INNO-VEG
Increasing the speed and uptake of innovation in the field vegetable and potato sectors : defining a new approach for delivering cost effective research.
Priority Axis
Technological and Social InnovationSpecific objective
Framework Conditions for Innovation
Lead partner
RSK ADAS Ltd.Contact
Start Date
12/07/2018End Date
31/03/2023Project budget
2 562 382 €ERDF amount
1 537 429 €ERDF rate
60%About
Common challenge
Field vegetable and potato production are important agricultural sectors in the 2 Seas region. This project addresses the challenge of sustainable intensification of field vegetable and potato production (i.e. increasing crop production and profitability whilst minimizing environmental impact). R&D is key to the promotion of sustainable intensification, however, funding in these sectors has not been sufficient to address the broad range of research priorities which has limited the speed and uptake of innovation. The 2 Seas area is experiencing an ‘implementation gap’, where the wide range of
potential benefits of new technologies is not being realized by farmers. This project addresses these challenges by (i) defining a new approach for delivering cost effective research which enables farmers to test new products/approaches on their own farms and (ii) establishing an Innovation network which will create the framework conditions for innovation to facilitate uptake of the new approach.
Overall objective
Main outputs
Cross border approach
Main Achievements
The INNO-VEG project aims to increase the speed and uptake of innovation in the field vegetable and potato sectors by i) defining and implementing a new approach for delivering cost-effective research, ii) establishing a cross border innovation network which will create the framework conditions for innovation to facilitate uptake of the new approach.
The project will evaluate the suitability of using crop sensing data to assess treatment differences in field experiments. In 2019 a programme of 46 small plot field experiments was carried out to develop an overarching ‘Protocol’ for integrating crop sensing data into field research methodologies. The Protocol will be available to download from the ‘Resources’ section of the project website by the end of Feb 2021 (https://inno-veg.org/en/Resource).
In 2020, field validation experiments were set up to test the ‘Protocol’ in larger field-scale experiments and to develop this into a ‘Framework for farmer-led research’. Fourteen field scale experiments, covering a range of topics, were carried out in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. These experiments covered a number of horticultural crops (including potatoes, carrots, onions, leeks, spinach and vining peas) and research priority areas (e.g. soil management, crop nutrition and protection).
In addition to the field experimental work, the project has also set up a cross border innovation network to facilitate innovation between the precision farming/sensor technology industry, research organisations and the field vegetable and potato crop sectors. The INNO-VEG innovation network was launched in October 2019 at a meeting on smart farming at the Rusthoeve Research Centre in Colijnsplaat, Netherlands. Online networking events were hosted by ADAS and Delphy in 2020; the events attracted an international audience. A recording of the events is available in the videos section of the project website.
The innovation network is supported by a web-based registration system and innovation ‘hub’ (www.inno-veg.org). Individuals can register with the network via the website. Members can then add their profile to the members directory and add information on relevant services or projects. The innovation hub provides a forum for members to engage with each other, post updates and ask questions. The forums include translation between English, French and Dutch to help discussion between members from different countries.