REU TECHNICAL SERIES NO. 54
BIOLOGICAL FARMING RESEARCH IN EUROPE

Proceedings of an Expert Roundtable

held in Braunschweig
Germany

28 June 1997

Rainer Krell
(Editor)

 

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome 1997

   
 

Table of Contents



The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of the frontiers or boundaries.

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© FAO 1997


Table of Contents


FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MINUTES OF THE EXPERT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON BIOLOGICAL FARMING RESEARCH IN EUROPE

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

RESEARCH ON BIOLOGICAL FARMING METHODS IN EUROPE PERSPECTIVES, STATUS AND REQUIREMENTS BY ELS WYNEN

Executive Summary
1. Introduction
2. Review of biological farming methods

2.1 What is biological agriculture?
2.2 Significance of organic agriculture
2.3 Environmental considerations
2.4 Economic and social implications

3. Past and present research activities, priorities and trends

3.1 History
3.2 Research topics

3.2.1 Before 1990
3.2.2 Priorities in the 1990s
3.2.3 Responses to questionnaire

3.3 Communication

3.3.1 Networks and meetings
3.3.2 Journals and newsletters
3.3.3 Databases
3.3.4 Education

3.4 Priorities and interests according to research institutions

4. Present barriers and problems
5. Analysis of present and future research needs

5.1 Who benefits?
5.2 Measuring research impact
5.3 Farm productivity
5.4 Comparisons
5.5 Conversion
5.6 Consumers
5.7 Society
5.8 Environment
5.9 Data and standards for data

6. Recommendations

6.1 Networks
6.2 Databases
6.3 Technical consultancies
6.4 Publications and studies
6.5 Other

APPENDIX A: TERMS OF REFERENCE
APPENDIX B: PAST RESEARCH
APPENDIX C: QUESTIONNAIRE
APPENDIX D: PARADIGMS
REFERENCES

ORGANIC FARMING AND RESEARCH IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES AND COMMENTS ON THE REPORT OF ELS WYNEN BY VONNE LUND

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE RESEARCH: STATE OF THE ARTS AND FUTURE PRIORITIES AND COMMENTS ON THE REPORT OF ELS WYNEN BY URS NIGGLI

THE PRESENT STATE AND PROPOSAL FOR FUTURE RESEARCH IN THE FIELD OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE BY JÓZEF TYBURSKI

COMMENTS ON THE REPORT OF ELS WYNEN AND OVERVIEW OF THE ENOF RESEARCH PROJECT BY RAFFAELE ZANOLI

ORGANIC FARMING RESEARCH IN THE NETHERLANDS AND COMMENTS ON THE REPORT OF ELS WYNEN BY KARIN L. ZIMMERMANN

LIST OF EXPERT ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS