Poland

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Priorities of agricultural research and innovation fields:

• development of sustainable agriculture
• biotechnology including genetic engineering
• quality foods chain and safety foods
• functional foods
• alternative and renewable sources of energy (green energy)
• animal health and welfare
• protection of land and water quality
• infrastructure of rural areas.

Agricultural research in Poland is implemented in the following areas:

• agriculture
• rural areas
• agricul­tural market development
• social problems of rural areas
• fishery
• forestry

The Polish agricultural research system is financed mainly by the Ministry of Education and Science. Certain agricultural research institutions gain allocations from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on:

• biological progress, preservation of genetic reserves, breeding and usability valuation
• quality monitoring of soil, water and plants, agricultural and food products
• economical analysis and monitoring of agricultural markets
• control of contagious diseases of livestock
• ecological agriculture>
• and other tasks necessary for the proper implementation of agricultural policy in Poland

Agricultural research is implemented by:

• research-development institutions under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, link: http://www.minrol.gov.pl
• institutions of the Polish Academy of Sciences, link: http://www.pan.pl
• research-developmental institutions under the authority of:
  • the Ministry of Economy, link: http://www.mgip.gov.pl
  • the Ministry the Environment, link: http://www.mos.gov.pl
  • the Ministry Health, link: http://www.mz.gov.pl
  • the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, link: http://www.mpips.gov.pl
• universities under the authority of the Ministry of Education and Science, links: http://www.menis.gov.pl, http://www.mnii.gov.pl.

Research – development institutions under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

With the status of the National Research Institute:

1. National Veterinary Research Institute, link: http://www.piwet.pulawy.pl

The major mission of the Institute is applied research in veterinary medicine, particularly concentrating on prophylaxis and diagnosis of infectious diseases, including zoonoses, and on hygiene and toxicology of food of animal origin.

2. Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, link: http://www.ierigz.waw.pl

The Institute conducts the research concerning food and agricultural economics. The research subjects include:

• prior markets of agricultural products and markets of means of production for agriculture
• agricultural and food policy
• farms economics
• economics of agri-food processing
• socio-economic problems of rural areas
• income policy of agriculture.


3. Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, link: http://www.iung.pulawy.pl

The Institute carries out research studies accompanied by the implementation and extension services within the scientific programme “Sustainable Development of Crop Production and Management of Agricultural Area of Poland” comprising crop production, soil science and fertilization, recognition and protection of agricultural resources.

Other Research Institutes:

4. National Research Institute of Animal Production, link: http://www.izoo.krakow.pl

National Research Institute of Animal Production carries out studies in the areas of genetics and breeding of farm animals, feed science and nutrition of farm animals, reproduction biotechnology, immuno- and cytogenetics, technology, ecology and economics of animal production, quality of animal raw materials and products.

5. Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, link: http://www.ihar.edu.pl

The Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR) is the largest Polish research centre in the multi-disciplinary area of crop improvement, biotechnology, germplasm conservation and enhancement. IHAR was founded in 1951 for research in breeding and seed production of major field crops. Research agenda is focused on:

• identification of genetic sources of the important agronomic traits
• studies on their genetic control and methods of utilization
• research on the mechanisms controlling crop resistance to diseases, pests and environmental stresses
• application of biotechnological methods in plant breeding and gene transformation


6. Institute of Plant Protection, link: http://www.ior.poznan.pl

The Institute of Plant Protection aims to conduct research providing the basis for plant protection and to develop better control means against pests and to promote environmentally-sympathetic agriculture in Poland. Research agenda is focused on:

• fundamentals of control of the most important diseases and pests of arable crops and weeds
• monitoring of plant protection products residue in plant products, evaluation of effectiveness of plant protection products and assessment of the risk of unwanted side-effects in practice
• susceptibility of plant varieties to agrophages
• plant protection in the integrated production, ecological agriculture and in the conditions of balanced development
• plant protection programmes.


7. Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology, link: http://www.ibprs.pl

Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology carries out studies in the areas of technologies and techniques as well as raw material and industrial product analysis for: fermentation industries, fruit and vegetable industry, processing and storage of cereal grains, baking and pastry industry, food concentrate and stimulant industry, spirit industry and fodder industry. The research subjects also include packaging materials, packaging, packaging techniques and obtainment, collection, storage and improvement of microbial strains useful for biotechnological processes.

8. Inland Fisheries Institute, link: http://www.infish.com.pl

The main research and development projects and scientific research at the Inland Fisheries Institute include:

• determining a natural basis to optimize fish production methods
• breeding, rearing and acclimatizing fish
• fishing techniques
• fisheries economics


9. Sea Fisheries Institute, link: http://www.mir.gdynia.pl

Areas of research at the Sea Fisheries Institute include fisheries biology, fisheries oceanography and marine ecology, fish processing technology and fisheries economics.

10. Institute for Building, Mechanization and Electrification of Agriculture, link: http://www.ibmer.waw.pl

Areas of research at the Institute for Building, Mechanization and Electrification of Agriculture include:

• economical and organizational aspects of technical means usage in agriculture and in its infrastructure
• agricultural engineering, technical and management infrastructure in countryside and rural area
• systems of energy management in agriculture and rural area including renewable energy
• material engineering and utilization of technical means in agriculture.


11. Institute of Land Reclamation and Grassland Farming, link: http://www.imuz.edu.pl

The Institute of Land Reclamation and Grassland Farming carries our research and application works in the field of environmental sciences and agronomy, in particular:

• preservation of natural values of rural environment
• water management issues in rural areas
• irrigation and agromelioration of agricultural lands
• flood and droughts problems
• sanitary issues in rural areas
• management of pastures and meadows
• multifunctional and sustainable development of rural areas (at the level village, commune, region, river basin), preservation and proper utilization of the natural values of a region (biodiversity and landscape diversity, protection of water, soils and air)
• development of technical and natural infrastructure for water supply and sewage management in rural areas.


12. Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, link: http://www.insad.pl

Areas of research at the Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture include:

• breeding of fruit crop plants, evaluation of cultivars and nursery-based breeding, seed production, protection against diseases, pests and weeds, storage, mechanization, economy and organization
• physiology and morphogenesis of ornamental plants, micro-reproduction, cultivation, fertilization, protection, storage
• bee breeding and keeping methods, apiary organization, chemistry and technology of bee products.


13. Research Institute of Vegetable Crops, link: http://www.inwarz.skierniewice.pl

Research Institute of Vegetable Crops is the main research unit in Poland developing scientific and practical base for production of vegetable crops in the field and under cover as well as mushroom. Priority areas of agricultural research at the Institute include: genetic, breeding and biotechnology; technology of vegetable production in open filed, under cover and mushroom growing; plant protection against diseases, pests and weeds; technology of vegetable storage, processing and quality and biological value evaluation.

14. Institute of Meat and Fat Industry, link: http://www.ipmt.waw.pl

Areas of research at the Institute of Meat and Fat Industry include:

• optimisation of meat production, taking into consideration pre- and post-slaughter factors
• improving HACCP systems in industrial plants in meat production and processing
• research works on quality of products of animal origin and plant fats, taking into consideration their technological, nutrition, health quality and environmental protection aspects.


15. Institute of Sugar Industry, link: http://www.inspcukr.bip.waw.pl

Areas of research at the Institute of Sugar Industry include:

• raw material management – plantation protection, raw material storage
• technology of sugar beet processing into sugar
• environment protection
• power management
• sugar industry analytics.


16. Research Institute of Medical Plants and Products, link: http://www.iripz.pl

The aim of the Institute is to conduct research on the conservation of medicinal plants species used for therapy and nutrition, and also for the prophylaxis.
The Institute carries out research on the development of new technologies in the field of plant medicines, as well as on the standardization and normalization of raw materials and herbal products.

17. Starch and Potato Products Research Laboratory, link: http://www.clpz.poznan.pl

Areas of research at Starch and Potato Products Research Laboratory include:

• technologies of production of starch preparation for paper, textile and other branches of industry (protective colloids, binders, flocculants)
• food starch thickeners
• starch hydrolysates
• functional food components (stabilisers, bases, and aromas)
• potato food products (dry blends, concentrates).


18. Central Laboratory for Frozen Food Industry, link: http://www.clch.pl

Areas of research at Central Laboratory for Frozen Food Industry include:

• technology and technique of frozen and chilled food production (culinary products, fruit, vegetables, ice – cream and frozen desserts
• technique and technology of cold storage
• quality and safety of raw materials, semi – products and final products
• energy saving during food freezing and cold storing
• new raw materials for frozen food industry


19. Research-Development Centre of Gastronomy Industry and Grocery, link: http://www.cobrclj.com.pl

Areas of research at the Research-Development Centre of Gastronomy Industry and Grocery include:

• quality of food and agricultural products
• food processing technologies
• modernization and improvement of technological processes and food safety
• sanitary-hygienic production aspects
• additional substances and contaminations of agricultural-food products.

Research & development units under authority of the Polish Academy of Sciences:

1. The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, link: http://www.ifzz.pl
2. Polish Academy of Sciences Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, link: http://www.irwirpan.waw.pl
3. Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, link: http://www.pan.olsztyn.pl
4. Research Centre for Agricultural and Forest Environment of the Polish Academy of Sciences, link: http://www.zbsril.poznan.pl
5. Bohdan Dobrzański Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, link: http://www.ipan.lublin.pl
6. Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, link: http://www.igr.poznan.pl
7. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, link: http://www.ighz.edu.pl

Research & development units under Ministers of Economy, the Environment, Health, Education and Science, Labour and Social Policy:

1. Institute of Natural Fibres, link: http://www.inf.poznan.pl
2. Forest Research Institute in Warsaw, link: http://www.ibles.waw.pl
3. Fertilizers Research Institute, link: http://www.ins.pulawy.pl
4. Industrial Institute of Agricultural Engineering, link: http://www.pimr.poznan.pl
5. Institute of Industrial Organic Chemistry, link: http://www.ipo.waw.pl
6. National Food and Nutrition Institute, link: http://www.izz.waw.pl
7. Institute of Environmental Protection, link: http://www.ios.edu.pl
8. Polish Packaging Research and Development Centre, link: http://www.cobro.org.pl
9. Central Institute for Labour Protection, link: http://www.ciop.waw.pl
10. Institute for Educational Research, link: http://www.ibe.edu.pl
11. Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, link: http://ichn.gliwice.pl
12. Institute of Agricultural Medicine, link: http://www.imw.lublin.pl
13. Institute of Sustainable Development, link: http://www.ine-isd.org.pl
14. Institute of Labour and Social Studies, link: http://www.ipiss.com.pl
15. Institute of Home Market and Consumption, link: http://www.irwik.waw.pl
16. Wood Technology Institute, link: http://www.itd.poznan.pl
17. Institute for Terotechnology, link: http://www.itee.radom.pl
18. National Institute of Hygiene, link: http://www.pzh.gov.pl

Universities with an Agricultural Profile:

1. Warsaw Agricultural University, link: http://www.sggw.waw.pl
2. University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, link: http://www.uwm.edu.pl
3. The August Cieszkowski Agricultural University of Poznań, link: http://www.au.poznan.pl
4. University of Cracow, link: http://www.ar.krakow.pl
5. Agricultural University of Lublin, link: http://www.ar.lublin.pl
6. Agricultural University of Wrocław, link: http://www.ar.wroc.pl
7. University of Agriculture in Szczecin, link: http://www.ar.szczecin.pl
8. University of Technology and Agriculture in Bygdoszcz, The Faculty of Agriculture, link: http://www.art.bydgoszcz.pl
9. Zielona Góra University, The Faculty of Environmental and Civil Engineering, link: http://www.uz.zgora.pl
10. University of Podlasie, The Faculty of Agriculture, link: http://www.ap.siedlce.pl

More detailed information about the institutions acting in the scope of agricultural research in Poland is enclosed in the Guide-Book 2005: “Science for the Rural Areas, Agriculture and Fishery in Poland” (323 pages; 7 MB).