Claus Bo Andreasen & Signe H. Poulsen Danish Research Center of Organic Food and Farming Communicating European research - strategies and

Claus Bo Andreasen & Signe H. PoulsenDanish Research Center of Organic Food and Farmingwww.darcof.dk

Communicating European research

- strategies and instruments

Seminar: European Organic Advisers, Horsens August 28th to 30th, 2005

Content

• New EU focus on communication• Research Projects in Organic Food and Farming • Research highlights (examples)• Communication on a European level (challenges)• Mediation in projects (examples)

• Discussion on improved utilization of European research

Communicating European research - strategies and instruments

European Action plan for communication

• Problems with communication in EU• 20 July 2005 a new action plan for communication was

presented• Objective: to ensure more effective communication about

Europe• The action plan is the first phase of the Commission's plans to

"reconnect with citizens".

• Three principles underpin the action plan:• listening to the citizens;• communicating in an understandable way;• "going local" by adapting message and messenger to national

and local concerns.


Improving the Internet servicesEuropean action plan for communication

EUROPA:• Shift the emphasis more towards communication• Facilitate navigation• Ensure fully multilingual web pages• State of the art technology - including powerful search engine• An editor to ensure a well-structured website and avoidance of overlaps

of texts

In general:• New web sites focusing on priorities and current ‘hot’ topics and key

target audiences• Information for the general public locally in local languages tailored to

local needs and realities• Thematic portals


European resources for communicating research

• EUROPA - Gateway to the European Union

• CORDIS - the Community Research and Development Information Service

http://www.cordis.lu/

http://europa.eu.int/


Research Projects in Organic Food and Farming

Production aspects

• QLIF• REPCO• Intercrop • Blight-Mop• Organic Inputs Evaluation• Organic HACCP • ENVIRFOOD

Policy aspects

• SAFO • Organic Revision • EU-CEE-OFP • ORGAP• EISfOM• CHANNEL• CORE Organic


QualityLowInputFood (QLIF)

• Title: Improving quality and safety and reduction of cost in the European organic and "low input" food supply chain

• Objective: to improve quality, food safety and reduce costs in organic and "low input" food production systems

• 31 European partners within different research disciplines

• http://www.qlif.org/


http://www.qlif.org/



REPCO

• Title: Replacement of Copper Fungicides in Organic Production of Grapevine and Apple in Europe

• Objective: REPCO aims to contribute to the replacement of copper fungicides in organic agriculture by new measures for control of downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) in grapevine and scab (Venturia inaequalis) in apple

• http://www.rep-co.nl/


http://www.rep-co.nl/

http://www.rep-co.nl/

Intercrop

• Title: Intercropping of cereals and grain legumes for increased production, weed control, improved product quality and prevention of N-losses in European organic farming systems

• Objective: Intercrop aims at defining intercropping strategies for sustainable plant production management in Organic Farming systems under different regional conditions in Europe

• http://www.intercrop.dk/


http://www.intercrop.dk/



Blight-Mop

• Title: Development of a systems approach for the management of late blight in EU organic potato production

• Objective: to develop a systems approach to control potato late blight that maintains yield and quality and hence commercial viability of organic potato crops without the use of copper fungicides

• www.ncl.ac.uk/tcoa/producers/research/blightmop/


http://www.ncl.ac.uk/tcoa/producers/research/blightmop/

Organic Inputs Evaluation

• Title: Harmonised and standardised procedures for evaluation of plant protection products, fertilizers and soil conditioners for use in organic agriculture

• Objective: Organic Inputs Evaluation is to come up with recommendations for harmonized and standardised procedures for evaluation of plant protection products, fertilizers and soil conditioners for use in organic agriculture

• www.organicinputs.org


http://www.organicinputs.org/

Organic HAACP

• Title: Recommendations for improved procedures for securing consumer oriented food safety and quality of certified organic foods from plough to plate

• Objective: The objective of Organic HACCP is to provide recommendations on the chain of production, distribution and consumption in regard to improving the safety and quality of certified organic food products

• www.organichaccp.org


http://www.organichaccp.org/

ENVIRFOOD

• Title: Environmental friendly food production system: requirements for plant breeding and seed production

• Objective: The general objective of ENVIRFOOD is to bring together plant breeders, seed producers, and specialists of variety testing of Baltic countries


SAFO

• Title: Sustaining Animal Health and Food Safety in Organic Farming

• Objective: to improve food safety and sustaining animal health in organic farming

• Among others this is done through establishment of a network for exchange and discussion of research

• www.safonetwork.org


http://www.safonetwork.org/

Organic Revision

• Title: Research to support revision of the EU regulation on organic agriculture

• Objective: to provide recommendations for development of the EU regulation for organic agriculture

• www.organic-revision.org


http://www.organic-revision.org/

EU-CEE-OFP

• Title: Further development of Organic Farming Policy in Europe, with Particular Emphasis on EU Enlargement

• Objective: The EU-CEE-OFP project is to identify how the complementary development of Organic Farming in both existing EU states, Switzerland, and in Central and Eastern European (CEE) Accession states can be fostered through policy design and innovation

• www.irs.aber.ac.uk/EUCEEOFP/


http://www.irs.aber.ac.uk/EUCEEOFP/

ORGAP

• Title: European Action Plan of Organic Food and Farming

• Objective: to develop criteria and procedures for the evaluation of the EU Action Plan for Organic Agriculture

• www.orgap.org


http://www.orgap.org/

EISfOM

• Title: European Information System in Organic Markets

• Objective: EISfOM is an integrated project with the aim to build up a framework for reporting valid and reliable data for relevant production and market data about the European organic sector

• www.eisfom.org


http://www.eisfom.org/

CHANNEL

• Title: Opening channels of communication between Associated Candidate Countries and the EU in Ecological Farming

• Objective: to assess and analyse which development stages the associated candidate countries have achieved in organic agriculture and to open communication channels on different levels necessary for starting the harmonization and equalization process in organic agriculture

• www.channel.uni-corvinus.hu


http://www.channel.uni-corvinus.hu/

CORE Organic

• Title: Coordination of European Transnational Research in Organic Food and Farming

• Objective: to gather a critical mass and through coordination and collaboration to enhance quality, relevance and utilization of resources in European research in organic food and farming

• The project began October 2004 and the initiative comprises 11 European countries supported by the EU-commission

• www.coreorganic.org


Research highlights

•Articles in leading scientific journals•Key presentations at scientific

congresses

•Project communication & media •Organic congresses


Examples on research highlights

Chicory root improves the taste and odour of organic pork

• Few days of feeding with chicory root reduces the boar taint in slaughter pigs and improves the eating quality

• At the same time feeding with chicory root changes the intestinal environment and leads to a decreased incidence of swine dysentery and intestinal parasites

DARCOFenews


http://www.darcof.dk/research/chicory.html


Increased phytoestrogen content in organic milk

Preliminary study at 17 Danish dairy farms shows that organic milk can have a higher content of plant estrogens than conventional milk in Denmark (DARCOFenews)


http://www.darcof.dk/enews/jun05/milk.html


Organic diet enhanced the health of rats

• The immune response was enhanced when rats were fed on organically grown or minimally fertilised plant diets

• The study also indicated the rats fed on organically grown diets accumulated less adipose tissue and rested better during daytime

DARCOFenews


http://www.darcof.dk/enews/mar05/health.html


Feeding with lupines reduces the amount of skatole in organic pigs

• Female and castrate organic pigs fed with 25 pct. lupines had significantly lower skatole concentrations in back fat compared with the control treatments without lupines.

• It is expected the skatole concentration could be decreased by ca. 50 pct. also in entire male pigs fed with lupine, thereby reducing the number of entire male pigs with boar taint

DARCOFenews


http://www.darcof.dk/enews/dec04/skatole.html


Higher antioxidant content in organic milk than in conventional milk due to feeding strategy

• New study shows that the content of antioxidants is significantly higher in organic milk (DARCOFenews)

• The most important reason for the observed differences is presumably the large amounts of maize silage used in the conventional production, whereas a considerable amount of grass and leguminous plants are used in the organic production


http://www.darcof.dk/enews/sep04/milk.html

Communication on a European levelWhat are the challenges?

Challenges for the project

• Different research disciplines • Different traditions for mediation and communication• Variations in the approach to organic farming


Communication on a European levelWhat are the challenges?

Challenges for the communication

• Who is the (end)user • How is the national and local organization of “knowledge

mediation”• Differences in farm size, production level, climate, soil, etc


Mediation in projects

• Scientific articles

• Project reports and other publications

• Press releases & media contact

• Articles in farm magazines etc

• Congresses

• Seminars & workshops

• Exhibitions & open days

• Websites & portals

• Databases & information systems

• Newsletters

• Web logs

• Discussion forum

• EcoWiki

• Organic Eprints


Examples on mediation in projects Scientific articles & project reports

• Advancement of research and science• Fulfillment of project targets

• Distribution and availability


Examples on mediation in projects Media contact & popular articles

Press releases• Here we are (project start, conferences etc)

• Single issues

Popular articles• Difficult with even distribution in all countries

• Difficult to achieve the same relevance in all countries


Examples on mediation in projects Websites & internet resources

• Project websites (QLIF)• Thematic research websites (FØJO)• Portals (Organic Europe, CORE Organic)• Databases and information systems (Plant info)• Open access (Organic Eprints)



http://www.foejo.dk/aktuelt/tema/index.html

http://www.organic-europe.net/

http://www.planteinfo.dk/

Examples on mediation in projects On-line newsletters

• Online project magazine (QLIF news)• Online portal magazines (CORE news)• E-mail notifications (SAFO)


http://www.qlif.org/qlifnews/april05/index.html

http://www.coreorganic.org/corenews/may05/index.html

http://www.safonetwork.org/news/index.html

Examples on mediation in projects Communicative internet ressources

• Web logs (okologgen)• Discussion forum (OrganicForum)• EcoWiki (EcoWiki)


http://www.okologgen.dk/

http://www.organicforum.org/

http://www.ecowiki.org/

Examples on mediation in projects Organic Eprints


Discussion Improved utilization of European research

• Who are the target groups for the EU research?• Possibilities for cooperation between EU research

and national/regional/local information systems?• What medias should be used?• Suggestions for common/joint resources?


Documents

Claus Bo Andreasen & Signe H. Poulsen Danish Research Center of Organic Food and Farming Communicating European research - strategies and