Inspirational idea: On-Farm Living Lab on organic farming

This inspirational idea is also available in a Slovak version. 

Translation courtesy of the National Rural Network Slovakia. Read more EIP-AGRI inspirational ideas in Slovak on the NRN website. 

ÖMKi On-Farm Living Lab is testing sustainable solutions in Hungary

A nationwide participatory experimentation network was set up in Hungary in 2012 to improve and develop new organic practices and at the same time boost the transition to agroecology. Farmers and researchers in the ÖMKi On-Farm Living Lab co-design and co-implement field trials and technology tests on sustainable crop and animal management techniques which contribute to the flexibility, sustainability and resilience of farming systems and adaptation of farms in the context of climate change.

As part of its ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, the EU emphasises the role of organic agriculture in a sustainable food system and aims at 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic management by 2030. The size of the area under organic cultivation in Hungary has doubled since 2016, representing around 6% of total agricultural land in 2020 (for the EU as a whole, this was 9% in 2020) - Eurostat. According to the recently published national Organic Action Plan, Hungary has a target to achieve 10% by 2027.

The Hungarian Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (ÖMKi) promotes the improvement and more widespread use of organic agriculture in Hungary. “ÖMKi’s main objective is to increase organic farming and its competitiveness, providing safe, more nutritious food to Hungarian consumers and ensuring sustainability. In order to do this, research is essential” – Dóra Drexler, ÖMKi’s director says.

One of ÖMKi’s main activities is on-farm research. Their on-farm research network is a system of innovative experiments carried out on over 100 Hungarian organic farms. In 2020 the network was awarded with a ‘Living Lab’ accreditation and admitted to the European Network of Living Laboratories (ENoLL). ‘Living Labs’ facilitate and foster open, collaborative innovation where different stakeholders (such as citizens, farmers, researchers, companies) can co-create solutions in real life settings.

The ÖMKi On-Farm Living Lab was initiated to develop organic farming and disseminate best practices in sustainable agriculture in a range of areas including arable crops, horticulture, apiculture, viticulture and animal husbandry. It is based on the idea of active participation of farmers in research and the exchange of professional experiences. The problems to tackle and the solutions to try out are determined together between farmers, researchers and other actors in the value chain and testing is implemented under diverse conditions of market operations. 

Ágoston Nobilis, owner of Csoroszlya organic farm, is conducting several experiments in collaboration with the ÖMKi On-farm Living Lab. “It is very inspiring that young researchers, who are truly committed to organic agriculture and the conservation of biodiversity, provide us with practical advice through on-farm collaboration. These connections and the continuous exchange of our experiences also leads us towards better results.” 

Gergely Makai, manager of Tokaj-Hétszőlő, an organic vineyard, mentions: “We have been working closely with ÖMKi within the On-Farm Living Lab since 2012 to develop a multi-species cover crop vegetation well-adapted to Hungarian conditions”. The projects experiments with species-appropriate seed mixtures for interrow cultivation in wine growing, to replace mechanical interrow cultivation which can be detrimental to the soil. Under real-life conditions, the optimal composition to defend the soil against soil erosion and increase biodiversity is identified.

The ÖMKi On-Farm Living Lab regularly organises workshops, field days and conferences to bring together farmers and present opportunities for new national or EU funded projects and to share the practical results of the research network. Results are also shared through technical publications, videos, practice abstracts and online articles. Farmers can join the network on a voluntary basis.

One of the projects within the ÖMKi On-Farm Living Lab aimed at reintroducing landrace tomatoes into agricultural production. Zoltán Dezsény, a farmer who participated in this experiment says: “Tomato landraces are heritage cultivars and are not common in Hungarian farming. However, they contribute to agro-biodiversity, facilitate climate adaptation, and resilience through genetic diversity and their high value can help farmers achieve a better livelihood.” Zoltán Dezsény continues “As an enthusiastic organic farmer, I gladly participate in research, workshops and professional meetings organised by ÖMKi. These not only provide possibilities to try out new practices, but also create opportunities for mutual exchange of experiences with other farmers and professional networking.”

Dóra Drexler concludes “Within the framework of the European Green Deal, agro-ecological methods are becoming more and more important, in 2022, we will work on the establishment of a European pilot network of Living Labs. The ÖMKi On-farm Living Lab is helping to find innovation opportunities to contribute to the sustainability and flexibility of farming systems, helping farmers to adapt to climate change at a local level, and facilitating the transition of Hungarian agriculture to agroecology. We want therefore to share our experience with other countries.”

Project information

• Contact: Dora Drexler, dora.drexler@biokutatas.hu, +36 1 244 8358
• https://biokutatas.hu/en/page/show/omki-on-farm-living-lab 
• https://biokutatas.hu/en/page/show/onfarm
• https://enoll.org/network/living-labs/?livinglab=omki-on-farm-living-lab#description 

Images: ÖMKi | Ökológiai Mezőgazdasági Kutatóintézet