Acronym

IUNG-PIB

Country

Poland

Contact Persons

The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute (IUNG-PIB) is a continuation of 150 years of the activity of agricultural centers in Puławy – thus representing the oldest tradition on the European continent in this regard. IUNG was founded in 1950 as one of the institutions created after the division of the National Institute of Agriculture. The headoffice of the Institute is located in the historic palace of the Czartoryski family. Currently, IUNG has the status of state research institute operating under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). As a distinguished center of agricultural sciences in the country and abroad, it was twice awarded the status of EU Centre of Excellence (PROLAND in 2002-2006 and PROFICIENCY in 2009- 2014), which is tantamount to its becoming a full partner in the European Research Area. In 2015-2020 the Institute manages and implements the HORIZON 2020 project “New Strategies on Bio-Economy in Poland” –BioEcon. From 1st October, 2019, the Institute acts as the coordinator of the BIOEASTsUP project “Advancing Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in Central and Eastern European countries: BIOEASTsUP “.

 

The BIOEASTsUP project will support the BIOEAST initiative in the implementation of its Vision until 2030 and the Action Plan for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the field of bioeconomy. This goal will be achieved through the involvement of stakeholders, putting emphasis on a sustainable and circular bioeconomy on the agenda of Central and Eastern European governments, and supporting and developing national bioeconomy strategies. 21 partners are involved in the implementation of the project. IUNG has also gained recognition at the national level – since 2005, it has had the status of State Research Institute (SRI) and is currently realizing a long-term program of “Support activities for the protection and rational use of agricultural production area in Poland and for shaping the quality of plant raw materials” (2016-2020). As a result of comprehensive evaluation of scientific units for the years 2013-2016, IUNG got the A category and is ranked among the best units in the country. Within the last 12 years, IUNG has been working on bioenergy issue concentrating on determination of the feedstock potential of agricultural residues, organic wastes and forestry residues in EU27 and Switzerland as well as the impact of introducing new agricultural practices (including machinery) on the environment. IUNG has databases of many agricultural practices that will be used in the project.

 

The institute has been successful in coordinating and participating in a number of 6FP, 7FP, H2020 national projects, as well as international ones. The source of funding of the Institute, besides the statutory funds allocated by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the activities within the SRI, are national and international projects, MARD programs, central programs, research commissioned by local administration, industry and other entities. In 2019, the Institute carried out a total of 35 projects funded by the following measures: a)National Science Centre – 10 projects; b) The National Centre for Research and Development – 10 projects; c) The Operational Programme Intelligent Development – 3 projects; d) Cooperation Programme – 1 project; e) 7th Framework Programme – 1 project; f) HORIZON 2020 – 7 projects; g) INTERREG Baltic Sea Region – 1 project; h) Other international projects – 2 projects. The Institute has a vast experience in project management.

Projects, in which the Institute serves / served as project coordinator are: BioEcon, BIOEASTsUP, LCAgri, KIK/25, AZOMAIS. The Institute employs 312 people. Academic staff of IUNG-PIB comprises 88 researchers, including 15 professors, 15 associate professors, 26 assistant professors, 17 assistants, and 15 research and technical staff. 12 persons are members of Doctoral Studies.