Institut für Pflanzenschutz in Gartenbau und urbanem Grün
On-farm research in ROBUSTGemuese focusses on growing regions with their specific problems as well as on crop-specific approaches. The aim is to reflect the diversity of organic vegetable production in Germany. Existing networks that deal with issues relating to the cultivation of different crops are integrated in the project, and at the same time regional networks, particularly for horticultural cultivation. are established. The project has the following objectives: 1) To document the status quo of resilience in the organic outdoor cultivation of vegetables in Germany (field vegetables and horticulture), 2) Development of a common understanding of the term ‘resilience’ in practice and science as well as the factors that promote and inhibit farm resilience, 3) Further development and scaling of existing farming innovations and testing of new ideas to increase farm resilience within on-farm research networks, 4) Enabling farms to assess and evaluate their own resilience. The focus here is on the close interlinking of practice, advisory and science. Based on farm-specific on-farm trials as well as in practical research networks that jointly address specific challenges for individual crops or in specific regions, approaches will be tested and further developed to help organic outdoor vegetable farms become more resilient. The individual approaches are evaluated in terms of their resilience effects. Effective approaches are made available to all vegetable farms. The project thus enables organic outdor vegetable farms to realistically assess existing and future risks and stressors on an individual farm basis and at the same time provides approaches and guidelines for implementing tried-and-tested measures and strategies that strengthen individual farm resilience.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity
