Following a kick-off meeting in M1, a management framework, consisting of a Governing Board, Technical Committee, Network Managers, Technical Working Groups and a Project Advisory Group was established by M4 of the project. An annual project plan was produced (D1.2). A data and risk management plan (D1.3) was drafted and updated during the first 18 months. Issues related to the consortium agreement (deliverables, budget etc.) were managed and coordinated on a day-to-day basis. A shared repository was established to support effective internal communications. Minutes from the kick-off meeting and a risk assessment plan were submitted as deliverables, D1.1 and D1.4 respectively.
During RP1, the team responsible for supporting a systematic and coordinated approach within the project for network formation and implementing the multi-actor approach (Work package 2 team) produced a support package for technical WPs (WP3-6) by creating an actor map per country, training network managers (NMs) on the multi-actor approach, creating guidelines for the capture of grassroot needs (GRNs), good practices (GPs) and research innovations (RIs) and the hosting of regional/national and transnational multi-actor workshops.
In year one, two challenges/priority topics for beef farmers were identified related to each of the four thematic areas covered in the project. European and national/regional multi-actor sub-networks were established to find and disseminate solutions within the Beef Knowledge Innovation System (BKIS). Solutions (70+) were derived from on-farm good practices through the existing and newly established connections of BovINE NMs with regional producers.
In each of the four thematic WPs (WP3-6) Technical Working Groups (TWGs) established a literature database (D3.1 4.1 5.1 & 6.1) consisting of novel research findings that could address the priority topics identified. From this database research based innovations not widely adopted by European beef farmers were proposed and the information was made available through the project’s website, the BovINE Knowledge Hub (BKH) and at project meetings with the wider public. Demonstrations of the innovations found (48) are being undertaken throughout year 2 to assess the feasibility of implementation across partner regions.
Regional/national meetings held at the end of year 1 identified a number of key challenges (grass root needs) for beef farmers in becoming more sustainable. From this two additional priority topics per thematic area were identified and solutions are currently being collected by NMs and TWG’s.
In M14 a methodology and guidelines to conduct a cost- benefit analysis was drafted by the WP3 and was submitted as D3.2.
All GPs and RIs selected for the topics of year 1 were compiled into technical reports and practice abstracts (D 3.2 4.2 5.2 6.2) and uploaded on the BovINE Knowledge Hub (BKH). Following on the innovations from year 1, demonstrations are being organised in the first half of year 2 (Task 3.5 4.5 5.5 6.5).
A communications and dissemination strategy was finalised and documented in D7.1 by M3. Project promotional materials such as the logo were developed in M1-12 and are reported in D7.2. The website and social media accounts were launched in M3 and the BKH was available for uploads by M6, with partner training & support provided (details recorded in D7.3). A practice abstract catalogue was produced by M15 (D7.7). Two e-newsletters were sent to >950 subscribers and six press releases were issued.
