D.2.4: Recommendations for a common European research agenda

Summary

Organic farming is knowledge intensive and in supporting farmers in enhancing their production systems, there is a need to improve how knowledge is shared. This is the overall aim of the OK-Net Arable project. Work Package 2 of the project is concerned with facilitating the testing of practical and educational materials with farmer innovation groups to improve knowledge provision in this sector. The work package adopts an interactive multi-actor approach, bringing together practitioners from regional innovation groups with each other, and with advisers and scientists.
The aim of this report is to give a brief overview of the most important topics in organic arable farming for a common European research agenda. It identifies topics and open questions that are related to the main obstacles for increasing and stabilising yields in organic arable farming in Europe that should be considered in a common research agenda.
It builds on the farmers’ perspective of knowledge gaps and questions (Cullen et al 2016, D2.1) and the experience from testing knowledge exchange tools with farmers (Bliss et al 2018, D2.2). This is contrasted with the researchers’ perspective from the Ok-Net Arable project on which knowledge is already there and which is still needed (Niggli et al 2016, D3.1). Perspectives from the project partners, the partner countries and national research agendas on approaches that bring together the relevant actors to discuss and shape research agendas were also considered.
The ten recommendations for research topics are based on experiences made in the OK-Net Arable project. They include topics related to cropping systems and interactions, weed management, soil fertility and nutrient management and pest and disease control. Not all topics are equally relevant across the whole of Europe and in all areas both fundamental and applied research is needed. The farmers taking part in the OK-Net arable project were interested in a better understanding of the systemic aspects of organic cropping systems as well as in applied solutions to specific problems. There also is a need for further opportunities for knowledge exchange between farmers and farmers and advisors in Europe.