Events

Last updated: 2026-10-09

BIO-CROP and AGROECOLOGY Partnership events

OPEN DISCUSSION is organised at Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, during AGRO-ECO conference, on October 15, 2026 .

 ProjektÄ… finansuoja Europos SÄ…junga (projekto Nr. S-Agroecology-26-1) pagal sutartį su Lietuvos mokslo taryba (LMTLT).

 

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NORWAY - NIBIO

In Norway, the partners in the BIO-CROP Living Lab identified the effect of MRCS systems on soil health as an important research topic, and during the autumn NIBIO has taken soil samples at 12 regenerative farms in south east and mid-Norway, and at conventional neighbouring fields. The regenerative farmers are using a diverse mix of undersown cover crops, which are left after harvest, and terminated before establishing new crops by surface composting. On the 23rd of September, 2026 one of the BIO-CROP Living Lab farmers, Kristoffer Svalastog at Nedre Skinnes Farm in Busekrud region welcomed the NIBIO team and advisor Vibhoda Holten for soil sampling, interview and a farm tour,  also showing his surface composing equipment (see picture). The Norwegian team are looking forward to analysing the results of the first season, and to discuss the findings and the way forwards with the Living lab partners. Photos by Tove Ortman, Thiago Inagaki and Narda Pacay Barrientos.

           

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SWEDEN - RISE

At RISE the work with sustainability assessments are getting started. Scientists have had WP3 meetings to sort out what data the different assessments requires and possibilites to use similar data sets are investigated. As per September 2026, RISE has also started the literature review on the latest development in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) connected to agroecologically improved systems.

  

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TURKEY - ALKÜ

Consultation with wheat producers in DemirtaÅŸ

ALKÜ met directly with wheat producers in DemirtaÅŸ; the District Director of Agriculture also participated. Information was collected on wheat production practices, the use of local/ancestral seed, and major production problems. Producers identified wild-boar damage as an important constraint. The quantitative yield value recorded in the field note should be verified before inclusion in a formal scientific dataset.

Figure. Consultation with wheat producers in DemirtaÅŸ, 4 September 2026.

Consultation with the District Directorate of Agriculture

ALKÜ met with Ali Ä°hsan Ä°nal, District Director of Agriculture, to discuss cereal production in the region and the BIO-CROP project. This consultation strengthened institutional engagement and created a basis for future coordination with public agricultural services.

Figure. Stakeholder meeting with the District Directorate of Agriculture, 21 August 2026.

Consultation with the Alanya Chamber of Agriculture

A meeting was held with Tahir Göktepe, President of the Alanya Chamber of Agriculture. Discussions focused on the general situation of agricultural producers in the region, the decline in producer numbers, cereal production, and the objectives and planned activities of BIO-CROP. The meeting supported stakeholder mapping, awareness raising, and identification of local agricultural conditions.

Figure. Stakeholder meeting with the District Chamber of Agriculture President, August 21, 2026.

 
ALKÜ carried out preparatory work on the land intended for establishment of the project trial/demonstration plots. This represents an important practical step toward establishment of the Turkish transfer-learning site.
 
Figure. Planned ALKÜ trial/demonstration area documented during preparatory work in July 2026.
 

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ESA Conference

BIO-CROP was introduced at the European Society for Agronomy Congress in Estonia

The scientists from various countries around the world specializing in agronomy, crop science, agroecology, and other related fields gathered in Tartu, Estonia, for the European Society for Agronomy (ESA) Congress in August 24–28, 2026. The congress featured the latest research, ideas, and practical solutions aimed at creating more sustainable, resilient, and biodiversity-based agricultural systems.

The BIO-CROP project’s research team presented studies related to multiple cropping systems. One of the posters was dedicated to the BIO-CROP project — 'Multilayered Relay Cropping Systems for Agroecological Transition in the Baltic and Nordic Regions'.

The BIO-CROP project aims to contribute to the agroecological transformation of agriculture in the Baltic and Nordic regions by developing and evaluating multilayered and relay cropping systems. These systems are based on greater plant diversity and more efficient use of spatial and temporal resources. Such systems can help make more efficient use of natural resources and contribute to the development of more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.

The project presentation at the conference provided an opportunity not only to introduce the international scientific community to the ideas and ongoing research of BIO-CROP but also to share experiences with researchers working in similar fields. During the discussions, experiences from different regions were compared, and mixed and intercropping.

Focus on Mixed Crop Systems

A separate section of the congress’s scientific program was devoted to mixed crop systems. It featured research conducted in various European countries and beyond, examining the productivity of mixed crops, nitrogen use efficiency, plant disease and weed control, biodiversity, and interactions between different plants.

Presentations on these topics were given by Wopke van der Werf, Maé Guinet, Timothé Wantz, Chloe MacLaren, and other researchers. The presented studies revealed a broad spectrum of mixed-crop research and a growing focus among scientists on plant-diversity-based agricultural systems.

From Scientific Discussions to Practical Solutions


The conference program was complemented by a field trip, which provided an opportunity to gain a closer look at crop research and sustainable farming practices in Estonia.


Participants visited the Rõhu Experimental Station of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, where field research on plants, soil, and sustainable agricultural technologies is conducted. There, they were able to learn about ongoing field experiments, precision farming technologies, the use of autonomous field robots and drones for crop monitoring, and other technological solutions applied in modern crop production.

The Value of International Experience for the BIO-CROP Project

Participation in the ESA Congress was an important step in increasing the international visibility of the BIO-CROP project and strengthening ties with scientists from other countries. The discussions, research presentations, and practical examples shared at the congress provided new insights into the potential of mixed and intercropped cropping systems.

This international exchange of knowledge and experience will contribute to the further development of BIO-CROP activities and research on agroecological crop production systems in the Baltic and Nordic regions.

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FARMER'S SUMMER

When Agronomic Experience Meets Future Solutions: BIO-CROP at "Farmer's Summer 2026"

 

How should crop production evolve when it must simultaneously protect the soil, adapt to increasingly unpredictable climate conditions, and maintain farm productivity? This question is becoming not only a matter of scientific research but also an everyday part of farming practice.

This was the topic of discussion on June 17 at the 26th scientific-practical conference "Farmer's Summer 2026: Innovative Agroengineering Solutions in Crop Production," held at the Experimental Station of the Agriculture Academy of Vytautas Magnus University.

Farmer's Summer 2026. Agriculture Academy

Farmer's Summer 2026, Agriculture Academy

 

This year's "Farmer's Summer" also carried a special historical significance – the event was dedicated to the 120th birth anniversary of one of Lithuania's most prominent agronomists, Prof. Petras Vasinauskas. Alongside the latest technologies and innovations, much was said about the principles of agronomy, whose importance has not diminished even as agriculture has fundamentally changed.

Do the old truths of agronomy still hold?

One of the highlights of the event was the discussion "Timeless Truths of Agrotechnology According to Professor Petras Vasinauskas." Taking part alongside representatives of agriculture, science, and practice was BIO-CROP project leader Prof. Dr. KÄ™stutis Romaneckas. At the center of the discussion was a question just as relevant to today's scientific research: how can productive crop farming be reconciled with the long-term preservation of soil vitality? Modern technologies allow increasingly precise monitoring of crops, assessment of soil condition, and data-driven decision-making. At the same time, however, growing attention is returning to the agroecosystem itself – plant diversity, crop rotation, biological processes in the soil, and the ability of different plants to complement one another. This is precisely where the "Farmer's Summer" discussions intersect with the BIO-CROP project.

More than one crop in a single field

 

 

BIO-CROP is searching for ways to make better use of the properties and growing periods of different crops on farms in the Baltic and Nordic countries. One of the project's main directions is relay cropping, where a second crop is sown into an already-growing crop before the main crop has been harvested.

This approach changes the conventional understanding of a field: instead of a s

ingle crop occupying the field for a certain part of the growing season, a system is created in which different crops overlap in time and space. Why does this matter? Soil covered by plants for longer periods, greater plant diversity, and different root systems can help make better use of nutrients and other resources, while also creating more favorable conditions for soil functions and biological diversity. However, for such systems to become a real farming alternative, theoretical models alone are not enough – they must be tested under the specific conditions of the region and individual farms.

The field becomes a site for shared experimentation

For a farmer, what matters is not only whether a new system works in an experimental plot. Equally important questions include: can it be implemented with the equipment already on hand, how does it fit into the farm's work calendar, what additional costs does it require, and what benefits can it provide under different weather conditions? Such a dialogue requires places where different kinds of experience can meet. "Farmer's Summer" is one of them. In this context, BIO-CROP offers another avenue – Living Lab activities, in which scientists, farmers, consultants, and representatives of business, the public sector, and other interested groups can jointly assess the solutions being developed and their applicability in practice.

     

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BIO-CROP at AGROECOLOGY CALL 2 KOM, Bordeaux, France

In recent years, European agriculture has been facing increasing uncertainty — rising fertilizer and energy prices, climate variability, soil degradation, and growing pressure to farm more sustainably. At the same time, another important question is being raised more and more often: how can the green transition be implemented in a way that is not only beneficial for the environment, but also truly workable in real farming conditions?

These issues were at the centre of discussions during the international “AGROECOLOGY Call 2” Kick-off Meeting held in Bordeaux, France, on May 11–13, 2026. The event brought together representatives of 19 European projects, researchers, project coordinators, and agroecology policy actors seeking practical solutions for the future of agriculture.

Among them was the international project “BIO-CROP” (“Bio-Based Agroecosystem Transitions in the Baltic and Nordic Regions through Integrated Relay Cropping Systems”), coordinated by Prof. Dr. KÄ™stutis Romaneckas from the Department of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences at the Agriculture Academy of Vytautas Magnus University. The project was presented at the event by project administrator and doctoral researcher Lina JuodytÄ—.

This project is relevant not only to scientists. Its core objective is to find solutions that can make agriculture more resilient, less dependent on costly external inputs, and at the same time more environmentally friendly. The project focuses strongly on multilayer cropping systems, cover crops, the use of biological processes, and farming approaches based on natural principles. In other words, it seeks to answer a fundamental question: is it possible to achieve more not by increasing chemical inputs, but by making better use of the agroecosystem’s own potential?

During the meeting in Bordeaux, participants discussed not only scientific research, but also how to bring science closer to real farming practice, how to involve farmers in the development of solutions, and how agroecological ideas can become practically applicable technologies rather than remaining only theoretical strategies.

Particular attention was devoted to so-called “Living Labs” — collaborative environments in which researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders jointly search for practical solutions under real-life conditions. This demonstrates a growing understanding across Europe that sustainable agriculture cannot be developed solely in offices or laboratories.

The discussions also emphasized that the success of future agriculture will not depend only on yields. Increasing importance is being given to soil health, biodiversity, farm resilience, economic viability, and the survival of rural communities.

The BIO-CROP project specifically addresses challenges relevant to the Baltic and Nordic regions. This is especially important for Lithuania, where farmers are increasingly facing both droughts and excessive rainfall, while also being under pressure to reduce production costs.

The meeting in Bordeaux was not only a formal presentation of projects, but also a sign that European agroecology policy is gradually moving from declarations towards the search for practical solutions. However, one essential question remains open: will these solutions be developed together with farmers, or simply imposed on them from above?

The project is funded by the European Union and national funding bodies. In Lithuania, the project activities are funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Project No. LMT – S-Agroecology 26-1.

 

 

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BIO-CROP Project Kick-off Meeting — Kaunas, Lithuania

Dates: 18–19 March 2026

Venue: Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania

The international kick-off meeting of BIO-CROP brought together scientists and experts from all nine partner institutions across eight European countries to launch the project and establish collaborative frameworks for implementing innovative relay cropping systems in Baltic and Nordic agroecosystems.

Read more: https://zua.vdu.lt/en/international-bio-crop-project-launched-at-vmu-agriculture-academy-focus-on-sustainable-agroecosystems-2/

AGROECOLOGY Partnership – Call 2 Meeting — Bordeaux, France

Dates: 11–13 May 2026

Venue: Bordeaux, France

BIO-CROP was presented at the joint meeting of all projects funded under the second co-funded call of the European AGROECOLOGY Partnership. The coordination team from Vytautas Magnus University introduced the project — focused on multilayer cropping, cover crops and natural biological processes — to the partnership community and explored synergies with other Call 2 projects.

Read more: https://zua.vdu.lt/en/the-project-bio-crop-coordinated-by-scientists-from-vmu-agriculture-academy-was-presented-at-the-agroecology-call-2-meeting-in-france/

Funding

The project is funded by the European Union and national funding bodies.

In Lithuania, the project activities are funded by the Research Council of Lithuania.

Project No. LMT – S-Agroecology 26-1.

             

    

BIO-CROP — AGROECOLOGY Partnership, Call 2 (Horizon Europe co-funded European partnership).

Project duration: 2 March 2026 – February 2029 (36 months).