The overarching objective of NEUTRAWEED is to form an international and inter-sectoral network of 16 organizations in four continents (Europe, Africa, Asia, and America) working on a joint research program in the fields of weed ecology and management, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics. New sustainable weed management solutions are requested since the over-reliance on chemical control and intensive tillage in over-simplified cropping systems are now questioned because they have many drawbacks. As a solution, we propose the promotion of Neutral Weed Communities (NWCs), which are weed communities that can coexist with the crops without reducing crop yield or quality compared with weed-free conditions. In this 4-yer research plan, we propose to 1) identify NWCs in diverse cropping systems and study their interactions with crops and other biotic agents, 2) investigate their effect on ecosystem services provision, 3) develop weeder robot prototypes for weed-specific analysis; 4) identify AI algorithms for weed species-specific discrimination to test on robots to attain NWCs. A multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach will be used to comprehend the multiple interactions between weeds and crops under four aspects: agroecological, physiological, molecular, and microbiological. Using weed species images, AI algorithms will be developed and tested on autonomous robots to attain NWCs by selectively removing only highly competitive weed species while leaving only the beneficial ones. The staff members will develop new skills and competencies, will be exposed to new research environments, and will have their career perspectives broadened. NEUTRAWEED will advance research by fostering the interconnections among countries, providing training and education at academic and technical levels, and engaging with local, national, and international stakeholders to create shared knowledge on weed-crop interaction and new sustainable AI technological solutions to manage weed.

The objective of thERBN is to put into operation an EU-wide multi-actor (MA) thematic network (TN) for knowledge sharing on innovative solutions for sustainable circular bioeconomy (CB) applicable by small farms and foresters (practitioners) at a local scale in rural areas. Such a framework will contribute to empowering practitioners (PPs) solving the gap between available and viable CB solutions and the problems they face in their everyday. Starting from their most urgent needs on the management and use of biological by-products and residues, thERBN will identify existing solutions from grassroots from PPs, innovations developed by Operational Groups (OGs) and research applied results from national and EU projects, to produce practice-oriented easily understandable materials to be shared in national and EU demo days and training and through channels most consulted by PPs. thERBN TN will assure open access to long-term digital structures like EU-Farmbook, and EU-CAP Network, complemented by the thERBN platform to facilitate multilanguage access and a social environment to interact among and integrate CB-interested OGs, TNs & project communities, thus enhancing the cross-border dimensions and effects of thERBN TN, and reducing the fragmentation in knowledge and innovation. The MA thERBN TN will connect with the key actors (researchers, advisors, innovation brokers) and structures (national and regional AKIS, extension services, advisors networks) necessary to encompass the transition of small rural farms and foresters towards climate neutrality and more sustainable and resilient operation. Bottom-up MA-based dialogue will yield evidence on the current PPs' needs, the remaining gaps for CB solutions that new innovative products and services can cover, and policy briefs proposing policies or instruments to support the adoption of small-scaled CB solutions by small farms.

The overall goal of “CSAct!, a Community -Supported Agriculture collaborative training programme”, was to enhance and to extend the offer of CSA training programmes to European CSA members and farmers. This included simplifying the core training curriculum and deploying new materials, with a wide range of training opportunities and activities, in order to facilitate the spread of CSA initiatives by transmitting knowledge, skills and competences from experienced stakeholders and organisations to local communities. This overall goal was declined into 3 different key objectives. The first major objective was to upgrade the core European CSA training program, developed in the frame of a previous project called Be Part of CSA. The training materials have been tailored to Italian, Spanish, Greek and Polish contexts, and have also been improved, with the creation of both a farmer-to-farmer booklet and a new training module on the Financial Sustainability of CSA. The second objective was to expand the outreach of the training programme to new CSA communities. This has been done through multiple test training sessions, with gender balance and a high level of representation of farmers and youth. A new generation of “CSA multipliers” have been successfully trained and equipped with the right mentoring tools (incl. the knowledge transfer kit). Additionally, the outreach has also been expanded through the use of digital tools, that comprise the first ever international series of webinars on CSA and the creation of a Hub, e.g. a e-learning platform offering a diversity of pedagogical contents (tutorial videos, webinar recordings, booklet, modules...). The third objective was to build and consolidate new alliances at local and international level. This was achieved through 2 different channels. First, through an improved cooperation with network members, other NGOs and policy makers, at all different levels of action: municipal, provincial, national, European and international. Second, the 3rd objective was completed thanks to awareness raising through social media and mainstream communication channels (national TV and radio broadcasts).The project focused primarily on what is sometimes called the European CSA community, which includes all the stakeholders willing to engage, or are already engaged, with CSA: farmers, consumers, network staff.

"Food being one of three areas of production and consumption having the highest negative environmental impacts, it forms part of the European Commission’s keystone project called the European Green Deal. After decades of industrialisation, the need for more local and sustainable food systems is widely acknowledged in public policy discourse at international, EU, national, regional and local levels. Whereas the local and solidarity-based partnerships for agroecology (LSPA), among which Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is the best-known model, are increasingly recognized as an important initiative for sustainable territorial food systems, there is still a substantial gap at the policy-making levels in translating this acknowledgement into public policy objectives and bottom-up participatory and collaborative initiatives. SALSIFI aims to develop and implement an innovative transnational education programme reinforcing the capacity of CSA networks and civil servants at local, regional, national and EU levels to engage in collaborative public food policy-making processes. It will specifically look into upskilling staff in non-formal education to foster knowledge sharing; implement training to strengthen capacity building staff’s knowledge to engage in collaborative institutional processes; and to adapt the training into an innovative digital learning content for public authorities and other actors having influence on key aspects of local food initiatives (such as (green) public procurement, financing, etc.). The education and training programme will particularly target people associated with locally supported (LSPA) initiatives and CSA networks, and civil servants in local, regional, and national administrations whose work can influence the support of sustainable local food systems – engaging over 250 people in total.SALSIFI will develop a modular training programme (Output 1) addressing three themes: building a collective understanding of how to engage in institutional processes and create relevant spaces for advocacy at EU level; increasing participant understanding of how to collectively position at the local level; and sharing best practices for collaborative local policy making on sustainable food systems. The framework will be supported by a comprehensive tool kit (Output 2), and will be adapted into an innovative digital e-training content (Output 3). Cross-cutting through all outputs, a number of adult learners from the network members of the project, the Capacity Building Agents, aka ""CABBAGES"" will be engaged in training and learning activities developing their knowledge and skills to engage in collaborative food policy making processes. Modules will be specifically pilot-tested in 8 countries (E1-8), and the framework will be implemented by carrying out three training sessions addressing specific angles (C1-3). A larger event will disseminate the outcomes of the project and seek to attract future participation into the e-training content (E9). This Collaborative Training Framework is rooted in the Participatory Action approach for learning, whereby collective analysis and learning is at the core of the knowledge production, and serves to promote the active participation of participants in the issues that shape their lives. This approach is especially relevant for adult education as part of citizen action (whether as part of a citizen movement or as a consum-actor), as it affirms that experience can be a basis of knowing and that experiential learning can lead to a legitimate form of knowledge that influences practice. This reflects both the philosophy and objectives of the members of this consortium. SALSIFI will help develop a culture of international cooperation, and enhance the training capacities and skills in non-formal education of participating organisations. The implementation of the training will further lead to an increased awareness of best institutional engagement practices and relevant institutional processes in their respective countries as well as at EU level for CSA networks, and of the role of CSAs in sustainable territorial food systems for local, regional and national authorities. It will also result in the development of an e-training programme on URGENCI’s e-learning platform."

Context Youth plays an important role in the multifaceted challenges that global food systems face. Most of the education currently offered has little room for interdisciplinarity and soft skills, and focuses on knowledge-based single disciplines. The educational system of the high schools should be increasingly complemented with non-formal approaches as experiential-based teaching and learning. This kind of knowledge can be key to give youth the necessary skills to handle the complexity of the food system. ObjectivesThe main objective of the project is to increase the environmental awareness and ecological literacy of the youth by introducing them to the knowledge of agroecology as a holistic science which provides solutions for sustainable environment and sustainable food production. The aim of the project is to support cooperation between CSOs in order to develop and implement informal and innovative educational materials and methods about agroecology. ParticipantsMain target groups of this project are secondary school students from age of 13 to18 years old and educators in the non-formal and informal learning sector.Activities methodology and resultsIn order to achieve the objectives, we aim to produce an innovative educational program in agroecology for youth learners supported by new educational materials, such as a comic book and a game board, which can be used to complement the formal high school educational curriculum. These are O1 - Trainer’s Digital Platform: The educational program will provide different ways and tools to include youth through active learning, in order to obtain valuable knowledge, skills and positive attitudes about the environment, climate change and sustainable food production and O2, Creative Tools for Agroecology: The final result will be a collaborative board game, a comic book, and a set of creative activities for youth learners. The materials will be printed both in English and in the languages of the partners. The process of elaborating these IOs involves direct participation of the target group of the project by means of a vast number of multiplication and learning activities that are tightly connected with the IOs. The multiplier events are designed as special moments offering opportunities to share, test and disseminate the main results of the IOs. These activities will also result in an enhanced dialogue and exchange between learners and between youth educators. There will be 2 types of multiplier events: the first cluster of MEs (E1-10) will target youth learners and will be focused on the creation of innovative tools for agroecology and test the methodology proposed in IO1. The last ME will target trainers and youth educators and will be a dissemination and local training event for trainers. All MEs will be organised in 5 partner countries. The transnational training activities are conceived as an international training tour with 3 stops. Participants of these activities will be trainers/volunteer trainers of partner organisations, and will meet to learn, share and exchange knowledge and practices. The result will be a strong international pool of educators in the field of agroecology for youth, and an increase in knowledge and skills.ImpactThe project foresees the most important impact on three levels1. Impact on youth learners and multipliers (educators) will be in providing them with innovative methods, tools and hands-on experiences which could be successfully utilised for the long-term development of the non-formal learning course beyond this project. They will improve skills for analysis of contexts and challenges in farming, with specific emphasis on agroecology.2. Impact on partner organisations is mainly seen in impact on staff who will gain knowledge and skills on non-formal innovative educational methods in the field of youth education, improving their abilities in educational activities and broadening their international cooperation in the issue of youth education. Staff members will develop their capacities through implementation of high-quality activities for young people in line with EU objectives.3. Impact on allies, experts, decision-makers and broader audiences will provide this group with understanding the importance to learn about farming via hands-on methods and different aspects of the agroecological systems is a very important step for their acceptance and support, to demonstrate their impact and long-term sustainability. Potential longer benefitsThe program will be designed and disseminated with the purpose to make the adaptations possible, so allies of the partner organisations will gain and learn from a well-built youth educational program which refers directly to the needs of other initiatives in different European countries. Thanks to the collaboration of the partner organisations with other educational institutions, we expect to inspire and foster implementation of the agroecological topic in their curricula.