Organic vegetable production is booming – since 2005 double digit growth in sales has been achieved. Research activities are essential to strengthen the position of farmers during this boom. In particular, trials need to be planned in line with practical needs and results should be made generally accessible.
It was for this purpose that the Network on Organic Vegetable Production was established in 2004 as a project within the framework of the German Federal Organic Farming Scheme. Coordinated by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, the project is due to terminate after five years at the end of 2009. From 2010 on the network of researchers, advisors and growers will be coordinated by the chamber of agriculture of North-Rhine/ Westphalia.
A nationwide conference on 22 October will present current research findings. The meeting will further explore the future of organic vegetable production and the research and networking activities required by such developments. Scenarios for the key fields of organic vegetable production and marketing will identify the salient trends, and experts will exchange their specific views.
On 23 October, a day after the national conference, a meeting of scientists from all over Europe will take place to spur the establishment of an international network on research for organic vegetable production within the structures created by the German national project.
The research station in Auweiler is the perfect venue for all these events. It was the first research station where – more than 30 years ago – research on organic vegetable production in Germany took place. And it was here that the Network on Organic Vegetable Production was originally launched. The tradition of pioneer work in Auweiler will now be continued by hosting the first international meeting of researchers on organic vegetable production.
More information
Programme
Links
- Organic Eprints: Project description: Network 'Research on Organic Vegetable Production'
- FiBL.org: Horticultural Sciences
FiBL Contact
- Bettina Billmann, FiBL, Frick
Further reading (publications from the network project)
- Lindner, Ulrike und Billmann, Bettina (Hrsg.) (2006) Planung, Anlage und Auswertung von Versuchen im ökologischen Gemüsebau. Handbuch für die Versuchsanstellung. [Planning, Setup and Evaluation of Trials on Organic Vegetable Cultivation. An Experimental Design Manual.] FiBL-Report. Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau FiBL, CH-Frick.
- Billmann, Bettina (2007) Netzwerk im Ökologischen Gemüsebau. [Network on Organic Vegetable Growing.] Unpublished, FiBL, Frick
- Roth, Rebekka (2005) Übersicht aus 10 Jahren Versuchstätigkeit im Ökologischen Gemüsebau 1994-2004. Vorabveröffentlichung - erstellt im Rahmen des Forschungsprojekts "Netzwerk im ökologischen Gemüsebau" (FKZ 03OE569). Gefördert vom Bundesministerium für Verbraucherschutz, Ernährung und Landwirtschaft im Rahmen des Bundesprogramms Ökologischer Landbau.