Our thematic networks

BIOFRUITNET is coordinated by NATURLAND - VERBAND FUR OKOLOGISCHEN LANDBAU EV

The EU is the leading region for the production of organic fruits, with a rapidly expanding production and a demand for organic products which grows every year. However, at the same time, the amount and value of organic imports from outside the EU is increasing. For organic fruit farmers in the EU this poses a challenge to succeed in an increasingly competitive market. In addition, organic fruit growing is a very demanding farming activity. This is because, the sector faces specific problems that cannot be solved using conventional approaches based on the use of synthetics substances. As organic fruit growers cannot rely on synthetic inputs, many of them have, on a local level, developed competitive strategies to improve plant health. Moreover, there is considerable research on improving organic fruit growing systems. The problem, however, is that this knowledge is not easily accessible to farmers all over Europe and remains either locally known or only available in the scientific sphere.

BovINE is coordinated by TEAGASC - AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

BovINE will tackle urgent sustainability challenges faced by beef producers by bringing together beef farmers, farming organisations, advisors, researchers and all relevant actors across 10 member states to close the divide between research and innovation in Europe. There are 255,000 farms in the EU bovine meat sector, yet no network focused solely on their needs has been established to date. Coordinated by Teagasc (IE), BovINE is built around the multi-actor approach to implement more intense cooperation between researchers, advisors, farmers and relevant actors to facilitate greater exchange and acceptance of co-created solutions. BovINE draws on the EU, national and regional connections of the 18 consortium members to appropriate networks, on the four related key themes of socio-economic resilience, animal health and welfare, production efficiency & quality and environmental sustainability.

EUROSHEEP is coordinated by INSTITUT DE L'ELEVAGE

The future of the sheep farming industry, in Europe and other associated countries, will be heavily influenced by its capacity to respond to several challenges including sustainability and profitability; environmental (in part due to climate change); and new societal expectations. To address these challenges, animal health and nutrition management are key levers which can be used by farmers EuroSheep will focus on those 2 topics.
The overall objective of the EuroSheep project is to create a self-sustainable EU/international Thematic Network on “sheep profitability through health and nutrition” designed to stimulate knowledge exchange and cross-fertilisation among a wide range of actors & stakeholders in the sheep sector in order to widely disseminate relevant and ready to use best practices and innovations, and to value the grassroots input and knowledge exchange from farmers to farmers.

SMARTPROTECT is coordinated by INAGRO, PROVINCIAAL EXTERN VERZELFSTANDIGD AGENTSCHAP IN PRIVAATRECHTELIJKE VORM VZW

SMARTPROTECT is a thematic network focusing on cross regional knowledge sharing of SMART IPM solutions for farmers and advisors. The aim is to stimulate knowledge flow in the regional AKISs across the EU and connect these on the innovative potential of advanced methodologies for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in vegetable production, integrating precision farming technologies and data analytics. Through a well-balanced consortium and an emphasis on multi-actor approach the outcome of the project and exploitation of its results will stimulate an increased adaptation of IPM methodologies, taking the specific regional needs of farmers across Europe into account. The EU-wide concern for environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness for agriculture requires the entire agriculture sector to grow under IPM conditions.

ROSEWOOD is coordinated by STEINBEIS INNOVATION GGMBH

ROSEWOOD4.0 builds on the well-established ROSEWOOD network of Regional Hubs connecting multiple actors along the forest value chain to reinforce the sustainability of wood mobilisation in Europe. The new action will especially reinforce and enlarge the links with Eastern Europe by creating a new Eastern Hub including new countries (Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine). Secondly, the action puts special emphasis on digitalisation (forestry industry 4.0) and digital tools (social media, platforms, e-learning) for training and coaching, enabling practitioners to share know-how with much wider impact. The focus on ICT addresses the two main challenges in wood mobilisation: 1) better access to resources through defragmentation of forest owners and 2) increased volume to the market and higher transparency.

EUPIG is coordinated by THE AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE DEVELOPMENT BOARD (AHDB)

The European Union (EU) is the world’s second biggest producer of pigmeat and is the market’s largest exporter. In order to maintain an economically viable and sustainable pig industry, innovation is a key factor. EU PiG specifically aims to more effectively connect producers with the latest science, husbandry techniques and technologies from within their industry via fellow producers, academics and advisors connected through thematic and regional platforms. A unique consortium of 19 organisations has been brought together, representing 13 Member States that together account for 92% of the EU’s pig meat production and 89% of the EU’s pig herd in 2014.

4D4F is coordinated by INNOVATION FOR AGRICULTURE

The Data Driven Dairy Decisions for Farmers (4D4F) thematic network will focus on the role which dairy animal and environmental sensors can play in collecting real time information to help make more informed decisions in dairy farming.
The network will develop a Community of Practice comprised of farmers, farm advisors, technology suppliers, knowledge exchange professionals and researchers who will work together to debate, collect and communicate best practice drawn from innovative farmers, industry and the research community to facilitate the co-creation of best practice. The results will be communicated to farmers using best practice guides on the use of sensors and data analysis tools supported by videos, infographics and an online virtual warehouse of dairy sensor technologies.

EUFRUIT is coordinated by AARHUS UNIVERSITET

The European Fruit Network (EUFRUIT) includes 12 countries focussed on 4 thematic areas of critical for the competiveness and innovation potential of the European Fruit sector: i) new cultivar development and evaluation; ii) minimise residues on fruit and the environment; iii) optimising storage and fruit quality; iv) sustainable production systems. EUFRUIT will coordinate and support innovation through developing a framework for relevant stakeholders and it will establish a systematic approach for knowledge gathering and dissemination. The systematic approach includes: i) scanning & synthesis via 4 expert groups who scan state-of-art knowledge, practises and technologies and synthesise the material to identify key areas of learning and best practise approaches at a European level. ii) showing & sharing will deliver outreach/dialogue at a national level through establishment of local ‘operational groups’.

WINETWORK is coordinated by INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE LA VIGNE ET DU VIN

Building on a methodology for innovation-driven research previously developed and tested, the WINETWORK project has the ambition to stimulate collaborative innovation in the wine sector. The project will implement a methodology that has been successful in promoting demand-driven innovations in previous regional and European projects. This approach is mainly based on the interactions between a network of facilitator agents, several regional technical working groups and one European scientific working group. A participatory approach is used to translate results from science and practical knowledge into technical datasheets that are used to prepare materials adapted to end-users. A bottom-up approach is also used to identify a demand-driven innovation agenda. In the WINETWORK project, the approach will be implemented in ten regions from seven countries representing more than 90% of the EU wine production. The main topic addressed in the network concern the control and the fight against diseases that jeopardise the future production potential of the EU (Grapevine Trunk Diseases and Flavescence Dorée).

SUWANU is coordinated by BIOAZUL, SL

Agricultural practices put the biggest pressure on fresh water resources for irrigation (55% of the water use in Europe) and on fertilizer usage. The European farmers face serious problems such as freshwater scarcity and nutrient availability, extreme climate conditions and the growing demand of the increasing population. This results in rising prices for mineral fertilizers and food, risky measures such as untreated wastewater applications on fields, and environmental damages from overexploitation of resources.
Even though important local efforts have been made on research activities and initiatives for wastewater treatment and reuse in agriculture, an integrated approach is needed among regions which are developing such research, incentivizing scientific, governmental and business collaboration within wastewater reuse in Europe and supporting the establishment of common European guidelines and parameters for water and nutrient exploitation efficiency.

SMART-AKIS is coordinated by AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS

Smart-AKIS was submitted to the 2014 call, remaining on the reserve list (12/15). For resubmission, all items in the ESR have been carefully addressed: i) more focused approach, addressing only Smart Farming Technology for crop production and using more concrete methodologies; ii) stronger involvement of the machinery industry, with specific support from national Associations and a dedicated working group within CEMA; iii) a Data Management Plan ensuring compliance with H2020 Open Access Policy and inclusion in different thematic aggregators.
The project aims at setting up a self-sustainable Thematic Network on Smart Farming Technology designed for the effective exchange between research, industry, extension and the farming community in order to disseminate direct applicable research and commercial solutions and capture grassroots level needs and innovative ideas. Smart Farming Technology (SFT) encompasses Farm Management Information Systems, Precision Agriculture and Agriculture automation and robotics.

SKIN is coordinated by UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FOGGIA

SKIN is an ambitious initiative of 20 partners in 14 countries in the area of Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs). It intends to systematise and bring knowledge to practitioners, promote collaboration within a demand-driven innovation logic and provide inputs to policymaking through links to the EIP-AGRI. SKIN will build and animate a community of about 500 stakeholders, with the strategic objective of setting up, at the conclusion of the project, a European association permanently working for the improvement of SFSCs efficiency and for the benefit of stakeholders and growth in the sector. The community will be built and animated around the identification of good practices in short supply chains across Europe. Partners will scout, analyse and classify a significant number of cases in different countries. “Best practices” (at least 100) will be systematised, processed into highly usable formats (including video and page-flows) and made accessible to stakeholders via the web (following the EIP AGRI formats) and through the set-up of regional nodes, to allow a deeper penetration of existing knowledge into practice.

SHEEPNET is coordinated by IDELE

"SheepNet is a thematic network project about practice-driven innovation to improve sheep productivity (number of lambs weaned/ewe mated): a critical component of farmers’ income and therefore of the sustainability and attractiveness of sheep farming. SheepNet will establish durable exchange of scientific and practical knowledge among researchers, farmers and advisors, through a multi-actor and transdisciplinary approach at national and international levels and by the broad involvement of European Agriculture knowledge and Innovation Systems. This will promote the implementation and dissemination of innovative and best technologies and practices for the improvement of sheep productivity. To maximize impact and ensure a wide coverage of different farming systems, SheepNet will bring together six main sheep producing EU countries, plus Turkey, and Australia, New Zealand, and every relevant EU network.

PANACEA is coordinated by CENTRE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND SAVING FONDATION

Non-food Crops (NFC) are used to produce a wide range of bio-products and bioenergy. In spite of considerable investment in R&D and the increasing need of bio-based industries for feedstock, NFCs are not widespread in EU agriculture, mainly due to challenges in supply chains and gaps in policy framework and investment incentives. PANACEA aims to set up a thematic network to foster the effective exchange between research, industry and the farming community so that direct applicable solutions are widely disseminated and grassroots-level needs and innovative ideas thoroughly captured in order to design the penetration path of NFC into European agriculture.

OK NET ARABLE is coordinated by INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE MOVEMENTS EUROPEAN UNION REGIONAL GROUP

The overall aim of the thematic network ‘OK-Net Arable’ is to improve the exchange of innovative and traditional knowledge among farmers, farm advisers and scientists to increase productivity and quality in organic arable cropping all over Europe, in order to satisfy future market demand.

OK NET ECOFEED is coordinated by INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE MOVEMENTS EUROPEAN UNION REGIONAL GROUP

The overall aim of OK-Net EcoFeed is to help farmers, breeders and the organic feed processing industry in achieving the goal of 100% use of organic and regional feed for monogastrics, in particular pigs, broilers, laying hens and parents of broilers and laying hens.
In the last two decades, the market for organic food has shown steady vigorous growth in most parts of Europe and this growth is still accelerating. A key objective of organic farming is the closing of nutrient cycles, but it is difficult to achieve. To a large extent, feed and livestock production, in particular of pigs and poultry, are concentrated in different regions, and animal feed (especially proteins) has to be imported from regions far away. In addition, organic organic farmers have difficulties in sourcing protein feed of organic quality. The lack of organic and regional feed threatens both the sustainability of organic agriculture as well as consumers’ confidence.

NUTRIMAN is coordinated by TERRA HUMANA TISZTA TECHNOLOGIAKATFEJLESZTO TERVEZO ES KIVITELEZO KFT

Agriculture and food industry having a high dependence on resources in their production and striving for long-term sustainability. In this context there is an urgent need to optimise resource use and smooth the transition to a knowledgedriven agriculture. The NUTRIMAN is a Nitrogen and Phosphorus thematic network compiling knowledge “ready for practice” for such recovered product applications, practices and technologies, interconnecting applied science and industrial practice, for the user interest and benefits of the agricultural practitioners. There is an urgent need to spread knowledge and network information towards agricultural practitioners about the insufficiently exploited N/P recovery innovative research results (technologies, products, practices). The project objective is to improve the exploitation of the N/P nutrient management/recovery potential for the ready for practice cases not sufficiently known by practitioners.

NEWBIE is coordinated by STICHTING WAGENINGEN RESEARCH

Sustaining a cohort of new entrants is crucial to the ongoing vitality, resilience and competitiveness of the agricultural sector and rural regions in Europe. New entrants bring with them innovation and entrepreneurialism, as well as practical skills and networks developed on farms and through off-farm employment. However, new entrants face considerable challenges in entering the sector, particularly access to land, capital, labour and markets, but also business skills and knowledge development on both applied and theoretical levels. Analysis of Eurostat figures suggests that there is not an adequate replacement rate of young farmers in many European countries, although there is evidence of considerable innovation and comparatively high rates of new entrants in others (Zagata and Sutherland, 2015).

LEGUMES TRANSLATED is coordinated by JOHANN HEINRICH VON THUENEN-INSTITUT, BUNDESFORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUER LAENDLICHE RAEUME, WALD UND FISCHEREI

Legumes Translated supports innovation in grain legume-supported cropping systems and value-chains by linking sources and users of quality-assured knowledge using rigorous knowledge synthesis and compilation. Knowledge is compiled at two levels: at the level of Actor Groups’ specific farming system and value chain activities, and in seven technical areas of agricultural sector and value-chain transition (Transition Networks). The project addresses an urgent need and cross-sector challenges by building on technical opportunities. The urgent need is due to the imbalance in cropping systems now dominated by cereal crops with adverse agronomic and environmental effects. The cross-sector challenge arises from the growing demand for alternative sources of plant protein, growing consumer interest in the environmental impact and resource efficiency of value chains, growing demand for GMO-free value chains and grain legume-based foods.

INNOSETA is coordinated by UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA

The aim of this network is to set-up a self-sustainable Thematic Network on Spraying Equipment, Training and Advising designed for the effective exchange between researchers, industry, extension services and farming community. This network will link directly applicable research and commercial solutions and grassroots level needs and innovative ideas thoroughly captured, thus contributing to close the research and innovation divide in this area. The proposed network will be organized to cover spraying application needs in the most commonly used crops in Europe: cereals, vegetables, orchards, vineyards and greenhouses organized in seven national innovation hubs linked with international interactive workshops. This Thematic Network will address important and timely issues that are critical to improve crop productivity and reduce environmental impact.

INNO4GRASS is coordinated by GRUENLANDZENTRUM NIEDERSACHEN/BREMEN E.V.

Grasslands are vitally important for European agriculture. The 20 partners of Inno4Grass gather farmers’ organisations, extension services, education and research in eight countries (Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland & Sweden) where grasslands contribute a major share of the agricultural area. The overall objective of the project is to bridge the gap between practice and science to ensure the implementation of innovative systems on productive grasslands to achieve profitability while providing environmental services. The associated animal productions are dairy and beef cattle and sheep.

INCREDIBLE is coordinated by EUROPEAN FOREST INSTITUTE

Mediterranean forests play a pivotal role for local economies by providing a large array of ecosystem services and goods. Despite its potential, the sector is facing significant challenges at many levels, including: low profitability of slow-growing timber, niche markets for Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs), and a wider context of aging rural population, farmland abandonment and scrub encroachment, leading to an increase in the occurrence of megafires, which is further aggravated by climate change. A sustainable, inclusive, smart bio-based economy centred on multipurpose trees and NWFPs can be part of the solution, if triggered by an improvement in knowledge exchange channels between NWFP practitioners and scientists, and among regions.

HNV LINK is coordinated by CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE HAUTES ETUDES AGRONOMIQUES MEDITERRANEENNES

"High nature value (HNV) farmland designates “those areas in Europe where agriculture is a major land use and where that agriculture supports, or is associated with, either a high species and habitat diversity or the presence of species of European conservation concern, or both”. They are an important component of European agriculture, notably in terms of biodiversity, cultural landscape, territorial cohesion, quality products and employment. However, abandonment, degradation, economic and social marginalisation are long-standing challenges for the associated farming systems which are still under considerable pressure.

HENNOVATION is coordinted by UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

Using the laying hen sector as a case study, we aim to demonstrate the potential for practice-driven innovation networks, supported by existing science and market-driven actors, to develop practical cost-effective solutions to sustainability challenges. Multi-stakeholder networks will develop technical innovations to injurious pecking and the management of end-of-lay hens concerns based on practice, economics and scientific information. A generic “support package” of communication web based tools, facilitation guides and on-line training programmes, designed to help science and market- driven actors, will then be available to support practice-driven innovation networks in other livestock sectors. Finally we will develop policy recommendations that help realize the full potential of practice-driven innovation through multi stakeholder networks in livestock sectors.

FERTINNOWA is coordinated by PROEFSTATION VOOR DE GROENTETEELT

In European countries, the cultivation of fertigated crops experience scarcity of water, and the intensity of cultivation poses significant risks to water quality. The main objective of the FERTINNOWA thematic network is to create a meta-knowledge database on innovative technologies and practices for fertigation of horticultural crops. FERTINNOWA will also build a knowledge exchange platform to evaluate existing and novel technologies (innovation potential, synergies, gaps, barriers) for fertigated crops and ensure wide dissemination to all stakeholders involved of the most promising technologies and best practices.
A multi-actor integrated approach will be used through the FERTINNOWA platform which will involve various stakeholders (researchers, growers, policy-makers, industry, environmental groups etc.) at several levels including the socio-economic and regulatory level (national and European) with a special focus on the EU Water Framework Directive and Nitrate Directive.

AGRISPIN is coordinated by LANDBRUG & FODEVARER F.M.B.A

The project name reflects the overall aim of this project: to strengthen support systems in creating space for innovating farmers.
Innovative farmers are everywhere, but their environment determines the rate of success. The project aims to create more space for innovations, through amplifying good examples of innovation support systems and through multi-actor learning about ways to stimulate innovation and remove obstacles. The main target group is intermediates who connect initiators to other actors for involving them in creating innovations, such as farmers, knowledge workers, actors in the value chain, administrators, civil society groups, etc..

AGRIFORVALOR is coordinated by Steinbeis 2i GmbH

The thematic network will close the research and innovation divide by connecting practitioners from agriculture and forestry with research and academia as well as with associations and clusters, bio - industry, policy makers; business support organisations, innovation agencies and technology transfer intermediaries in multi-actor innovation partnership networks in order to valorize and exploit sidestream biomass resources from agriculture and forestry.

AFINET is coordinated by UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Agroforestry (AF) is the practice of deliberately integrating woody vegetation (trees or shrubs) with crop and/or animal systems to benefit from the resulting ecological and economic interactions. Research activities developed by AFINET partners indicates that appropriate application of AF principles and practices is a key avenue to help the European Union to achieve more sustainable methods of food and fibre production, producing both profits for farmers and environmental benefits. However up to now exists a lack of AF knowledge among end-users that prevent the correct implementation of these practices.

BEST4SOIL is coordinated by DELPHY BV

Healthy soils are of major importance for the future of the European horticultural and agricultural crop production. Especially in intensive production systems, soilborne diseases are a major factor with a negative impact on soil health. Newly developed best practices and sound crop rotations permit to maintain, improve or re-establish soil health in Europe.

DISARM is coordinated by EIGEN VERMOGEN VAN HET INSTITUUT VOOR LANDBOUW- EN VISSERIJONDERZOEK

The DISARM thematic network (Disseminating Innovative Solutions for Antibiotic Resistance Management) is focused on disseminating best practices from innovative farms and research on how to reduce antibiotic resistance in livestock farming. Antibiotic resistance management is not only important to farming, it can also lead to reduced effectiveness of antibiotics in treating humans. Tackling antibiotic resistance is a major strategic challenge for European livestock farmers, an industry worth over 145 billion euros. Evidence shows that rates of antibiotic use and resistance vary greatly from farm to farm and, that with the adoption of appropriate innovative on farm management practices that both the use of antibiotics and the development of resistance can be reduced. Disseminating these effective management practices is at the heart of the DISARM project, which will work with farmers, vets, advisors, industry and researchers to identify and disseminate widely the most cost effective and beneficial strategies.

CERERE is coordinated by THE UNIVERSITY OF READING

Organic/low input cereal food systems in the EU are emerging in answer to the sustainability crisis of the conventional agri-food sector. “Alternative” systems are based on local, decentralized approaches to production and processing, regard to quality and health, and short supply chains for products with strong local identities. Diversity is deeply embedded in these food systems, from the agro-biodiversity grown in farmers’ fields, which improves resilience and adaptation, to diverse approaches, contexts and actors in food manufacturing and marketing. Diversity thus becomes a cross-sectoral issue, underlying innovations in the agronomic, processing, and marketing phases which respond to consumers’ demand for healthy products.

ENABLING is coordinated by FEDERUNACOMA SRL UNIPERSONALE

ENABLING is the initiative of 16 partners in 13 EU and associated (IL, NO) countries. The main goal is to support the spreading of best practices and innovation in the provision (production, pre-processing) of biomass for the BBI (Bio-Based Industry). In particular, ENABLING aims at creating appropriate conditions for the development of efficient biomass to BBPs (Bio-Based Products and Processes) value chains. The consortium’s vision is that Europe bears a huge potential for optimising the supply of biomass into innovative bio-based processes and products.

EuroDairy is coordinated by THE AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE DEVELOPMENT BOARD (AHDB)

The thematic network will foster development and dissemination of practice-based innovations in dairy farming on key sustainability issues for the post-quota era. Work Package 1 (Project co-ordination) oversees formation of the Thematic Network, ensures interconnectivity in generation, capture and demonstration of innovation and best practice, and reports project outputs including recommendations for further innovation-driven research. WP 2 (Network of innovating pilot farmers and Knowledge Transfer Centres) establishes a community of innovating dairy farmers which through experience and practice on their own farms, bring good ideas and implementable solutions to EuroDairy. The farms participate in regional multi-actor operational groups, and connect as a network to share knowledge across borders.