Acta in the French regions

A renewed programming and funding context for Research, Development and Innovation

Acta and the Agricultural Technical Institutes (ITA), which are national organizations, have always worked in the French territories. Indeed, given the wealth and diversity of French agriculture, the various ITAs are located in regions where their respective sectors account for a significant share of agricultural production. 

Since the deployment of European structural funds in the regions (and in particular the financing of the EIP-AGRI Operational Groups through the Rural development funds) as well as the successive laws on the decentralization of the French State, there has been an increase in the power of the regional authorities in the management of public research and innovation policies. This has generated added value for the territories as well as for the agricultural sectors. 

Acta and the ITAs, with their experience and their network, have taken this turn and resolutely include their actions in these territorial dynamics. In this way, they actively participate in regional Research-Development-Innovation ecosystems and meet the needs of French territories in their diversity.

A regional representation of the Acta network

Acta and the ITAs decided in 2015 to organize and structure the network at the regional level to be able to respond operationally to the needs of the regions. 

Since 2016, in each French region, the ITA network has appointed an agricultural professional as “Acta’s regional delegate president”, as well as an “operational regional delegate” in charge of leading the network of ITAs established in the territory. 

This organization is well deployed in all metropolitan as well as overseas regions and aims to: 

• Federate the actors of applied research and facilitate the representation of ITA in the Regions; 
• Strengthen the visibility and readability of ACTA Network in the Regions; 
• Boost relationships with the Regional Councils; 

• Strengthen partnerships with all the players in the regional RDI ecosystem.

Active participation in regional ecosystems for the multi-performance of territories

This regional organization allows the Acta network to be well-represented in the various consultation bodies for agricultural research, development and innovation and to participate in regional programming by promoting the diversity of its expertise and know-how. 

Acta’s regional organization is firmly rooted in partnership dynamics in order to work strategically and operationally in synergy and complementarity with research players (INRAE, CIRAD, etc.), higher education, advisory services (Agricultural Chambers) and agricultural sectors (farmers bodies, cooperatives) to develop and disseminate innovative solutions that strengthen the multi-performance of territories.