Organic Living Labs & Lighthouse Farms in Europe
In light of the new Organic Action Plan for the EU, which recognises the importance of research and innovation for organic, knowledge exchange on organic farming, and building organic agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS), TP Organics’ study presents seven organic living labs and five organic lighthouse farms (one of them counting as both) that demonstrate how innovative the organic sector is in improving organic practices and inspiring the transformation of the wider agri-food system. The selected initiatives showcase not only technological but also social, economic and organisational innovation, applying a multiplicity of approaches and methodologies across Europe to find local organic solutions and improve the sharing of knowledge and innovation in the organic sector. The results indicate actions that should be taken to enable organic living labs and lighthouse farms to reach their full potential.
The study points out that the needs of organic farmers and other actors are currently not sufficiently met through existing AKIS. The national advisory services rarely include and communicate about organic solutions, let alone the latest innovation. To organise a better flow and exchange of information, a European organic advisory network should be developed, to solve the problem of disconnect from and underrepresentation of organics in national AKIS. It would also have the potential to function as a platform that supports participatory, farmer-led research and innovation.