Research needs on challenges regarding the organic system, field practises, input, crop, pest and disease control, livestock, socio-economic and post-harvest and processing Challenges in various regions

Drexler, Dora

Möller, Carolin

Willer, Helga

Organic Eprints

Survey on regional research needs  Gathered and compiled from the TIPI Board by Carolin Möller and Helga Willer  Science Day, 13th February, 2015, BIOFACH Congress, Nuremburg, Germany Main questions • Organic System Challenges • Field Practises Challenges • Input Challenges • Crop Challenges – Pest and Disease Control • Livestock Challenges • Socio-Economic Challenges • Post-harvest and Processing Challenges  Scale of issues • Global • Asia • Pacific • US & Trading partners • Europe • West Africa • Canada • Latin America • Drylands of the World Organic System Challenges • Limited understanding of how farming systems work Long-term, multi-disciplinary studies of crop and livestock production systems, with an emphasis on on-farm research • Most organic research is focuses in temperate zones  Need to establish best practices for resilience in varying (e.g. Pacific island) conditions Organic System Challenges I. • Need to combine local tradition with innovation for smallholder organic farming  Regional adaption is needed of already existing and proven solutions and experience from different regions.  • Contamination risks within the system are not thoroughly identified (pathogens, pecticides)  Determine sources of contamination and look at practices to mitigate the risks of contamination.  Field Practises Challenges • Soil building: Basic research on the roles played by different organisms to cycle nutrients, suppress diseases, maintain soil structure, and grow healthy plants for healthy humans and livestock.  • Tillage systems: Further development of no-till and reduced till methods for organic (weed suppression) Field Practises Challenges I. • Biocontrol: Need for further biological pest and disease control   • Weeds: Study of weed ecology, cultural practices, effective rotations; development of bio-herbicides that are compatible with organic principles and criteria  Input Challenges • Copper alternatives: Substituting materials, biological controls, crop rotations • Varieties suitable for organic: Testing of locally appropriate varieties, organic breeding, organic seeds • Micronutrients: identification of micronutrien sources and techniques for their supply for high quality organic products (iron, magnesium, selenium) Crop Challenges – Pests & Diseases • Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) in West-Africa  • Fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) in fruit production (apples, pears), Fitoplasma solanii in vine • Citrus greening virus (HLB) – nutrition control? • Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) in the US (apples) – natural enemy? • Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) – fruits • Fruit fly (oriental and other varieties) Red Spider Mite; White Moth • Giant African Snail- leafy vegetables  Livestock Challenges • Assessment of preventive organic practices to improve organic livestock health • Reduction of parasite pressure • Mastitis prevention and therapy methods • Pneumonia • Natural sources of amino-acids (methionine) • Alternative & additional feed (plant extracts) • Aquaculture practices Socio-Economic Challenges • Assessing factors of consumer trust in different regions  • New economic calculations of food value – linking costs to carbon/water demand  • Research on possible communication methods, which may reach policy makers amongst others Post-harvest and Processing Challenges • Innovative organic cocoa processing (Research & Development trials)  • Efficient cracking of indigenous nuts, solar drying (Pacific)  •  Development of sustainable packaging materials  Conclusions from the survey • A large part of the world’s organic research needs could be covered by: – Dissemination and local adaptation of existing research results, solutions – On-farm research & development seems to be a successful tool  • Most topics came for biological pest and disease control • General need for a better system understanding, also in tropical and subtropical climate Anything to add? Looking forward to your further input! 

Survey on regional research needs

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Organic Eprints