new calls or other important information. At the EU level, FACCE has been presented widely in scientific networks (to various ERA-NETs, through MACSUR…), in European organisations (ETPs, SCAR, EC…) and at European scientific conferences. At the international level, FACCE has organised 2 workshops with international initiatives, has taken part in ESOF 2012, organising the “Great Debate” and through representation in international scientific conferences.
The Secretariat has been invited extensively to present FACCE in different meetings (ERA-NETs, ETPs, meetings of SCAR, EC, GPC, etc.) and is available to provide presentations to JPI actors when requested.
An important event was organised for the third anniversary of FACCE. This event, held October 22, 2013 in Paris, brought together around 100 people including high level policy makers and FACCE-JPI actors to give an overview of FACCE’s achievement This event highlighted the role of FACCE-JPI and other Joint Programming Initiatives in achieving the European Research Area and on the role of science and stakeholders in addressing current and future challenges in agriculture, food security and climate change. An expert roundtable focused on the achievements and ambitions of FACCE-JPI, describing on-going joint actions and launching the first biennial Implementation Plan. Live streaming of the event meant that it was widely viewed throughout Europe.
In terms of publications, FACCE has delivered its Strategic Research Agenda and first Biennial Implementation Plan as well as both a 4 page and a 2 page brochure. A scientific publication from the Scientific Advisory Board presenting the FACCE SRA has also been published (Soussana et al., A European science plan to sustainably increase food security under climate change. Global Change Biology, 18 (11): 3269–3271, 2012).
During the period of the CSA, FACCE-JPI has also significantly improved its communication and exchange with stakeholders. After an initial consultation with stakeholders for the elaboration of the Strategic Research Agenda, a Stakeholder Advisory Board was established, that met for the first time in September 2012. This board represents 22 different European and international organisations and initiatives and has met at least twice a year since its inception. The StAB is regularly consulted in FACCE processes, i.e. update of the SRA, elaboration of a new Implementation Plan, writing of scientific scope of new calls….
In terms of international outreach, besides the workshops organised, FACCE’s efforts have been rewarded in the creation of 2 international calls: one in association with the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research (GRA) and the other with the Belmont Forum. Continuing exchange with international initiatives and partners is occurring and participation of non-JPI countries in upcoming calls is expected.
FACCE-JPI’s ongoing work with the European Commission has led to a fruitful collaboration, resulting in a first ERA-NET Plus call under FP7 and 2 ERA-NET cofund calls under H2020 in addition to the 2 CSA calls open to FACCE.
List of Websites:
The FACCE-JPI website may be found at www.faccejpi.com. The site was initiated in 2010. This website is used for external dissemination and communication activities, to provide general information on the objectives and activities of the initiative and to store freely available dissemination material, for example flyers, public reports, presentations, and other deliverables. It is used to announce JPI actions and meetings and has reserved pages for governing board (GB), scientific advisory board (SAB) and stakeholder advisory board (StAB) members. A first section of the website gives the current news, a calendar with links to upcoming events, a description of the FACCE scope and links to related initiatives. In the page “About us”, descriptions of the different FACCE bodies (GB, SAB, StAB Secretariat), their composition and their Terms of reference can be found. One page is dedicated to the Strategic Research Agenda and the first Biennial Implementation Plan. These documents can be downloaded from the site here. Another page describes the ongoing FACCE activities with a separate page for each action. A page on press and events gives an update on related events, scientific publications, etc. The publicly available pages are completed by a document library from which important documents can be downloaded. An additional part of the site is reserved for access by JPI actors: there is a page each for the GB, the SAB and StAB.
Project participants have provided material for the website (for example mapping meeting reports, toolbox…) and were welcomed to provide articles.
Tracking of site visits indicate a large world-wide interest and a significant number of visits, particularly at the time of call announcements. As an example on November 13, 2014, there were 578 pages views by 268 visitors. The majority of visits come from Europe but all continents are represented in the visits. All indicators show that the web site is an efficient means of communicating.
For further information on the website, the contact person is Heather McKhann (heather.mckhann@paris.inra.fr).