LIVESEED aims to improve the performance and competitiveness of the organic sector by boosting organic seed and plant breeding efforts. To increase the availability and choice of organic seed, LIVESEED will (i) harmonize the implementation of legislative requirements and develop an EU-wide router database tool for seed suppliers, (ii) develop improved cultivar testing systems, organic seed health and quality strategies, best practices for organic seed multiplication, and new variety testing protocols for the registration of cultivars for the organic sector, (iii) develop novel breeding concepts, selection tools, and genetic resources, (iv) explore plant-microbe interactions, (v) initiate new breeding networks to close major gaps for legumes, cereals, vegetables, fruit trees and fodder crops, (vi) identify bottlenecks in the organic seed market, (vii) develop business and governance models for breeding and seed production, (viii) engage stakeholder groups for knowledge exchange, practical training, and capacity building, and (ix) provide recommendations based on synthesis of LIVESEED outcomes. The innovative multi-actor and -action research approach (‘learning by doing’) of LIVESEED ensures a broad and fast implementation of the project outputs across Europe. The LIVESEED consortium represents a multidisciplinary European partnership involving 48 organisations (35 partners + 13 third linked parties) and >30 stakeholders from 16 EU countries and Switzerland, including researchers, breeders, seed producers, organic associations and retailers. Combining scientific and practical knowledge will enable the consortium to generate innovative solutions adapted to the needs of end-users for different pedo-climatic and socio-economic contexts. The main outcome will be an improved breeding efficiency and a greater choice and uptake of organic seed derived from resilient cultivars to optimize organic and low-input agriculture and strengthen sustainable food production in Europe.

Organic agriculture is considered to be one of the important development pathways towards a more sustainable agriculture and food production. This development has been and will be dependent on continuous research and innovation. CORE Organic started in 2004 and has been evolving for more than a decade. The present proposal for a CORE Organic Cofund will continue, to update and consolidate the series of transnational research calls that support a focused and coordinated research and innovation effort covering the most important challenges along the organic value chains, for example: increasing the organic production potentials, enhancing resource efficiency, and improving animal welfare. In addition this research and innovation plays a key role in adapting to the new EU regulations on Organic Farming. The new CORE Organic network will be expanded with additional partners from Netherlands and Italy totalling to 25 partners from 19 countries. One joint call with 3-4 topics will be launched with co-funding from the European Commission and another call without EU co-funding is being planned for 2019 as part of the additional activities. Other ERA-NETs with a similar scope will be invited to join this second call. The CORE Organic partners are working to increase innovation potential, knowledge accessibility, alignment of national research and international outreach in support of the ERA-NET’s objectives. CORE Organic will closely monitor the funded projects and offer assistance regarding stakeholder involvement and dissemination in order to secure high impact of the research efforts. An impact assessment will be performed after the end of the projects. Looking to the future, the CORE Organic Cofund aims to deliver results that can be used to develop the organic sector throughout Europe and the world, and to continue to be a key player in the European Research Area.

BIO2 aims to transform organic farming (OF) by replacing contentious inputs with sustainable alternatives through innovative R&D. The main innovations are: (i) combining marine materials (fish discards and seaweed byproducts), microorganisms, and recycled sewage nutrients to create fertilizers tailored for OF; (ii) encapsulating biocontrol agents (e.g., yeast and bacteria) in biogenic materials to enhance their efficacy in protecting crops from diseases; (iii) developing processes for manufacturing microalgal-based agricultural fungicides; and (iv) producing immunostimulants and bark extracts with antiparasitic properties. To facilitate the integration of BIO2 solutions into OF and make them viable for farmers, we will scale up production processes and provide sufficient materials for testing in agronomic and animal trials from the project's early stages. The efficacy of these products will be studied and compared with contentious inputs, such as copper- and sulfur-based fungicides, mineral oils, manure from conventional farming, and synthetic antibiotics. BIO2 will prioritize sustainability assessments and actively engage stakeholders (industries, the OF sector, farmers transitioning to OF, and consumers) to develop products that are both environmentally friendly and accepted by end users. Potential barriers, such as raw material quality and availability, product costs, farmers’ acceptance, and regulatory challenges, will be addressed by diversifying material sources and involving key actors. By leveraging advanced technologies and interdisciplinary collaboration, BIO2 will deliver tangible outcomes, including the industrial production of at least 1 biocontrol agent, 2 fertilizers, and 1 antiparasitic treatment. Through its comprehensive approach, BIO2 not only addresses current limitations in OF but also contributes to broader sustainability goals by reducing environmental impacts and promoting a circular economy.