Groupe Roullier

48 2021 Non-Financial Reporting Statement Groupe Roullier 49 2021 Non-Financial Reporting Statement Groupe Roullier our customers ”, explains Phosphea Marketing and Innovation Manager Caroline Biard. This remote format proved hugely successful, especially among industry professionals in Asia and Africa, who are traditionally the most difficult to involve in physical events. The same approach proved equally successful for a number of our international subsidiaries, which successfully adapted to constraints in order to share their expertise with the largest-possible audience. Improving livestock welfare with innovative solutions As an international stakeholder in animal nutrition, we have an important role to play in animal welfare. Despite being challenged daily on this subject, farmers are often caught between the imperatives of productivity and compliance with societal and regulatory requirements. Using the resources of the Roullier Global Innovation Centre, we are committed to providing answers to our customers and end consumers by developing projects designed to improve livestock farming conditions. In 2021, our research focused on reducing the effects of environmental stress on livestock. Given the effects of global warming, livestock farms are likely to be subjected to increasingly extreme heat stress, and therefore need the resources to adapt successfully. Our work on animal welfare also includes pushing further with research into identifying solutions for treating farm livestock parasites. Caroline Biard , Marketing & Innovation Manager at Phosphea We bring in independent experts alongside our in-house specialists to provide the most relevant insights, as well as potential solutions to the livestock-specific issues addressed.“ The UAB Club highlights problems and solutions specific to organic agriculture that improve the ability of TIMAC AGRO to develop and deliver technologies that meet the real-life needs of growers. French-speaking members of the club met in April 2021 at the Roullier Global Innovation Centre for an event attended by 30 French, Belgian and Swiss farmers and their representatives. The combined issue of water and heat stress was discussed to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved, and help club members to deal effectively with them. Two main areas for future work were identified: developing new ways of working to improve soil structure and porosity, and optimising crop and plant cover combinations to limit these stresses. The meeting was also an opportunity for members to reconnect after the travel restrictions imposed during the health crisis, and learn from the expertise of our Roullier Global Innovation Centre scientists. CASE STUDY THE UAB CLUB: AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR ORGANIC GROWERS T IMAC AGRO formed its UAB (Usable in Organic Agriculture) Club as part of expanding its range of services for organic agriculture, sharing its organic cultivation expertise, and working more closely with growers. This small, but dedicated, community of organic growers meets several times a year to organise events, share good practices and problems, provide feedback on their experience of using TIMAC AGRO solutions, provide technical information, and more... “ The UAB Club is helping us to develop our commitment to building long-term projects with organic growers, and working on research and development projects to deliver precise responses to the problems they face. To create a genuine atmosphere of healthy competition, we must surround ourselves with the people we are committed to serving: growers and retailers. Success in the field can be achieved only by working for them and with them. Organic agriculture is an ecosystem in its own right, governed by very specific operating methods, regulations, techniques and attitudes. So listening and co-construction are essential ”. Boris Wery, UAB Product Development Manager at TIMAC AGRO. The club meeting held in April 2021 for French speakers. COMMITTED TOGETHER FOR OUR CUSTUMERS AND SUPPLIERS COMMITTED TOGETHER FOR OUR CUSTUMERS AND SUPPLIERS