Providing access, collation and analysis of Defra research for the organic sector (OF0347)

Summary

The Defra organic farming research and development programme encompasses a wide range of topics undertaken by numerous research providers in over two hundred research projects, the results of which are communicated with variable effect to farmers and extension workers by various means including published papers, articles in journals and seminars. However there is no common database of all UK and other European research results offering a comprehensive and user-friendly search facility; hence, access to the results and the benefit of drawing on all available information is restricted. There is also limited analysis of the various results pertaining to individual topics or subject areas; hence, effective use of the results of organic research is restricted. The importance of research to the development of organic farming is universally recognised; by farmers seeking to improve production and profitability, by policy makers seeking to quantify or enhance the environmental and social impact of farming systems and by others seeking to supply local markets. The industry, and farmers in particular, needs to be able to rapidly and effectively adopt research outcome. Organic advisers, trainers, researchers and others, co-ordinated by the Institute of Organic Training and Advice (IOTA), have identified the need to improve and facilitate the transfer of the results of organic research to advisers and trainers in order to increase the uptake and application of research by farmers. This project will address this need by establishing a central point of reference for all research relevant to organic farming, by facilitating access to existing dissemination programmes and by collating the results of research in a way in which advisers can readily access them and farmers readily apply them.
Objectives
1. Support the establishment of Organic E-Prints as the common UK database for recording organic research through engagement of relevant parties, by undertaking the role of UK editor of the E-Prints website, by uploading reports from Defra funded research and by providing training and support for the use (uploading and downloading) of the website.
2. Undertake mapping of UK organic research institutions, facilities, programmes and projects in order to inform extension workers and to provide information to others including researchers so that research gaps may be identified and cooperation between research organisations facilitated.
3. Review the research concerned with 21 organic farming topics and produce Topic-focused review papers that collate the findings and present the results in a form in which they can be readily adopted in order to take account of results from a variety of conditions, improve confidence in the results and provide recommendations in an easily accessible form.
4. Provide 5 topic-focused workshops on organic research over 3 years, for advisers and trainers.
It is expected that the output of the Project will be used directly by organic advisers and trainers in their work with farmers, as well as by other extension workers, inspectors and researchers themselves. The topic focused research reviews will also be used by others in the preparation of written technical information for farmers.