Agropolis International is the operator of the Hérault General Council (CG34) for the research component of the interactions with Chile as part of its policy of decentralised cooperation. The aim is to promote and facilitate scientific exchanges between Chilean and French teams on subjects of common interest.

 

The CG 34 has developed since 1997 a policy of preferential exchanges with regional governments in Chile, covering various fields such as culture, medicine, health, training, scientific research, innovation and development. Since 2007 this decentralised cooperation has been focusing on the IV^th region of Chile (Coquimbo). This decentralised cooperation with Chile has allowed since 2000:

- 50 reciprocal missions of Chilean and French teams
- 25 exchanges of trainees
- 10 stays in France for the training of Chilean researchers
- 3 work contracts for French researchers or post-docs in Chile
- 2 sabbatical leaves of French researchers in Chile
- 6 common projects for international calls for tenders
- 25 participations in French-Chilean workshops

Partners

 

 

The CEAZA is the major technical partner of this scientific cooperation, with collaborations The CEAZA is the main technical partner of this scientific cooperation in the following areas:

• from biotechnology to remote sensing
• from conservation of genetic resources to agriculture practices
• from paleoclimatology to biodiversity
• from hydrobiology to water management
  

Water quantity and water quality are current subjects in these collaborative research projects, illustrated by models of integrated water management at the scale of river basins. Some examples: diagnostics of the levels of contamination of surface waters by herbicides (INRA/Montpellier SupAgro); coupled (surface water/underground water) characterisation and modelling of hydrous transfers vs. climatic variability/oscillation (Niño, Niña) (University Montpellier 2); biodiversity of macro-invertebrates as indicator of water quality and health status of ecosystems.

Examples of other collaborative topics: Reconstruction of paleoclimates (isotope analysis and identification of fossil molluscs in Paleoclimatology (University Montpellier 2); Management and conservation of genetic material of plants and seeds (quinoa) (CIRAD); Biotechnology and food traceability (CIRAD); Molecular biology, training workshop (IRD); Bioremediation of sites contaminated by heavy metals (IRD).

Latest news: the CG34 and the Coquimbo region renew their cooperation

At the occasion of the visit of a delegation of 13 people from Coquimbo on June 2011, the cooperation agreement between the Coquimbo region and the Hérault Général Council has been renewed and signed by André Vézinhet, President of the Hérault Général Council (CG34), and Sergio Gahona Salazar, Intendant of the Coquimbo region. Agropolis International acts as operator for the CG34 on the aspects research, innovation and support to the land management, in order to promote and ease the exchanges between the Chilean and French research teams, thus contributing to the scientific influence of both public authorities. Major themes of these exchanges are: viticulture and wine, biotechnology, water resources, aquaculture and environment.

 

 

In the context of this cooperation, Agropolis has welcomed  from June 29 to July 1st, Prof. Mario EDDING, Director of the Department of Marine Biology of the  Facultad de Ciências del Mar, Universidad Catolica del Norte (UCN), Coquimbo, Chile.
The objective of this visit was to develop relations between the UCN and the Hérault department. Prof Edding met several scientists from Polytech Montpellier, IRD/Ifremer, BioCampus Montpellier, Montpellier Institute of Molecular Genetics (IGMM).

 

A delegation of the CG34 will be in Chile from November 6 to 24, 2011 in order to develop cooperation projects in the areas of wine growing, water quality and management, hospital medicine and tourist marketing. The delegation will have the opportunity to attend a seminar titled “ Uso Eficiente de Plaguicidas en Viticultura y Calidad de Agua” (rational use of pesticides in wine growing and water quality). This seminar is organized with the support of Agropolis International