Willer, Helga (2003) The European Project and Literature Database for Organic Farming Research. Paper presented at International Symposium: Organic Animal Production: National and International Experiences, Arezzo, Italy; Associazione Italiana di Zootecnia Biologica e Biodinamica, , Eds. Proceedings of the International Symposium: Organic Animal Production: National and International Experiences. Italian Society for Organic and Biodynamic Animal Husbandry  / Associazione Italiana di Zootecnia Biologica e Biodinamica.	
The European Project and Literature Database for Organic Farming Research

Helga Willer, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse, CH-5070 Frick

Currently an internet- based platform for organic farming research in Germany and Europe is established as part of the German internet portal for organic farming. This portal is financed by the German Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food And Agriculture within the federal scheme for organic agriculture. An important part of the research platform is a database, containing all relevant results and projects. This database was developed by the Danish Research Centre for Organic Agriculture (DARCOF) and should now become a European database with scientific information related to organic agriculture. 

The Federal Programme for Organic Agriculture
In order to improve the  framework conditions for organic farming, a Federal Scheme for Organic Farming (Bundesprogramm Ökolandbau) was established for 2002 and 2003 by the German Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture (BMVEL).
The scheme incorporates different measures in the following sectors: agricultural production, recording and processing, trade, marketing, consumers, development and transfer of technologies, as well as accompanying measures such as research and development. To implement the Federal Scheme, the BMVEL budget has earmarked around Euro 35 million for 2002 and 2003 respectively.
Measures taken under the federal programme include the internet portal „Organic Farming“ as well as research projects and studies in fields where the Ministry needs information. Other activities under this programme are information seminars, courses for farmers and their collaborators, presentation of organic farming at fairs, a network of demonstration farms, information measures for young farmers. 
Detailed information is available at the internet site of the federal scheme at http://www.bundesprogramm-oekolandbau.de/. 

The Internet Portal oekolandbau.de - The Information Portal for Organic Farming 
The internet site www.oekolandbau.de is the centrepiece of the Federal Scheme for Organic Farming. The development of this centralised organic farming portal serves to close information gaps, and it is intended as a modern platform for information and communication - from the farmer to the consumer. More than one and half years in existence now it has become the central source for information on organic farming in Germany. 

Research & Development funded by the Federal Scheme for Organic Farming and the Research Module 
A major part of the monies within the Federal Scheme goes into research projects, including several projects related to organic animal husbandry, with projects on breeding, housing, feeding and hygiene management. The R&D section of the federal programme includes several status quo analyses (e.g. status of organic cattle and pig husbandry in Germany and Europe). 
As part of the R & D section a call regarding a research internet platform, to be established as part of the German Central internet portal on organic agriculture www.oekolandbau.de, was issued in the summer of 2002. According to this call the research module should provide information on experts, on institutions as well as on scientific results and knowledge in the field of organic agriculture. This information platform should make available this information to a broad user group. 
The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) was chosen to carry out this task. It is supported by four other institutions of relevance to organic farming research. 

The Knowledge Database Organic Eprints
The research module will provide a knowledge database as well as services for researchers. (news service, calendar of events, information on vacancies and sabbaticals, addresses of research institutions and of scientists). The knowledge database will contain information on publications and on projects. 
As the Danish Research Centre for Organic Agriculture DARCOF had already developed a database with exactly the features needed for the knowledge database (projects + results, access to full documents, links to further information, information on the researchers) it was decided to collaborate with DARCOF on the database. This collaboration will be a very substantial step towards a European organic farming research database. The database is available at www.orgprints.org.
In order to guarantee the sustainability of the database in the long run it is possible for researchers to enter project and publication information online themselves. All ongoing information is quality checked by DARCOF and the project team of the German research module. 
Currently talks with further institutions in Europe are underway in order to establish further collaborations. 

Outlook 
The federal scheme for organic farming in Germany is supporting the organic sector significantly. By providing funding for the research platform and especially the research database the German government is taking a major step towards the integration of organic farming research activities in Europe, as this database will contain all relevant basic information on ongoing and past research activities. It provides therefore the sound basis of true European organic farming research co-ordination. 
Next year it should be possible to give a unique European overview of organic farming research activities by countries, by year and by subject; including - of course - organic animal husbandry.

For further information please contact 
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Helga Willer; FiBL, Ackerstrasse, CH-5070 Frick, Te. 0041-62-8657207, Fax 0041-62-8657273, helga.willer@fibl.ch; www.fibl.ch