New Brazil-France bilateral cooperation acts aimed at developing agricultural research were signed at the Presidential Palace in Brasilia on 28 March during French President Emmanuel Macron's three-day visit to the country. Embrapa's President Silvia Massruhá and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (Cirad) CEO Elisabeth Claverie de Saint Martin signed a memorandum of understanding reinforcing the partnerships between the two organizations in fields of strategic importance for the future of agriculture, notably in relation to climate change, sustainable development and food security. France is Embrapa's second largest partner in number of cooperation agreements, only after the United States, and Embrapa is also Cirad's main international partner since its inception 40 years ago. In Europe, Cirad is Embrapa's main international partner. "Globalization poses major challenges for research, notably in fields like sustainable production, productive inclusion, carbon footprint reduction, digital farming, genetic improvement, restoration of degrade zones, adaptation to climate change, food security, and hunger and poverty alleviation", states Embrapa's President Silvia Massruhá. At the signing of the new agreement, she stressed the importance of the results produced by the partnership in the course of their cooperation journey. "There have been benefits for public policy and for scientific diplomacy that will allow us to keep making progress in joint studies and projects for the conservation and sustainable use of the Amazon rainforest in both Brazil and French Guiana". For Cirad's CEO Elisabeth Claverie de Saint Martin, the signing of the agreement with Embrapa represents a contribution to addressing a range of shared challenges. “In the light of the projects that are nearing completion, our collaboration could focus more on protecting and rehabilitating soil fertility", she said. "Natural resource management could be another priority, particularly characterizing and promoting biodiversity within the bioeconomy", she added, also stressing that preserving natural resources such as forests and water in northern and northeastern Brazil was also a concern shared by the two countries. According to her, alleviating poverty and food insecurity, particularly in Brazil's Northeast, which is also a G20 goal, is another shared agenda to be addressed by agroecologically intensifying family farming systems. "At last but not least, promotion of local foods and know-how could also be stepped up", she concluded. The memorandum of understanding specifies that the two organizations will base their cooperation on joint planning and implementation of research projects; exchanges and reception of researchers and technicians for programme operations; technical training and research missions; training for researchers and technicians, and hosting of interns, study missions and staff training missions; scientific and technical information sharing, with the joint organization of seminars, symposiums and conferences, and joint publications; participation in national, regional and international calls for tenders and for national and international funding; transfers and exchanges of scientific material and equipment, plus genetic resources, for research or information purposes. About Cirad The Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (Cirad) is a French agricultural research and cooperation organization working for for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions. It is a public institution under the joint authority of the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Its activities focus on life sciences, social sciences and engineering as applied to agriculture, food, environment and territory-based approaches. Cirad works on 6 themes, centered around issues concerning food security, climate change, natural resource management, reducing inequalities and eliminating poverty. The relationship between Embrapa and Cirad dates back to 1975, before Cirad was officially founded. Their partnership was built on shared interests and objectives in terms of developing agricultural research and promoting sustainable agriculture in various world regions. The main examples of the two organizations' work together include research projects on cassava, fruit crops, coffee and cocoa, exchanges of researchers and technicians, biotechnology partners, precision farming and climate change projects, plus their joint participation in international research and development networks. Embrapa and Cirad are currently working together on projects focusing on food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development, the creation of more parasite- and disease-resistant plant varieties, the introduction of more sustainable farming practices to preserve the environment, and promotion of family farming and rural development. Between 2002 and 2022 alone, Embrapa worked with France on almost 1000 scientific publications, putting France second among the countries with which it publishes the most, after the US . France alone accounts for about 30% of all of Embrapa's publications with European institutions. Out of the near 1000 publications with French institutions, 543 involved Cirad alone. "Such figure reflects the liaising performed by Labex Europe, which represents Embrapa in the continent, in contact with partner institutions abroad", reported Vinícius Guimarães, who coordinates the Labex in Montpellier, France. In terms of South-South support, the partnership between Embrapa and Cirad could facilitate the sharing of knowledge and expertise in terms of research and agricultural technology development for tropical climates, while CIRAD can offer its experience of agroecology, rural development, and sustainable production systems. Moreover, this partnership poses potential for capacity building, technology transfer, research cooperation and strengthening public policy related to agricultural development, productivity gains, food security, income generation and improved living conditions in less developed countries.