Funding: Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, European Union
Coordinator: IFOAM-EU, Belgium
Time period: June 2017 - June 2021
Consortium partners: A LIVESEED project brings together altogether 49 partners form 18 European countries.
www.liveseed.eu
The aim of this four-year EU research project is to enhance organic seed use and plant breeding, thus increasing the performance and sustainability of organic farming.
Seeds are the basis of farming, so organic farming should also start from seeds produced in an organic way. Although the EU regulations set the use of certified organic seeds as a mandatory requirement, in some countries and to a varying extents, untreated seeds produced in conventional agriculture are being used for organic farming.
This research includes pulses, vegetables, fruit-bearing trees, cereals and feed crops, and considers agricultural systems used across Europe. To promote harmonized implementation of EU regulations on organic seed production and to develop databases of organic seeds through Europe. To study the societal and economical aspects of the production and use of organic seeds, and to improve the availability and quality of organic seeds. To elaborate general principles for the certification and registration of varieties used in organic farming. To develop innovative breeding methods to help increase the selection of varieties suitable for organic farmingThe goals of Liveseed are:
