Digitalization, automation, use of genetics, and more… €2 billion out of the €30 billion “France 2030” stimulus package announced by Emmanuel Macron on October 12 is earmarked for “supporting the third agricultural revolution.”
Agriculture and agri-food sector are among the sectors Emmanuel Macron focused on at the presentation of the “France 2023” investment plan. Out of the €30 billion total that will be released over the next five years, €2 billion is earmarked directly to the agricultural sector. “We need to invest in healthy, sustainable and traceable food,” the president of France proclaimed.
After the boom in mechanization after World War II, followed by agro-chemistry, the head of state believes that a “third agricultural and agri-food revolution” is already underway, and that France “is one of that revolution’s leading nations.”
The agricultural component of the plan will be founded on three pillars: digitalization, robotics and genetics. According to Emmanuel Macron, the goal is to “keep on producing what it takes to feed France and improve both the quality of our food and our competitiveness, while also lowering our CO2 production.”
“We need to invest in healthy, sustainable and traceable food,” the president of France proclaimed.
- Improving Nutritional Health –
Predictive weather stations to manage water resources more optimally, robots for mechanized weeding, data collection and use, varietal selection to develop more resistant plants… France is developing plenty of innovative ideas, and “the time has come for us to support those initiatives,” Julien Denormandie, Minister of Agriculture, added after the head of state’s speech. So €600 million will be devoted to funding private firms’ R&D. Projects related to the issue of livestock and methanization were among those specifically mentioned by the ministry.
Improving the nation’s nutritional health is also one of the government’s priorities. “That should enable us to relocate our food supply chain within our borders, just like we’ve already done for vegetable proteins,” the minister specified, adding that €400 million will be devoted to that effort. And finally, €500 million will be used to help new farmers get up and running, since half of all farmers in France will be retiring over the next few years.