A world in transitionChallenges for Wageningen UR
Prof. Martin J. Kropff
Rector Magnificus Wageningen University
1A world in transition
Growth of world population and major events
Healthy and safe food
Biobased economy
Algae
Primary residuals (road grass, wood trimmings,
Sustainable available (parts) of crops/plants
(Thermo)chemical conversion
Food & feed
PRODUCE BIOMASS CONVERT BIOMASS PRODUCE BIO-BASED PRODUCTS
Power
Biochemical conversion
Heat
Specialty chemicals
(Base)chemicals& materials
Fuels
Waste
Waste
Secondary residuals (beet pulp, beer brush)
Tertiary residuals (animal fat, dung, GFT)
Johan Sanders – Wageningen UR
Green and blue living environment
Complex issues
2 Complex issues require new approaches and arrangements
The Wageningen approach
Individual
Society
Community
Household
Gene/ Molecule
Cell
Organism
Products
Ecosystem
Planet
Policy & limiting conditions
institutions
technologies
Sys
tem
s bi
olog
y in
tegr
atin
g al
l lev
els
Beh
avio
uran
d go
vern
ance
Integrated theme of complex adaptive systems
Socio-economic
Technological
Incremental
Radical
Incremental Radical
� Bionanochips in crop protection� Robotica� Adapting micro flora to reduce
methane emission in cow� Soilless plant cultures
� New production chains in Africa� Manure as source of energy
and nutrients
� Adapting feed to reduce phosphate emissions
� Introduction GMO� Broad dikes� New mixed farming systems
Wageningen UR
DLO
VHL
WU
3The changing role of science and scientists
From individual approach to networks
authors
International and transnational
Increasing load of information
A new Olympus
Results 1-10 of 432,000,000 fo
r food
and health (0,32 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of 1,120,000 for
biobased economy (0,16 seconds)
Informing the public and policy makers
4Required developments for Wageningen
Scientific exellence: team and individual
Educational excellence
Internationalisation
Concluding remarks
� Complexity: Interdisciplinary approach, co-innovation and international networks
� Individual excellence within team approach
� Comprehensive conclusions for public and policy� Report level of uncertainty� Realising our role as scientists and knowledge
brokers in stead of issue advocacy
A world in transitionScience by inspiration
Algae
Primary residuals
(road grass, wood
trimmings,
Sustainable available
(parts) of crops/plants
(Thermo)chemical conversion
Food & feed
PRODUCE BIOMASS CONVERT BIOMASS PRODUCE BIO-BASED PRODUCTS
Power
Biochemical conversion
Heat
Specialty
chemicals
(Base)chemicals
& materials
Fuels
Waste
Waste
Secondary residuals
(beet pulp, beer brush)
Tertiary residuals
(animal fat, dung,
GFT)
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