Agropiopole Wallon

Regional Projects

Bioprospect project

The Bioprospect Project has started in April 2004 and is financed by the European Social Funds and the Walloon Region. Its main objective is the reinforcement of the federative approach of the Agrobiopôle wallon by bringing elements of information that facilitate the development of ambitious research projects. Biopropsect is based on an analysis of the context of research in agronomy and biotechnology in order to diffuse information between the researchers and the Industry. The companies are targeted according to their potential implication in the valorisation of scientific research or on their own needs in research development.

Two types of actions:

• Dissemination of useful information for the actors of development in the sector of vegetal molecules valorisation;
  
• Information on the potential of vegetal molecules towards actors who are likely to play a role in the industrialization of these techniques.

In relation with the objectives of the project, the following activities are in progress:

• Support to prospective cell;
  
• Support to the development of scientific projects in partnership with industry;
  
• Organization of information sessions for the scientific community;
  
• Contacts with other centres of excellence which are likely to be interested in partnerships;
  
• Gathering of socio-economic information useful for the scientific community.

Convention with the department of agriculture of the ministry of the Walloon Region

The Ministry of the Walloon Region (Department of Agriculture) supports the Agrobiopôle wallon since 2004 through the signature of two successive conventions. The second one started in 2006 and is titled "Support to the operational cell of the Agrobiopôle wallon".

In line with the objectives and the strategy of the Agrobiopôle wallon, this convention plans the following activities.

1. Prospect actions:
   - support to the "prospecting committee"
   - definition of new research topics in co-ordination with the Agrobiopôle wallon
2. Support to the engineering and implementation of inter-disciplinary projects:
   - initiating and supporting working groups
   - drawing up projects proposals
   - following up and assessing projects
   - reorienting projects if needed
3. Networking activities:
   - organisation of round tables conferences
   - organisation of seminars
4. Internal and external partnerships activities:
   - initiating partnerships with regional stakeholders
   - pro-active search of partners included at the European level
   - implementation of projects involving the Agrobiopôle wallon as partner (ABC Network and Detect-It 2 at the European level)
5. Communication activitities:
   - participation in meetings, conferences and seminars
   - articles in newsletters
   - updates of the Website