Project
Title
Alternatives for contentious inputs in organic agriculture (OrganicPlus)
Acronym
OrganicPlus
Start
15.05.2018
End
31.10.2022
Coordinating Institute
Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University
Contact
Partner
University of Thessaly
Università degli studi di Catania
Aarhus Universität - UA
Institut National Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
Coventry University
Universität Hohenheim
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Olive Research Institute / Zeytincilik Arastirma Enstitüsü
Allocated to research program
Internet
Summary
Development of alternative products for livestock farming and horticulture from wood from agroforestry and short rotation coppices.
The Organic-PLUS project has the overall aim of providing high quality, trans-disciplinary, scientifically informed decision support to help all actors in the organic sector, including national and regional policy makers, to reach the next level of the EU’s organic success story. By doing so organic food systems can be more true to organic principles but equally to the EU Bioeconomy agenda.
Organic-PLUS objectives are to: 1) identify and valorise contentious inputs currently used in European agriculture 2) provide specific technical solutions to minimise or phase-out their use 3) provide environmental, social and economic assessments of phase-out scenarios 4) disseminate and broker knowledge, ideas and results to maximise impact.
Organic-PLUS has three large ‘topical’ workpackages
PLANT (researching alternatives to copper and mineral oils), LIVESTOCK (researching alternatives to synthetic vitamins, antibiotics and novel animal bedding) and SOIL (researching alternatives to peat, animal-derived fertilisers and plastic mulch).
The topical work is supported by
IMPACT (researching consumer conceptions of contentious inputs and disseminating knowledge together with stakeholders) and by
MODEL (using sustainability assessment methodology to deliver phasing-out scenarios).
The LEAD workpackage is also responsible for managing the International Scientific board and the European Industry advisory board ensuring impact to industry and policy development.
Funding
Europäische Union (EU)
Grant agreement number
774340
Funding framework
H2020-SFS-2016-2017