SYNDICAT DES SELECTIONNEURS AVICOLES ET AQUACOLES FRANCAIS

Their core work

SYSAAF is the French federation of poultry and aquaculture breeding companies, representing the genetics and selection industry for farmed birds and fish. They bridge applied animal genetics research with commercial breeding programs, bringing industry-wide coordination and real-world breeding data to EU research consortia. Their core contribution is translating genomic and genetic research into practical selection tools for aquaculture species (salmon, trout, sea bass, sea bream) and poultry/pig production systems. Based in Nouzilly — home to INRAE's major animal genetics campus — they serve as the organized voice of French animal breeders in European research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

SYSAAF's early H2020 work (2016–2019) centered on applied aquaculture production: fish nutrition, product development, profitability, and blue growth for Mediterranean species like sea bream and sea bass. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward genetics, epigenetics, resilience, and animal welfare — reflecting the broader European push toward sustainable and welfare-conscious livestock systems. The most recent projects (GEroNIMO, INTAQT) show a deepening into molecular-level tools (epigenomics, prediction models) and quality authentication, suggesting SYSAAF is moving up the value chain from production optimization to precision breeding and traceability.

SYSAAF is moving from applied aquaculture production toward precision genomics and welfare-oriented breeding across both fish and terrestrial livestock, positioning them for the EU's growing emphasis on sustainable food systems.

How they like to work

SYSAAF operates exclusively as a participant or third party — never as a coordinator — which is consistent with their role as an industry federation rather than a research institution. They work in large consortia (163 unique partners across 8 projects), contributing sector expertise and breeding industry data rather than leading scientific agendas. This makes them a reliable, low-friction partner who brings real-world industry access and validation capacity without competing for scientific leadership.

SYSAAF has built a broad European network of 163 unique partners across 21 countries through 8 projects, with particularly strong ties to aquaculture and animal genetics research groups across the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Their network spans universities, research institutes, and breeding companies — making them a useful connector between academic genetics research and commercial application.

What sets them apart

SYSAAF occupies a rare niche: they are the organized interface between France's animal breeding industry and European research. While universities provide the science and companies provide the market, SYSAAF provides collective industry representation, coordinated breeding data, and a multi-species perspective spanning fish, poultry, and pigs. For consortium builders, they offer something hard to find elsewhere — a single partner that legitimately represents an entire national breeding sector and can facilitate real-world validation of genetic tools.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AquaIMPACT
  Largest funding (EUR 255K) and most comprehensive scope — combining genomics, nutrition, and product development for multiple farmed fish species across the full value chain.
• GEroNIMO
  Represents SYSAAF's frontier work in epigenetics and non-genetic inheritance for monogastric animals, signaling their move into next-generation breeding science.
• PPILOW
  Their largest terrestrial livestock project (EUR 179K), focused on welfare in organic and low-input poultry/pig systems — diversifying SYSAAF beyond aquaculture into a politically high-priority area.