TERRA Teaching and Research Centre

TERRA is a unique research unit in Belgium whose mission is to develop research in biological engineering applied to agronomy, biotechnology and the environment.

News & Events

Ecotron experiment

From fishery waste to growing organic broccoli in the year 2095

Researchers at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech tested the performance of four newly developed bio-based fertilisers produced from fishery waste under present and future meteorological conditions in the TERRA-Ecotron.

Climate

Understanding the consequences of a +3°C climate

With the help of Belgian experts, coordinated by Prof. François Massonnet (FNRS-UCLouvain), Le Soir has created a map showing the consequences of global warming of between 2.7°C and 3.1°C in Belgium, by 2100.

Agriculture

Crop diversification and grazed pastures increase the stability of agricultural productivity

In an article published in PNAS Nexus in December 2025, Mathieu Delandmeter compares the impact of 18 agricultural management scenarios on the American Midwest, covering 48 million hectares.

Last publications

All publications

Patent (Patents)

Processing methods and products for reducing advanced glycation end products and heterocyclic amines in roasted meat

Zhang, Dequan; Li, Mingyu

; Zhang, Chunjiang et al.

In press

Article (Scientific journals)

Long-term fertilization-induced increases in glomalin-related soil protein depend on phosphorus input and aggregate stability across climatic zones

Yang, Hongbo

; Li, Guanmo

; Wu, Dong et al.

2026 • In Soil and Tillage Research, 257, p. 106950

Article (Scientific journals)

Human versus machine: Can generative AI anticipate insect biological control outcomes?

Wyckhuys, Kris A.G.; Akutse, Komivi S.; Amalin, Divina M. et al.

2026 • In Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 242, p. 111317

Our research centres

Environment is life

Understand and predict the influence of environmental factors on terrestrial ecosystem dynamics.

Food is life

Design tomorrow's food, enhance agro-resources, develop bioprocesses and innovative bioproducts.

Agriculture is life

Guarantee a high quality level of agricultural production that respects the environment.

Forest is life

Understand the functioning of temperate and tropical forests in order to better manage them.

Our researchers

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Philippe Jacques

Philippe Jacques is Professor of Microbiology and Applied Microbiology. He has spent his career at five universities in Belgium, Germany, and France. He specializes in secondary metabolites of microbial origin and their use as biopesticides. He is one of the founders of the company Lipofabrik. Philippe Jacques is President of the TERRA Research and Teaching Center.

Patrick Fickers

Patrick Fickers holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Liege and a PhD from the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon. His research focuses on microbial biotechnologies, more specifically on the development of efficient microbial processes for the conversion of industrial by-products into high added value biomolecules. He is the President of the Research and Education Support Unit Food is life.

Bernard Longdoz

Bernard Longdoz realized his PhD in Sciences at ULiège while he was an assistant at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech. He passed 14 years as researcher at INRA (France) before he came back as Professor at Gembloux. His research focuses on the influence of climate on carbon, water and energy cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Bernard Longdoz is the Chair of the CARE Environement is life.

Jean-Louis Doucet

Jean-Louis Doucet holds a PhdD in agronomic sciences and biological engineering. Specializing in sustainable management of tropical rainforests, he teaches at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, ERAIFT (D R Congo) and USTM (Gabon). Jean-Louis Doucet is the Chair of the CARE Forest is Life.

Yves Beckers

Yves Beckers is a full professor specializing in animal sciences, animal nutrition, and livestock systems. He is the president of CARE Agriculture is Life.

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TERRA Teaching and Research Centre

An interdisciplinary research centre, TERRA studies and develops biological engineering in the fields of agri-food, agriculture, biotechnology, the environment and forestry.