Research

positive social impacts. ALLTOGETHER is a network of 15 case studies with mixed fruit and vegetable cropping systems from seven countries along a North-South gradient in Europe (Sweden, Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria). The three-year ALLTOGETHER project brings together farmers, gardeners, students, researchers, value chain actors, policymakers, and consumers with the common goal of i) to validate the performance of mixed fruit and vegetable growing systems, ii) to promote the exchange of information on the performance and potential of these systems, and iii) to accelerate the intro-duction of further agroecological practices in these systems. Each case study or Living Lab represents its own combination of the various locally typical elements of fruit and vegetable growing systems, and together they provide an excellent model for testing, measuring, and adapting key components of this growing system and communicating the benefits necessary for the accelerated introduction of agroecological practices. The project will identify existing barriers to the transition of the fruit and vegetable sector to agroecological systems and provide evidence of the benefits and risks of fruit and vegetable growing systems based on technical data and shared experiences within the LL network. The project will promote the exchange of experiences within and between case studies / Living Labs. In addition, learning programs will be developed and further training in agroecology in Europe will be promoted, particularly within the Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS).

Organic wild collection is regulated by Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and is an indispensable economic pillar in many regions around the world. Yet, there is currently no monitoring of the distribution and relevance of organic wild collection in Austria. This is problematic, because related opportunities along the value chains are not adequately exploited and challenges not adequately addressed. In this project, we aim to raise awareness of organic wild collection in Austria and highlight its potential. Our specific objectives are i) to map the status quo of organic wild collection in Austria, ii) to understand the challenges and success factors of organic wild collection and possible synergies with measures for agricultural extensification, renaturation, nature conservation and tourism, and iii) to identify local visions and possible transformation pathways for organic wild collection. The project is divided into three stages. In the first stage, in order to map the status quo of organic wild collection in Austria, data from organic control and certification bodies are analysed and these findings are supplemented by telephone interviews with approximately 80 randomly selected producers of organic wild collection products. In the second stage, the challenges and success factors of approximately 15 national and international pioneer producers in organic wild collection are analysed and potential synergies between wild collection, nature conservation and tourism identified. In the third stage, Delphi surveys and workshops are held in three high-potential regions with representatives of interest groups, authorities and civil society in order to test the transferability of the potential identified in the second project stage. This project is new in all aspects, as it is the first time in Austria that organic wild collection is examined in terms of its development, synergies and potential in a comprehensive and up-to-date manner.

The main objective of this project is to continue expertise in chickpea cultivation in Austria. With 381 ha (as of 2023, AMA evaluation), chickpea cultivation in Austria is still considered a niche crop. A lack of knowledge about cultivation methods and variety selection makes it difficult for farmers to successfully cultivate chickpeas. However, changes in climatic conditions and increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as droughts and heat waves require local agriculture to adapt. Chickpeas, which are considered drought-tolerant and heat-stable, can make an important contribution as a native protein crop. The aim of this project is therefore to identify cultivation potential, particularly for arid areas, which should result in cultivation and variety recommendations for practicing agriculture. An experiment with different chickpea varieties and inoculants is being conducted on the organic fields of BOKU University in Marchfeld with the aim of gaining insights into the nitrogen fixation performance and water use efficiency of chickpeas. These findings could be of great importance for organic farming in particular, as the lack of readily available synthetic fertilizers requires coordinated and balanced crop rotation processes, especially in organic farming.