Getting started with twelve new CORE Organic Cofund projects

The CORE Organic Cofund applicants participated in a two-step procedure where in the first step out of 50 proposals 33 were invited to the second step, where 12 research proposals have been selected for funding.

In December 2016, the CORE Organic Cofund consortium, including 26 partners from 19 countries, launched the new call supporting the European transnational organic research.
 
The CORE Organic Cofund consortium spent in the call nearly 14 million Euro including cofunding from the European Commission.

The selected project proposals are distributed across four thematic areas agreed on the level of consortium:

  • Plant production systems
  • Animal feed
  • Livestock systems and
  • Organic food processing.


The planned project activities should start from Spring 2018 and be implemented over the next three years.


Overview of the CORE Organic Cofund projects:   

BIOVINE – creating diversified vineyards with lower input needs

The project BIOVINE will exploit biodiversity in viticultural systems to reduce pest damage and pesticide use, and increase ecosystems services provision.

DOMINO – new strategy for sustainable fruit orchards and vineyards

By dynamic sod mulching and use of recycled amendments to increase biodiversity, the DOMINO project will improve resilience and sustainability of intensive organic fruit orchards and vineyards.

FreeBirds – improving chicken health and environmental problems in free-range production

The project FreeBirds will work with optimization of the use of the free-range as a key to improve organic chicken production.

GrazyDaiSy – to promote health and mother-infant contact in organic dairy farming

GrazyDaiSy will develop innovative and sustainable grazing-based dairy systems, integrating cows and young stock.

GREENRESILIENT will improve organic greenhouse production

The project GREENRESILIENT will create sustainable and resilient organic and biodynamic vegetable production systems in low-energy greenhouses.

MIX-ENABLE – improving organic mixed livestock farming

MIX-ENABLE will develop the sustainability and robustness of organic animal production on mixed livestock farms in Europe.

POWER – to strengthen welfare and resilience in organic pig production

The project POWER will contribute to remove significant obstacles in organic pig farming by focusing on the young pigs.

ProOrg – Developing a Code of Practice for organic food processing

ProOrg aims to develop a code of practice that will provide strategies and tools for decisions making for food processors and organic labelling organizations.

ProRefine – new methods for locally produced feed

ProRefine will explore refined forage legumes as local sources of protein feed for monogastrics and high quality fibre feed for ruminants in organic production.

PROYOUNGSTOCK – research for improved organic young stock rearing

PROYOUNGSTOCK will explore ways to promote young stock and cow health and welfare by natural feeding systems.

SUREVEG – new diversified cropping systems for vegetables

Strip-cropping and recycling of waste as the basis for biodiverse and resource-efficient intensive vegetable production will be explored in the SUREVEG project.

SUSORGPLUS – developing smarter organic processing chains

The SUSORGPLUS project will develop smart and low energy input processing chains, natural food additives and colourants, and supportive material for a code of practice to increase sustainability and consumer acceptance of organic food stuffs.


About CORE Organic

CORE Organic is an ERA-NET - a network of European ministries and research councils funding research in organic food systems at national levels. The main focus of the ERA-NET is to join forces and fund transnational research projects support a focused and coordinated research and innovation effort covering the most important challenges along the organic value chains.

The network receives funding from the European Union, Horizon 2020, to support transnational research and additional activities.


Visit the website of CORE Organic Cofund