FarmPath
Project number |
Grant Agreement n° 265394 |
Project subject |
FarmPath Farming Transitions: Pathways Towards Regional Sustainability of Agriculture in Europe
|
Project term of execution |
36 months |
Short description |
In FarmPath it is proposed that increasing sustainability in agriculture is best addressed by enabling flexible combinations of farming models, which vary to reflect the specific opportunity sets embedded in regional culture, agricultural capability, diversification potential, ecology, and historic ownership and governance structures. It will enable progress towards this goal of increased regional sustainability of agriculture through a transdisciplinary research approach, where knowledge is co-produced by scientists, stakeholders and practitioners. FarmPath will specifically integrate theoretical and conceptual approaches to transition and transition management with recent research on adaptive capacity and resilience in farming systems, food regimes, and farm level transitions to multifunctionality. |
Expected results description including publications |
The overall goal of FarmPath is to identify and assess future transition pathways to regionally sustainable agriculture in Europe, and the social and technological innovation needs required to initiate and progress along these pathways. The specific objectives are: 1) To improve our understanding of transition processes in European agriculture; 2) To provide an in-depth analysis of 7 to 10 types of farming models and initiatives, through 21 case studies in 7 European states (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal and the United Kingdom); 3) To assess future transition pathways for sustainable agriculture; 4) To identify mechanisms to provide viable models for young farmers at local, regional, national and European levels; 5) To develop evidence-based policy recommendations at farming system, regional, national and EU levels for identifying and pursuing future transition pathways and social and technological innovation needs; 6) To initiate a network of regional level stakeholders and organizations involved in transition processes in agriculture; 7) To provide resources for policymakers, academics and other stakeholders in order to develop their understanding and enable pursuit of transition towards regional sustainability of agriculture. |
Keywords |
transition, sustainable agriculture, transdisciplinary research, young farmers, farming systems, multifunctional agriculture, policy, regional sustainability |
Project stages |
2 stages March 2011- September 2012 October 2012- February 2014 |
Information about the funding programme |
FP7 |
Information about an additional funding |
- |
Total value of the project |
2 084 233 |
Total sum granted to UNWE |
136 162 |
Information about the responsible subdivision |
Coordinator – Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI), Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK |
Information about the partners of the project |
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI), UK; Universitat fur Bodenkultur Wien – University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Austria; Laboratory of Agricultural Extension, Rural Systems, Rural Sociology of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Greece; University of National and World Economy (UNWE), Bulgaria; Institute for Rural Development Research (IfLS) at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Germany; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), Czech; University of Plymouth (UOP), UK; University of Evora (UEVOR), Portugal; Agrocampus Ouest (ISSA), France |
Project manager |
Prof. D. Sc. Plamen Mishev |
Project body |
Prof. D. Sc. Plamen Mishev, Prof. Dr. Nedka Ivanova, Ass. Prof. Dr. Mariya Peneva |