SCALE-it: upSCALing Efficient alternatives for contentious InpuTs in organic farming

Funder

SCALE-it receives funding from the European Union and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).

Funder acknowledgement

Value to Coventry University

€444,500

Total Value of Project

€7,500,000

Project Team

Collaborators

Forschungsinstitut für Biologischen Landbau Europe (FiBL EU), Belgium - Lead

The Coventry University team leads work on economic analysis and consumer perceptions/acceptance.

Collaborators:

Forschungsinstitut für Biologischen Landbau Schweiz (FiBL CH), Switzerland
Institut de Recherche de l'Agriculture Biologique France (FiBL FR), France
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (ÖMKi), Hungary
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER-AGS), Switzerland
Substaintec GmbH (SBT), Switzerland
Julius Kühn-Institut Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen (JKI), Germany
Centro Internazionale di Altistudi Agronomici Mediterranei (IAMB), Italy
Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), Italy
Università degli Studi di Trento (UNITN), Italy
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), United Kingdom
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements European Union Regional Group (IFOAM EU), Sweden
Innovationscenter for Økologisk Landbrug P/S (ICOEL), Denmark
Naturland - Verband für Ökologischen Landbau e.V. (Naturland), Germany
Öko Obstbau Norddeutschland Versuchs- und Beratungsring e.V. (ÖON), Germany
Fondatsiya za Biologichno Zemedelie Bioselena (Bioselena), Bulgaria
Eesti Mahepõllumajanduse Sihtasutus (EOFF), Estonia
Trifolio-M GmbH (TM), Germany
Københavns Universitet (UCPH), Denmark
Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego (SGGW), Poland
Aarhus Universitet (AU), Denmark
Coventry University (CU), United Kingdom
Universität Hohenheim (UHOH), Germany
Universidad de Jaén (UJA), Spain
Ekolojik Tarım Organizasyonu Derneği (ETO), Turkey
Instytut Ogrodnictwa - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (INHORT), Poland
Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain
Fundacja imienia Stanisława Karłowskiego (JUCHOW), Poland
O.P. Ortofrutticola Jonica scarl (OP Jonica), Italy
Elliniko Mesogeïako Panepistimio (HMU), Greece
Saluvet GmbH (Saluvet), Germany
Instytut Zootechniki Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (NRIAP), Poland
Institut Technique de l'Agriculture Biologique (ITAB), France
A CERT European Organization for Certification S.A. (A CERT), Greece
Perleuve SRL (Perleuve), Italy
International Animal Health Products Pty Ltd (IAHP), Australia

Collaborators logos

Duration

May 2025 - April 2029

Project Overview

SCALE-it is working to increase the availability, accessibility and adoption of cost-effective alternatives to contentious inputs in organic farming. By reducing dependence on critical plant protection products, manure from conventional farms, antibiotics and anthelmintics, and synthetic and GMO derived vitamins, organic food systems can be truer to the IFOAM organic principle of ‘ecology’.

Project Objectives

SCALE-it brings together partners from the whole organic value chain (farmers, farmers' associations, advisors, veterinarians, researchers, industry, consumers) in a truly multi-actor approach. It builds on previous projects to take forward a range of alternative products, tools and holistic methods to Technology Readiness Level 7-9. Less advanced alternatives are developed further by reviewing information and experimental testing, before including them in demonstration trials under organic conditions.

Local Ambassadors with outstanding outreach capacity in the organic farming community lead over 65 trials across Europe, organising local dissemination events, and generating novel data to assess the environmental impacts of alternatives.

The Coventry team lead work on economic impact assessment, ensuring that the uptake of new products, tools and methods is feasible and empowers farmers to improve organic systems. Companies are supported to establish roadmaps for upscaling alternatives, registration and IP protection.

The acceptance of alternatives by farmers and consumers is critical to their success. The Coventry team leads work to assess citizen views of the solutions researched, fostering a two-way dialogue between science and society about their acceptability.

SCALE-it is well-placed to moderate the development of implementable rules on the use of inputs in organic farming and provide support to policy development via national and international multi-actor activities. Targeted dissemination materials and training packages will be developed.

Impact Statement

The results generated by SCALE-it will enable a reduction in the use of controversial inputs and increase the use of their alternatives in organic (and also non-organic) production. This will be achieved by increasing the availability of information on the best use of alternatives, showcasing them and by creating decision-making and advisory tools. This project supports the transition to sustainable farming systems in line with the Farm-to-Fork (F2F) strategy, promoting fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems.