11-12 February 2025
COST Action T0P-Agri-Network Working Group 4 Advances Research on Pesticide-Free Cropping Systems
The EU-funded Cost Action T0P-AGRI-Network(CA21134) targets the transition “Towards zer0 Pesticide AGRIculture” to pave the way for agriculture free of synthetic and nature-derived pesticides that negatively impact environment and human health. Within the T0P-AGRI-Network, researchers across Europe contribute their knowledge and expertise around the common objective of pesticide-free agriculture to enable a redesign of the food system as a whole.
The Working Group 4 of the COST Action T0P-Agri-Network convened from February 11–12, 2025, in Mainz, Germany, to advance discussions on "Redesigning Cropping Systems Without Chemical Pesticides." The event brought together 26 participants from 11 member countries, including Croatia, France, Poland, Tunisia, Serbia, and Turkey.
This international workshop followed up on 18 regional Concept-Knowledge (C-K) workshops held across more than 14 countries throughout 2024. These workshops, planned and implemented by COST Action members, focused on grain and viticulture cropping systems, engaging a diverse range of stakeholders—including farmers, agronomists, students, researchers, and policymakers—alongside representatives from industry. The results of the regional workshops were summarized and discussed with the aim of identifying ways to eliminate the need for pesticides in agriculture.
The international workshop in Mainz was organized by T0P-Agri working group members from Sweden (SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) and Germany (University of Würzburg and ZALF – Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research). Participants engaged in interactive scoring and mapping activities and group discussions to explore European perspectives and innovative solutions for transitioning towards chemical pesticide-free grain and viticulture cropping systems while minimizing crop losses.
Key workshop outcomes included the identification of critical knowledge gaps in preventative crop protection research, which will be synthesized into a comprehensive scientific paper. These findings will contribute to shaping future research agendas and policy frameworks for sustainable, resilient agricultural landscapes in Europe.
4-5 February 2025
COST-T0PAgri network visits Croatian Plant Protection Conference
The 67th Croatian Plant Protection Conference took place in Opatija, Croatia, on 4-5 February, organized by the COST-T0PAgri network CA21134 and the University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture. The event focused on plant protection and transitioning to pesticide-free agriculture in the Western Balkans.
COST Action members and plant protection experts from Croatia and neighboring countries participated in a panel on promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in agriculture and a workshop on farmer education for IPM implementation. The panel, with contributions from France and Croatia, explored ways to encourage IPM adoption, with Dr. Christian Huyghe, project leader of COST 21134, presenting Europe’s push to reduce pesticide use.
Ministry of Agriculture representatives discussed how legislation supports IPM through the Common Agricultural Policy. France shared its experience with research, demonstration farms, and initiatives like the “Pesticide Saving Certificate.” Extension service experts highlighted the importance of farmer training for successful IPM application and reducing pesticide use. The workshop also addressed education, with 40 participants from Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina discussing existing training systems for farmers and exploring new educational approaches.