June 18, 2018

European Focus Groups (FGs) are temporary groups of 20 experts, formed around a specific aspect important to the agri-food or forestry sector, with the aim of studying and discussing the main problems faced and seeking and prioritizing innovative practices for their resolution.

Its composition is multidisciplinary, comprising people from the relevant economic subsector (end users) and from knowledge centers related to its subject matter (R&D&I centers, advisory bodies, training organizations and centers, etc.). They meet several times to share and summarize knowledge into specific best practices for the territory, also reflecting challenges and opportunities in a specific area.

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture has launched a call for applications to participate as experts in two new European Focus Groups of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP-Agri):

• Chemical-free herbaceous management in arable farming systems : Herbaceous plants compete with crops for sunlight, water, and nutrients, and can transmit diseases. Therefore, they are treated with various pesticides, which in some cases can be harmful to plant and/or animal health. Therefore, the European Union is seeking to reduce dependence on these products without affecting production. Developing and promoting chemical-free herbaceous management would reduce the risk associated with the use of pesticides. These techniques are primarily preventative and should be used in both conventional and organic systems. (First meeting, November 21 and 22).
• Diseases and Pests in Olive Trees: Recognizing and understanding the nature of pathogens affecting olive trees, and their interactions with climate, cultivar, and environment, is essential to minimizing crop damage and economic losses. This GF seeks to explore more sustainable cultivation practices, including the use of non-chemical pesticides, addressing the full cycle of pests and diseases in olive production: their prevention, detection, management, and control. The work should address both conventional and organic systems. (First meeting, November 28 and 29)

If you have experience and knowledge in any of these areas and can help find practical solutions to current problems in these sectors, we encourage you to apply to participate as an expert in these AEI-AGRI focus groups by September 10.

The work of other European Focus Groups can be consulted in the following link .