Centre de Recherches agronomiques wallon

The CRA-W (Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques) is a public agronomic research centre serving Wallonia. It positions itself as an actor at the service of citizens, consumers, the economy, and the transition toward more sustainable Walloon agriculture. Its work combines scientific research, technical services, and support for farmers, livestock breeders, horticulturists, foresters, and agri-food operators. The centre operates across several sites, including Gembloux, Libramont, and Mussy-la-Ville, and carries out around 130 research projects at any given time in collaboration with Walloon, Belgian, European, and international partners. Core Values Sustainability : CRA-W explicitly aims to reduce synthetic inputs, limit agriculture’s climate impact, and support more durable production systems. Quality and reliability : Its research and services focus on ensuring product quality, process quality, and dependable analytical and experimental results. Support for the sector : The centre works to improve profitability, preserve farmers’ quality of life, and help value agricultural production in conventional, local, and organic chains. Biodiversity and environmental protection : Many activities are oriented toward protecting biodiversity, the environment, and consumers while improving production systems. Innovation and practical usefulness : CRA-W develops tools, methods, and experiments that are meant to be directly useful to professionals in the field. Unique Aspects Public research centre with a broad agronomic scope : CRA-W covers essentially all agronomy domains, from crops and livestock to soils, water, biodiversity, and product quality. Strong organic-agriculture commitment : It has worked on organic farming for more than 30 years and is involved in Wallonia’s Plan Bio 2030, including long-term system trials and varietal/rootstock testing. Integrated research-service model : Unlike a purely academic institute, CRA-W combines research, laboratory analysis, experimental infrastructure, advice, and decision-support tools in one organisation. Multiple operational sites and experimental resources : The centre operates from Gembloux, Libramont, and Mussy-la-Ville and maintains experimental crops, animal herds, and collections to support applied research. Sector-facing digital tools : CRA-W has developed several decision-support tools and platforms, such as tools for pasture management, crop monitoring, and farm management, to translate research into day-to-day use.