FEDER - ROUEN NORMANDY UNIVERSITY (GLYCOMEV LAB) - SMN PROJECT
Kohesio
UNIVERSITE DE ROUEN-NORMANDIE
Faced with the increase in demand for proteins intended for animal and human food (vegetarian and vegan diet), the development of the cultivation of oilseeds (soybean, rapeseed, sunflower, pea, faba bean, lupine, flax, etc.) represents a major challenge. The world production of oilseeds has experienced considerable growth over the last 20 years, with in particular a doubling of the production of soybeans to reach nearly 360 MnT in 2018. The European Union imports each year 17 million tonnes (Mt) of crude vegetable proteins (soybeans, pulses, sunflowers, etc.), of which 13 Mt are based on largely GMO soybeans. At the national level, oilseed crops cover 2.6 million ha in 2018, or around 22% of the usable agricultural area (UAA) in mainland France. Regionally, in 2017, Normandy produced 570, 73, and 37 thousand tons of rapeseed, peas, and beans, respectively. Despite relatively large areas of oilseed and protein crops, France imports most of its soybean needs from the American continent. Thus, in 2018, it was estimated that more than two thirds of soybeans used in France came from imports. Having remained marginal for a long time, soybean cultivation is experiencing strong growth in France with areas quadrupling between 2013 (42,000 ha) and 2018 (154,000 ha) for production which currently reaches 400,000 tonnes, in particular thanks to the appearance of early varieties that can adapt to various pedoclimatic contexts. In France, the food outlets for soybean meal are divided into 80% for animal feed and 20% for human food. The aerial and root parts also represent a strong potential in terms of green manure and animal fodder. This legume presents good agronomic performances due to its numerous physiological advantages and a model well suited to cultivation in organic agriculture. In April 2018, the inter-professional association launched a “Soja de France” charter which is based on four commitments: French origin, local crops and non-GMO products, guaranteed traceability from the seed to the processed soy product, and sustainability criteria. Terres Univia hopes that 50% of the 650,000 t of seeds planned for 2025 will be produced under this label. Even if the historic basins (South-West and Burgundy) remain predominant, the soybean cultivation area is expanding, thanks to the recent registration of early and very early varieties which make it possible to introduce this high-potential crop into the agricultural regions of the North/West of France. Thus in Normandy, some soybean cultivation trials have been implemented in recent years. Despite these initiatives, there remain many obstacles to the development of this crop in our region to achieve the targeted yield and protein quality objectives: the choice of variety, securing the establishment of the crop and determining the agronomic levers linked to the specific Norman pedoclimatic context. It is in this context that the Soja Made in Normandy (SMN) project falls.
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