A key result of the OrganicYieldsUP project is the development of a database (OYUP database) designed to address the complexity of organic farming systems and their yields. Data on organic yields have often been fragmented, inconsistent in scope, or lacking contextual information. The OYUP database is a harmonised, flexible, and tested structure that enables analysis of yield performance in organic systems across Europe.
The novelty of the OYUP database lies in its ability to integrate heterogeneous data sources (experimental stations, on-farm trials, monitoring networks, and published studies) within a common framework. Existing datasets are often restricted to single crops, specific regions, or particular experimental designs. In contrast, the OYUP structure is designed to handle multiple levels of resolution (from plot to farm scale), accommodate different trial designs, and embed relevant contextual variables such as weather, soil type, and management history. This integration of technical and contextual dimensions is a step beyond current practice, where such factors are rarely combined in a comparable way.
The development process has been based on participatory and iterative design. Researchers from 11 countries and multi-disciplinary backgrounds collaboratively defined a minimum dataset, ensuring comparability while leaving room for flexibility. The use of lookup tables based on recognised international standards (AGROVOC, ICASA, EPPO), adapted to reflect organic realities, adds to the long-term interoperability of the resource. Guidelines and supporting materials ensure consistency in data entry across partners, something often missing in multi-partner data initiatives.
Beyond its technical features, the OYUP database constitutes an enabling resource for research and practice. By making it possible to link crop yields with contextual drivers and management practices, it opens new opportunities to:
• Identify why and under which conditions yields vary.
• Compare performance across systems and regions in a harmonised manner.
• Provide an evidence base for recommendations to farmers, advisors, and policymakers.
• Reveal knowledge gaps and generate new research questions.
This resource provides a foundation for more robust and evidence-based insights into organic yields than has previously been possible.
