Fondation Avril, at the heart of local initiatives
Irrespective of the country in which it operates, Fondation Avril pursues a single goal: to help regions shape sound local agricultural sectors that create value and are environmentally-friendly. It steps in where agricultural and food transitions are underway, by giving local players the means to get organized, to innovate, and to work together.
Supporting Territories with Positive Agriculture
Since 2019, Territories with Positive Agriculture programs (TPA) have been illustrating this approach. Each edition targets a geographical area (1st TPA: Massif Central, 2nd TPA: Adour-Garonne Basin, 3rd TPA: Grand Est) and a topic, by bringing together farmers, sector players, public and private regional organizations, and citizens around joint projects. In Nouvelle Aquitaine, for example, the TPA2 program structured the hemp sector through the work of the hemp association Chanvre Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Thanks to the Foundation’s support, this regional sector has now developed across five areas, from food to textile, by creating positive economic, environmental, and health impacts.
Training for tomorrow
Another of the Foundation’s key drivers is training. Through its “Leg & Knowledge” Chair, launched hand-in-hand with the Institut Agro Foundation (French higher education and research institute for food, agriculture, and environment), it helps establish legume sectors on both sides of the Mediterranean. Through training, research projects, theses, and mobility programs, a new generation of players are trained to structure these sectors which are still underdeveloped. Finally, the Foundation has now also initiated its CASTER program, devoted to food education. By focusing on local projects, it helps citizens better grasp the link between agriculture, food and regions, and promote healthier, more sustainable food. Through these complementary initiatives, Fondation Avril turns intentions into tangible projects and develops tomorrow’s local sectors everywhere.