By using the French West Indies as a field of application, this fundamental research program emphasizes the adaptation of agrosystems in small island territories to global changes. The choice of these small island territories results from the extent of issues related to the ongoing global mutations they face to and from their representative features in terms of diversity in the tropical environment. Global changes that affect these areas involve a key sector: agriculture. Therefore, this reality invites to wonder about the sustainability of this sector. We assume that some agrotechnical, organizational, institutional and territorial evolutions should be implemented in order to promote a whole viable agriculture. Our research fits into several works on viability, adaptation, sustainability and resilience with mathematical interpretations of the issues tackled from these concepts. Empirically, the mathematical theory of viability allows to simulate the systems paths (i.e. agrosystems) in order to detect the set of evolutions viable in a context of uncertainty. The viability algorithm integrates identified but unpredictable shocks allowing to define the targets that are conceivable from a sustainable development perspective and specifying the rules of decision useful to reach them, despite some temporal and technical constraints imposed to the different agents in the system. Our project includes five basic steps. From a comparative viewpoint, we will give evidence on the current state of viability concerning the farming systems (1). Then, the analysis will lead to the elaboration of socio-economic and agro-ecological indicators (2). Thereafter, we will analyse the evolution path of farming systems by considering global changes (i.e. characterisation of the future state of farming systems) (3). Hence, we will examine the adaptive capacity of farming systems (4), namely their capacities of response against shocks and more generally we will wonder about the governance of the agricultural sector in the study cases (5). Depending on the simulated scenarii on the global changes, this research should lead to a guide of the main adaptive options the agents acting in the agricultural sector should focus on. From an action research methodology, the mathematical tool of viability will serve as an instrument to organize interactive exchange among agents and to promote local governance. The aim consists in shedding light on agents' behaviour and decisions. The scope of the interdisciplinarity of this research program founds its originality since it associates economics, geography, management science and agronomy, animal science, ecology with mathematics, in order to better specify the adaptive capacity of agriculture to global changes in tropical small island territories.

INTEGRITY aims to evaluate alternative management of mixed crop-ruminant livestock systems to increase the potential increment of Carbon and Nutrient Circularity in diverse agro-climatic regions. Nine countries from three continents (America, Europe, and Oceania) are involved in this proposal. Different degrees of integration between the crops and livestock components of a system may have advantages or disadvantages, so trade-offs among economic (productivity, efficiency), environmental (nutrient cycling, soil health, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions), and social (work arduousness and organization, household networks) indicators will be identified. Gaps in knowledge regarding impacts of the integration need to be addressed to fully understand the mechanisms that reduce GHG emissions and/or increase soil C sequestration and nutrients (i.e. C, N) use efficiency in mixed production systems; and which would be the impact of proposed interventions with a broader and holistic perspective. These interventions will be specifically designed for each situation and will be evaluated experimentally to quantify their impact, not only through direct and specific effects but also in a broad sense addressing the circularity within the agricultural systems by different modeling tools. Standardized evaluation approaches and procedures across the different partners will allow direct comparison of the relative impact of new management alternatives. Stakeholders’ involvement through the process will certainly help to focus on applicable new practices and facilitate their adoption by farmers. The conformed Low Carbon Livestock - Research Network, a regional platform involving countries from America and Europe created in 2020 and supported by the GRA, will strengthen the capacity-building opportunities for young researchers and enhance the result dissemination platform. Proposed activities within this project will be organized in 5 Work Packages (WP). The WP1 will investigate different management practices at diverse agricultural systems to enhance nutrient circularity, production efficiency, and reduce C footprint; WP2 aims to identify the potential improvement of C footprint by increasing the inclusion of by-products in ruminants feeding programs; WP3 will evaluate the management of carbon circularity and climate change mitigation and adaptation in mixed crop-ruminant livestock systems through system approach assessment and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (i.e. design of digital twins of farms based on combining sensor data and modeling that can help the decision-making process of stakeholders on the production chain of different mixed production systems). Also, this WP includes agent-based modeling to understand the decision-making process and other emergent properties of mixed crop-livestock production systems; WP4 will involve engagement with stakeholders, training, communication, and dissemination; WP5 project coordination. A particular characteristic of this proposal is the range of diverse production systems with different agro-climatic and socio-cultural characteristics that will allow observing differential responses of enhanced resource use efficiency and optimize nutrient circularity with the integration of the two systems components at different locations. This project involves cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary cooperation, which will be supported by the consortium’s complementary scientific skills, and reinforce and expand a history of mutual cooperative research where new partners will be involved.

The chlorinated polycyclic ketone pesticide chlordecone (CLD) was used from 1971 until 1993 in the French West Indies to fight against the banana black weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus). Its application resulted in a long term pollution of soils which is thought to last 5 to 7 centuries for the heaviest polluted soils. About 1/4 of the total agricultural acreage of the two French overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique) are moderately to heavily polluted and national survey plans carried out since 2008 in slaughterhouses revealed unexpected contamination of animal products. Indeed, CLD residues were detected in about 1/3 of bovine carcasses which originated from CLD contaminated areas, where 6 to 9% were above the Maximum Residue Limit set by the European Union (MRL = 100 µg/kg fat, CE 839/2008). Backyard animal productions (pigs, small ruminants) were not taken into account in the survey but the risk of CLD contamination of food producing animals is proven and it may represent an important source of CLD exposure for local consumers. Thus, the Martinique and Guadeloupe populations are concerned by CLD contaminated food and there is a growing demand for solutions that would enable maintenance of local animal production and production of safe animal products, even in historically contaminated areas. Overall, this research project aims at evaluating local animal rearing systems in terms of livestock exposure to CLD (WP1), characterizing the bioavailability of CLD, its behavior and metabolization in the animal organism (WP2), and establishing innovative strategies to bind CLD via activated carbon or biochars (WP3). On the basis of the results obtained in WP1, WP2 and WP3, safe local livestock rearing systems will be proposed in agricultural areas historically contaminated by CLD, and assessed in terms of economical efficiency (WP4) and social acceptability (WP5). This project fully complies with the objectives of ANR’s Plan d’action 2016 DEFI 5 AXE 4 “Development of sustainable and innovative production systems to ensure safe food for consumers”, and its related orientations 19 “sustainable and safe food” and 20 “integrative approach of productive systems”. From the studies on soil ingestion (WP1), recommendations will be provided to farmers and other stakeholders in order to avoid where possible the entry of CLD into the food chain. The analytical approaches which are going to be developed in WP2 are of major importance to identify and quantify CLD and its metabolites fluxes in the organism. On the basis of mechanisms described in WP1, WP2 and WP3, sustainable rearing strategies will be proposed and applied in close relation with the local producers and the meat sector Inter-Professional Organization of Guadeloupe (IGUAVIE) and Martinique (AMIV), the livestock health defense group (GDS), the Chambers of Agriculture, the Direction of Agriculture, Food and Forest (DAAF) and the General Direction for Food, Ministry of Agriculture (DGAL). In WP4 and WP5, socio-economic approaches will be developed in order to (i) promote adaptive governance and sustainable development particularly in rural territories of tropical islands and to (ii) evaluate conditions for adoption of the proposed innovations. The approach implemented in this project and the proposed innovative strategies to secure the rearing systems have to be considered as a “model approach” to be applied further in organic pollutant contaminated areas worldwide. Key words: chlordecone, soil, livestock, food safety, rearing strategies, economical efficiency, social acceptability

PROTEIN3 is a research action multi actor project focused on evaluation of strategies to increase food sovereignty, especially food protein production, in tropical humid areas. The working hypothesis is that a greater efficiency in the production and consumption of dietary protein requires: i) a balance between animal and vegetable proteins; ii) a multi-criteria assessment on each farm, animal and plant scale. It is postulated that mixed crop-livestock system are the farms with the highest efficiency for protein production compared with specialized farms but optimization between crops and livestock must be sought. Concerning protein plants, priority should be given to multiple uses dual legumes crops (monogastric livestock vs. ruminant livestock vs. human). Multiple animal responses (meat production, livestock resilience to environmental stress, environmental impacts…) need to be evaluated seeking tradeoff between the several functions. The project PROTEIN3 combines global approaches and disciplinary approaches, social and biotechnical sciences.

The climate is changing and according to the recent estimates from the IPCC, the likelihood of heat wave events is expected to increase both in number and in intensity. Temperature is projected to increase from 1.8 to 4.0°C from 1980-1999 to 2090-2099. Hence, heat stress-related costs in pig production will be amplified in the future, both in temperate areas (summer heat waves) and tropical areas (hot and humid environment). Meanwhile, world pig production is moving rapidly to tropical and subtropical regions reaching now more than 50% of the total production. The world development of pig production has been achieved through improvement of animal genetics and management in temperate countries. However, selection performed in optimally controlled conditions has increased the sensitivity of animals to high ambient temperature. Heat stressed pigs reduce their feed intake which impair their growth or reproduction performances. Management solutions are available to attenuate the effect of heat stress on pigs, such as environmental solutions (water or feeding management). However, these solutions are technically and economically difficult to implement. The genetic selection for improving environmental adaptation in pig production is the most promising long term option. The PigHeaT project aims 1) at identifying QTLs for heat adaptation, by examining direct responses to find genes involved in metabolic ways, indirect responses to find genes affecting growth or robustness to environmental variations, 2) at better understanding the physiological mechanisms underlying heat adaptation. It will provide tools for improving breeding strategies to face the upcoming global warming, and knowledge to better comprehend the physiological reactions of animals submitted to short and long term heat stress. The PigHeaT project is based on original biological resources and original experimental facilities. The studied population will be a backcross between Large White pigs, productive but poorly thermotolerant breed, and Creole pigs, low productive but highly thermotolerant breed. The progeny issued from this backcross will express all possible levels of thermal tolerance and production performances when submitted to heat stress, depending on the alleles received from their parents. High throughput phenotyping, metabolomics on all the progeny, and transcriptomics on a subset of extreme pigs selected on thermal tolerance response, will be applied. It will allow to refine the phenotypes and to achieve a high level of accuracy in QTL detection in the frame of the PigHeaT project. Additionally, the design will benefit from the unique combination of experimental facilities available at INRA: the first part of the project will rely on the backcross population raised in the experimental facilities located in the West Indies (Guadeloupe, tropical environment). The concomitant production of the same population in the experimental facilities available in temperate France (Charente Maritime) will allow the detection of genetic by environment (GxE) effects for the QTL detected in Guadeloupe. Moreover, a heat wave phenomenon will be systematically simulated in the temperate environment at the end of the growing period. As a result, chromosomal regions robust or susceptible to GxE interactions will be identified, GxE being either tropical vs temperate, or tropical vs heat wave. Finally, an integrated analysis of the (fine) phenotypes and QTL will be proposed to better understand the metabolic pathways involved in heat stress responses. The respective use of the QTL and biological knowledge in further breeding strategies will finally be considered.