Improving yields in organic cropping systems

Promoting the use of more sustainable farming practices is a EU policy objective enshrined in the European Green Deal and its related strategies. Boosting organic farming, one of the objectives of the farm to fork and of the EU biodiversity strategies, can greatly contribute to achieving this ambition. Moreover, the Communication ‘Safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems’[[ https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/food-farming-fisheries/key_policies/documents/safeguarding-food-security-reinforcing-resilience-food-systems.pdf]] highlights the role that organic farming can play in reducing EU’s dependence on external inputs.

Reaching at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming will require among other elements, a significant increase in current conversion rates. One of the obstacles that hinders conversion to organic farming is the fact that several crops grown under organic conditions achieve lower yields per hectare as compared with those produced under conventional farming practices. Closing the yield gap is therefore important in order to further improve the economic competitiveness and resilience of the sector, as well as to increase farmers’ adoption of organic production

At the same time, closing of the yield gap should not compromise the principles and objectives of organic farming, in particular with regard to the recycling of nutrients. Moreover, it is important that approaches and strategies aiming at bridging the yield gap in organic farming are holistic and take into consideration the implications on the entire farming system.

By using a participatory approach, proposals should set up a European-wide network of testing, experimentation and demonstration sites to test, co-create and showcase practices and strategies that improve yields of crops produced under organic conditions. In this context, proposals should:

• Identify the most relevant crops in organic production for which yields can be sustainably improved in the short term, and propose crop-specific strategies with due attention to local and site-specific practices. This should consider cost-effectiveness analysis comparing with conventional farming production, in order to evaluate the economical sustainability of the strategies proposed.
• Give due attention to holistic approaches, such as those that contribute to improving organic-tailored plant varieties and appropriate use of breeds and varieties, and building soil fertility and optimal nutrient management (e.g. integrated plant-animal production systems, use of manure as fertiliser, nutrient recycling, introduction of crop rotations and intercropping, use of leguminous crops, circular approaches for maintaining and increasing soil organic matter, locally-specific optimization of water use, etc.). Nursery techniques for the production of suitable organic plant reproductive material should also be considered.
• Organise and implement advisory activities, exchange of knowledge and best practices as well as dissemination of results, including the development of practical guidelines and decision-support tools for farmers. These activities should also engage farmers involved in low-input farming, agro-ecological or circular farming, to facilitate cross-fertilisation and mutual learning.
• Identify remaining gaps (including normative gaps where relevant) and prepare a research and innovation roadmap to boost yields of crops produced under organic conditions. For these activities, proposals should ensure collaboration with relevant activities carried out under other actions in Horizon Europe, and ensure coherence with and contribution to the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of the future partnership ‘’Accelerating farming systems transition: agro-ecology living labs and research infrastructures’’ and its successive updates.

Proposals must implement the 'multi-actor approach’ and ensure adequate involvement of the main stakeholders (farmers, breeders, researchers, advisors, industry, etc.). Proposals should cover a representative range of pedo-climatic conditions across Europe and a wide range of crops (arable and perennial) reflecting the diversity of the European organic plant production sector. Proposals should ensure synergies and build on the results from previous and/or ongoing research projects. Proposals should include a dedicated task, appropriate resources and a plan on how they will collaborate with other projects funded under this topic, and ensure synergy with relevant activities carried out under other initiatives in Horizon Europe, including under the topic HORIZON-CL6-2023-GOVERNANCE: ‘Developing an EU advisory network on organic agriculture’, HORIZON-CL6-2024-GOVERNANCE: ‘Organic farming thematic network to compile and share knowledge ready for practice’, and the future partnership ‘Accelerating farming systems transition: agroecology living labs and research infrastructures’. In order to better address some or all of the expected outcomes, as well as to promote learning and cross-fertilisation with activities carried out outside of Europe, international cooperation is encouraged.