Vision for future organic and agroecological research in Europe launched

by organicresearchcentre

TP Organics’ new Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) entitled “Vision for Future Organic and Agroecological Research: Triple Lead for Sustainable Food Systems”, was launched today at the Organic Innovation Days in Brussels.

The mission of TP Organics, the European Technology Platform (ETP) for Research & Innovation into Organics and Agroecology, is to shape research & innovation for organic and other agroecological approaches that contribute to sustainable and resilient food and farming systems. This is why TP Organics develops research & innovation agendas and roadmaps for research action at EU and national level. 

The SRIA was developed with the contribution of the OrganicTargets4EU project, in preparation of the upcoming European Competitiveness Fund and the next Horizon Europe programme (2028 -2034).

Triple wins for sustainability

Today’s research and innovation influence tomorrow’s food and farming systems. This is why the new SRIA identifies key research needs for the organic sector, while also addressing broader priorities for the transition towards agroecology. The main part “Research & Innovation Priorities” is divided into three lead areas, or “triple wins for sustainability” that make up TP Organicsʹ vision:

• Leading for the environment, biodiversity and the climate
• Leading for people, communities and sustainable livelihoods
• Leading for responsible innovation

The SRIA reflects two years of extensive consultation with farmers, researchers, and other stakeholders in the organic sector and the agroecology movement.

“The new Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda shows that research in organic and agroecology is strategic for Europe’s competitiveness and resilience. It calls for bold investment in innovation that benefits the environment, people, and responsible progress”,
says Bram Moeskops, Managing Director at FiBL Europe and Scientific Coordinator of the new SRIA.

Policy recommendations 

The final section in the SRIA provides key recommendations for policymakers working on Horizon Europe, including the European Partnerships, to boost the impact of R&I through inclusive governance: 

• Treat organic and agroecological R&I as priorities in the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and Horizon Europe: 30% of the budget dedicated to agri-food under Policy Window “Health, bioeconomy, agriculture and biotechnology” in the ECF and Horizon Europe should be ring-fenced to organic R&I needs 
• Reinforce the multi-actor approach in R&I calls to ensure public funding delivers actionable outcomes for end-users and to bridge the gap between conception and market deployment. 
• Mainstream Financial Support to Third Parties in relevant topics to widen participation, reduce administrative friction for newcomers, and accelerate context-specific experimentation. 
• Make two-stage procedures the default, especially when targeting newcomers and practice-oriented innovation, and use lump-sum funding as a powerful simplification tool. 
• Move towards smaller, modular consortia that operate faster and integrate existing living labs and lighthouse farms as real-world testbeds. 
• Promote open science, while protecting data rights, and integrity and ensure meaningful participation of civil society and practitioners in project governance. 

Read the full Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda here.