EIP-AGRI Workshop Conversion to organic farming

The EIP-AGRI workshop ‘Conversion to organic farming: innovative approaches and challenges’ took place on 22-23 June 2022 in Florence, Italy.

This workshop focused on exchanging knowledge and sharing innovative, inspirational practices that can support farmers in successful conversion to organic agriculture. The event will allow participants to exchange ideas and experiences with innovative projects and stakeholders along the value chain, and discuss future research needs in the field of organic farming and conversion.

All information and updates will be posted on this page.

The event was by invitation only. An open call for expression of interest was open until 11 April, 23:59 CET. 

Workshop documents

• Final programme
• Speaker and facilitator bios
• Participants list
• Inspirational slides
• Final report

Presentations

Day 1: Wednesday 22 June 2022

Setting the scene

• EU organics policy context – Patrizia Pitton
• EU-funded organic farming research – Susana Gaona

Inspirational presentations 

• Converting production systems – Vidal Sánchez Vincente, ECOPIONET (Spain)
• Cooperation and new ways of organising with other actors – Sara Kuschnereit, FINKA (Germany)
• Experimenting with new processes and technologies including digitalisation – Maria Gernert, TP Organics
• Developing position in the value chain, labelling and marketing during and after the conversion period – Thomas Snellman, REKO (Finland)
• Achieving certification and complying with the regulatory system – Albina Yasinskaya, Rozino Organic Farm (Bulgaria)

Field visits 

• How to apply biodistricts as an innovative tool – Gianluca Barbieri 
• The organic district of Fiesole – Iacopo Zetti

Day 2: Thursday 23 June 2022

• European Innovation Partnership and Operational Groups – Klavdija Ramsak-Noemi

Event description and objectives:

As part of its “Farm to Fork” strategy, the European Commission (EC) emphasises the role of organic agriculture in a sustainable food system. To achieve the target of reaching ‘at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming by 2030’, and to help the organic sector excel, the EC has put forward a new Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production in the EU. Actions are needed in all stages of the agri-food supply chain, to increase the share of land farmed under organic practices and to stimulate conversion from conventional to organic farming. 

Successful conversion requires a comprehensive knowledge of organic production practices, and a good understanding of the conversion process, and the rules and legislation (for production, certification, labelling, controls) that apply in every stage of the process. Farmers therefore need comprehensive business plans as essential tools for successful conversion. Split holdings, having some areas under conventional farming and some in conversion, bring specific challenges. This brings a growing need for support, through training, peer-to-peer learning, advisory or other kinds of support for farmers who have decided to convert to organic production. 

The EIP-AGRI workshop wants to stimulate exchanges between projects and initiatives, including EIP-AGRI Operational Groups, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe and other innovative projects, and key actors working on organic or conversion to organic. They can provide important knowledge, tools and innovations that help fulfil farmers’ needs in the conversion process, and overall, contribute to building an innovative ecosystem for cross-fertilisation. 

Overall aim of the workshop:

The workshop will create a platform for exchanging knowledge and sharing innovative, inspirational practices that can support farmers in successful conversion to organic agriculture. This will help building a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and motivation for farmers on the path to conversion, and will thus support the implementation of the Action Plan on the Development of Organic Production in the EU. 

Specific objectives of the workshop:

• Exchanging knowledge on successful practices, opportunities and tools that are relevant for the conversion process, specifically on:
  • Innovative approaches to scale up/out conversion;
  • Successful business plans for conversion, including the compulsory conversion plan;
  • Labelling and marketing for the conversion period and beyond; 
  • Practices to improve the position of farmers in the supply chain in а transition period, including solutions involving key actors from farmers to consumers
• Identifying challenges and exploring potential solutions in the conversion process
• Identifying needs from practice and possible knowledge gaps that may be filled by research
• Identifying innovative approaches and good practices in the EU Member States, focusing on environmental, social, technical and economic dimensions
• Promote networking among EIP-AGRI Operational Groups and other innovative projects dealing with conversion to organic farming

Target group:

The focus of the workshop will be on farmers who have already decided on or started up the process of conversion. However, farmers who are considering converting to organic farming are more than welcome, as are organic farmers who can provide advice and inspiration.

Other participants will include advisors, researchers, representatives from organic farmers’ associations, cooperatives, control bodies, chambers of agriculture, industry, processors, retailers, other public, private and managing bodies, consumer organisations, local authorities and agri-press.

Further reading:

EIP-AGRI Brochure ‘Organic farming: Innovative approaches to support conversion’

EIP-AGRI-related videos:

• AGRI challenge: organic farming