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Improve performance of organic agriculture by boosting organic seed and plant breeding efforts across Europe

Project description

EU-wide services for organic seeds suppliers and breeders

Seeds are the foundation of farming. Producing quality organic seeds of suitable cultivars is thus critical to accelerate sustainable and diverse food systems in Europe. The EU-funded LIVESEED project aims to enhance the performance and competitiveness of the organic sector by promoting organic seed and plant breeding efforts. This project will facilitate knowledge exchange, practical training and capacity building among stakeholders. Additionally, it will coordinate the implementation of legislative requirements and develop an EU-wide router database tool for seed suppliers. LIVESEED will develop improved cultivar testing systems and implement strategies to enhance organic seed health and quality. It will also establish new protocols for testing different varieties and introduce innovative breeding concepts and selection tools.

Objective

LIVESEED aims to improve the performance and competitiveness of the organic sector by boosting organic seed and plant breeding efforts. To increase the availability and choice of organic seed, LIVESEED will (i) harmonize the implementation of legislative requirements and develop an EU-wide router database tool for seed suppliers, (ii) develop improved cultivar testing systems, organic seed health and quality strategies, best practices for organic seed multiplication, and new variety testing protocols for the registration of cultivars for the organic sector, (iii) develop novel breeding concepts, selection tools, and genetic resources, (iv) explore plant-microbe interactions, (v) initiate new breeding networks to close major gaps for legumes, cereals, vegetables, fruit trees and fodder crops, (vi) identify bottlenecks in the organic seed market, (vii) develop business and governance models for breeding and seed production, (viii) engage stakeholder groups for knowledge exchange, practical training, and capacity building, and (ix) provide recommendations based on synthesis of LIVESEED outcomes. The innovative multi-actor and -action research approach (‘learning by doing’) of LIVESEED ensures a broad and fast implementation of the project outputs across Europe. The LIVESEED consortium represents a multidisciplinary European partnership involving 48 organisations (35 partners + 13 third linked parties) and >30 stakeholders from 16 EU countries and Switzerland, including researchers, breeders, seed producers, organic associations and retailers. Combining scientific and practical knowledge will enable the consortium to generate innovative solutions adapted to the needs of end-users for different pedo-climatic and socio-economic contexts. The main outcome will be an improved breeding efficiency and a greater choice and uptake of organic seed derived from resilient cultivars to optimize organic and low-input agriculture and strengthen sustainable food production in Europe.

Call for proposal

H2020-SFS-2016-2017

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Sub call

H2020-SFS-2016-2

Coordinator

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE MOVEMENTS EUROPEAN UNION REGIONAL GROUP
Net EU contribution
€ 806 997,55
Address
SUNNERSBERG HOG 1
531 98 LIDKOPING
Sweden

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Region
Södra Sverige Västsverige Västra Götalands län
Activity type
Other
Links
Total cost
€ 837 750,00

Participants (51)