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Agropolis Fondation funds Pl@ntNet


Agropolis Fondation is providing 3 million euros to its first ever Flagship Programme (FP) called Pl@ntNet, short for Computational plant identification & collaborative information system.

Pl@ntNet is a web-oriented scientific, informative and educational network and software platform dedicated to the collaborative gathering, sharing and use of large, multi-disciplinary datasets on tropical and Mediterranean plants.

This FP is envisioned to be implemented over a period of four years and will include, among others, new easy-access tools dedicated to automated plant identification, to the establishment of potential distribution maps of useful or key plant species and plant communities, and to the search and exploitation of internal as well as external knowledge banks on plant uses and production. The programme involves a large international partnership around three leader teams, AMAP Joined Research Unit, IMEDIA Research Team, and NGO Tela Botanica.

Pl@ntnet's total estimated programme cost is roughly 9 million euros. The Foundation's initial investment is expected to leverage and boost additional funding, notably from international funding agencies as well as private and public organizations in the Information Science and Technology sector. Agropolis Fondation has embarked in the launching of Flagship Programmes (FPs) in 2008.

These initiatives of major scientific and strategic importance are expected to bring scientific breakthrough and demonstrate the degree and extent by which the know-how, expertise and competencies of the various research units comprising the Foundation's scientific network and their partners are mobilized and put into use in order to contribute in addressing major challenges of our time.

Pl@ntnet is envisioned to be an open platform. It will continuously seek the involvement of interested partners that are able to add value to this new programme. Preparations for the launching and implementation of this major initiative are underway.

 

Contacts:

Daniel Bathelemy

AMAP Joined Research Unit

daniel.barthelemy@cirad.fr

Nozah Boujemaa

IMEDIA Project Team

Nozha.Boujemaa@inria.fr