“Food: Past and Future” will be the theme of the next Science Bar

[Press Release] - Published on March 31, 2025 in Press Room

The next Science Bar, organized by the University of Montpellier, will take place on Thursday, April 10, starting at 8:30 p.m. For this edition, Clémentine Allinne, a researcher in systemic agroecology; Reine Barbar, a lecturer and researcher in food engineering; Franck Curk, an agronomist and researcher in genetics; and Valérie Poncet, a doctor of genetics, will discuss food from the past and the future.

The Bar des sciences has become one of Montpellier’s flagship events for science culture, offering a monthly participatory public discussion on all aspects of science from January through June. Throughout the season, scientists are invited to engage in a dialogue where their knowledge and practices are not only shared but also open to discussion. The season is co-produced by the scientific culture departments of the University of Montpellier and its partners: INRAE, INSERM, and IRD. Sign language interpretation is provided for this event.

A Science Café dedicated to food

About 7 out of 10 French people start their day with a cup of coffee. Once an exotic product, it has become an indispensable part of our daily lives, reflecting the complexity and interconnectedness of our food systems. This apparent accessibility masks a more fragile reality.

Many everyday food products that are readily available at the supermarket are made possible by complex supply chains and come from the other side of the world. Food production, whether local or from distant regions, is increasingly vulnerable to environmental uncertainties. Climate change is putting a strain on crops, whose various varieties do not always have time to adapt to rapidly changing environmental conditions.

In research laboratories across Montpellier, numerous teams are studying these phenomena to better understand and anticipate them. It is imperative to adopt more sustainable, environmentally friendly practices to ensure food security for future generations. This involves crop diversification, promoting agroecology, sustainable water management, and reducing our carbon footprint. From studying the coffee plant genome to develop the most resilient varieties, to exploring the history of local citrus fruits to avert the predicted end of orange juice, and processing the most suitable grains and legumes, scientists are working to meet new food challenges. Four of these experts will answer all your questions at the science bar “Will We Soon Be Without Our Coffee? From the Past to the Future of Food.”

To discuss this topic, four experts from various fields will answer questions from the audience:

• Clémentine ALLINNE (CIRAD) is a researcher in systemic agroecology. She specializes in tropical agroforestry systems that integrate coffee, cocoa, and banana trees, and seeks to harness biodiversity to strengthen the resilience of agroecosystems, balancing economic, social, and ecological sustainability.
• Reine BARBAR (IATE – INRAE and University of Montpellier) is a professor and researcher in food engineering. Her work focuses on sustainable food systems, local culinary traditions and their adaptation to societal needs, and the processing of grains and legumes to support agroecological and food system transitions.
• Franck CURK (AGAP Institute – CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro Montpellier, and the University of Montpellier) is an agronomist and geneticist. He studies the mechanisms underlying the diversification of cultivated citrus fruits. He managed the citrus collection at the San Giuliano Citrus Conservation Center (CRB Citrus INRAE-CIRAD) for 10 years.
• Valérie PONCET (DIADE—Diversity, Adaptation, and Plant Development—IRD, CIRAD, and the University of Montpellier) holds a Ph.D. in genetics. As a research director at IRD, she studies the role of evolutionary processes in shaping the diversity and adaptations of coffee plants in their native African environment.