Main Priorities on Research and Development for Organic Production
| Release date | 14/07/2002 |
|---|---|
| Contributor | bulanmir |
| Geographical coverage | |
| Keywords |
Prepared by the European
Union Regional Group of the
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
14.7.2002
IFOAM European Union Regional Group , c/o Francis Blake, President, The Soil Association, Bristol House, 40-56 Victoria Street, UK - Bristol BS1 6BY Great Britain Tel: 0044-117-9290661 Fax: 0044-117-9252504 francis.blake@soilassociation.org
- Compiled by / Contact
for further information
Mr. Otto Schmid
IFOAM European Union Group / Research subcommittee
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)
Ackerstrasse, CH 5070 Frick
Tel. 0041 62 865 72 72, Fax 0041 62 865 72 53
Crop Production
0 Fertilization, Rotation, Recycling
1. Nutrient management, including farmyard manure, legumes and catch/cover crops: availability, reduction of losses, quality of the harvested product, ecological impact.
2. Quality of recycled organic waste products/organic matter from the cities and industries: quality criteria for use, treatment methods, hygienic aspects (no transfer of pathogens), environmental quality aspects (heavy metals and organic micro-pollutants), nutrient content and availability.
3. Fertilization in greenhouses: nutrient management.
4. Stockless farming: soil fertility, nutrient supply and management, growing of catch/cover crops, economy, rotation system research under various regional conditions.
5. Soil fertility/structure: indicators, methods for monitoring, avoidance of soil erosion, comparisons, methods for improvement.
1 Pest & disease control
1. Alternatives/reduction for Copper-salts.
2. Evaluation of inputs: environmental assessment for registration, facilitating and harmonization of the official registration practice for agents for control of plant pests and diseases, database.
3. Diseases of seed (seed-borne), seedlings and other propagation materials: methods of controlling, prevention or reduction.
4. Pest & disease control, especially in horticulture, fruit and wine growing: improved and regionally adapted methods for organic farming.
2 Weed control
1. Non-chemical weed control, especially in vegetables, sugar- and fodder beet: improvement of non-chemical weed control equipment and methods, influence on nutrients availability, studies on energy use and energy input reduction, environmental impact studies, influence on soil structure.
2. Control of perennial weeds, especially in stockless farming systems.
3 Plant propagation and breeding
1. Organic seed breeding/production (without GMO and without chemical seed coatings): survey, development
2. plant propagation systems.
3. variety screening in organic farming systems: regional adaptation.
4 Storage, Processing
1. Storage techniques - without chemical treatment/irradiation.
2. Evaluation of additives, processing aids, cleaning agents: environmental assessment for registration, facilitating and harmonization of the official registration practice, database for additives, processing aids and cleaning and disinfecting agents.
5 Animal husbandry
1. Animal friendly functional housing and feeding systems (based on ethnological knowledge): especially for pigs, poultry.
2. Disease and parasite prevention in Organic Animal Husbandry.
3. Alternative to chemical medicines and antibiotics: homeopathic and herbal treatments, acupuncture and acupressure and other non-medical treatment methods.
4. Protein availability in animal Feeding - feeding strategies, quality management systems, crops (natural sources of amino acids, e.g. methionine, lysine), techniques to assess the nutrient availability for the animals in fodder crops and silage.
5. Animal friendly transport and slaughter systems.
6. Improved breeds adapted to local conditions (cattle, pigs, poultry): developing breeding aims for organic husbandry, testing systems, product quality, economy.
7. Milk and meat production based on roughage.
8. Adapted fodder preservation techniques: without chemical preservatives, less energy consuming storage systems.
6 Conversion, development of organic farming
1. Impact of 2092/91, and national standards/regulations and support policies on the development of Organic Farming: Consumer confidence, organic standards database, analysis of the interaction with market development, need for the development of further standards on organic production (e.g. non-food) and Policy developments.
2. Long-term development and monitoring systems on (representative) pilot farms: conversion process, economy, sustainability (i.e. environmental impact studies).
3. Policy Support systems for extension and training: evaluation, implementation systems, improvement.
7 Socio-economic aspects
1. Socio-economic and ecological performance studies on farm level and society level: influence of CAP Reform, national policies and market developments.
2. New concepts of sustainable land use and landscape development with organic farming methods (in urban as well as rural areas), especially in relation to biodiversity and environmental aspects.
8 Market development and product quality
1. Food quality: improved holistic methods, influence of specific production/processing methods on food quality parameters
2. Consumer inquiries: consumer confidence, expectation of the organic production method and organic products, willingness to pay a premium price for organic products on national and regional levels.
3. Regional conversion/market development for organic production and new forms of co-operation, mainly on a regional level: evaluation of different forms of cooperation (between producers, processors, traders, consumers), comparison of structures, market potential, economic efficiency, political support systems, economic, social and environmental impact within the region, promotion systems, especially in economically less developed areas.
9 Other issues
1. Control/identification systems to guarantee/detect non-use of GMO (Genetically engineered/modified organisms: e.g. certification systems.
2. Energy supply based on renewable resources (not on fossil fuel) in organic farming systems (without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides).
Research Methodology
- Historically many research
questions and approaches came from the organic farmers themselves. Today it
is obvious that organic Farming Research should be done in a participatory
way in continuous dialogue with the organic food sector (researchers, farmers,
advisors, teachers, processors and even consumer representatives). Many countries
have already developed this kind of dialogue in a successful way.
- Research shall focus
on the relevant and critical areas, that might hinder the development of Organic
Agriculture. In addition to high scientific quality, such research projects
must be highly relevant for the organic food sector, especially regarding
the often limited financial resources available.
- Farming systems research and multi-disciplinary research are very important for the further development of Organic Food Production.
Supplied by
Foundation
Ecology & Agriculture SOEL
Stiftung Ökologie & Landbau
Weinstrasse Sued 51, D - 67089 Bad Dürkheim
Tel: +49-6322-989700 Fax: +49-6322-989701
info@soel.de http://www.soel.de/
Forschungsinstitut fuer biologischen Landbau, FiBL
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
Tel. +41-62-8657272, Fax +41-62-8657273
Ackerstrasse, CH-5070 Frick
e-mail: admin@fibl.ch, Internet
http://www.fibl.ch