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A study was conducted in 2013 to assess opportunities and challenges of integrating dairy cattle into organic pineapple production in Uganda. Thirty organic pineapple farmers were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire. The main dairy cattle management systems were tethering (73%) and zero grazing (27%). Average landholding was 1.74 ± 1.06 and 3.75 ± 2.70 ha for zero grazing and tethering systems, respectively. All farms were diversified with various livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens and crops including pineapples, maize, coffee, bananas, beans, sweet potatoes, and cassava. The level of integration of dairy cattle into pineapple production depended on the distance of crop fields from the livestock enterprises. More farms (83%) with pineapple fields closer (< 0.5 km) to the homesteads were able to use cattle manure as fertilizer compared to homesteads (50%) with more distant fields (> 0.5 km). The distance to the homestead did not influence 30% of the farmers who used crop residues for feeding dairy cattle. Farmers perceived cattle diseases and feed scarcity to be the major challenges in dairy farming. The sources of risk on the farms were perceived to be erratic rainfall, limited knowledge, and market for organic products. Majority of farmers (77%) expressed willingness to convert to organic dairy production. Availability of markets for organic dairy products (36%) and reduction of external input use (26%) were the main reasons for farmers’ willingness to convert. Integrating dairy cattle with pineapple production is an opportunity for closed nutrient cycles and income diversification. However, knowledge, access to inputs, and organized markets are needed as incentive for conversion to organic dairy production.

All the elements of current global development – urbaniszation, industrialization, population growth, food insecurity, environmental degradation, climate change and other universal issues – call for more equitable and balanced agricultural systems, including new and innovative ways of keeping and integrating animals into our food production systems. This chapter introduces the chapters in this book, each of which addresses some of the key issues in organic animal farming and the continued drive to improve it, focusing on key challenges such as climate change and the role of smallholders. The chapter highlights important points made in the book ‘Improving organic animal farming’, addressing both offers an overview of organic farming of key farm animal species as well as species less frequently discussed until now, such as fish and bees. Finally, the chapter looks ahead to future research trends in this area.

Recognising and promoting multi-levelled diversity on farms, between farms and across the world is a critical pre-condition for development of organic farming. To ensure that farming can continuously develop in diverse ways to meet the multiple needs and aims of current and future generations of humans, animals and ecosystems, we need institutional frameworks that build on a development agenda that incorporates issues such as resource allocation, knowledge transfer, public goods and research. The key four organic principles of fairness, care, health and ecology give us the necessary benchmark from which we can continue to characterise farms as organic. Although organic certification provides us with the critical guarantee, we also need to maintain sufficient pragmatism and flexibility to account for diversity and equality. The broad organic farming community should be inclusive of systems that aspire to meet the key organic principles, even though they may not qualify as being certifiably organic. Animals on organic farms should be seen as complementary parts of the farm ecosystem rather than competitors. We have identified embedded integration as a key aspiration for all organic farms with animals, as this contributes to more efficient resource utilisation, dietary diversity and sustainable economies. However, regardless of the nature of the interactions, underpinning the thought processes should be the notion that farmed animals are sentient beings, and other non-farmed animals are also key contributors to the key ecological processes. A part of embracing sentience should be appreciating animals’ opportunity for natural behaviour which in turn requires us to broaden our view of the health of animals to that of their resilience. By recognising and promoting resilience, we can create systems that allow animals to deal effectively with their surroundings and to have positive experiences, as well as being free from disease. The organic farming systems that we create a

Organic livestock farming is guided by naturalness, systems thinking and sustainability, and the four IFOAM principles of Health, Ecology, Fairness and Care. The Principle of Health emphasises the interconnectedness of different parts of the system and promotes high animal health through systems design and prevention. The Principle of Ecology implies the integration of livestock with crops for feeding and nutrient recycling on the farm or in the region. The Principle of Fairness points towards respect for animal rights, and the Principle of Care places responsibility for the humane treatment of animals on the people who work with them. Organic standards and the EU Regulation on Organic Production state that organic livestock farming should meet species-specific behavioural needs and restrict the use of external inputs. This chapter illustrates that achieving high animal health and welfare requires active engagement from the whole sector, from farmers to consumers, including regulators, advisors and researchers.

The livestock sector has to satisfy the growing demand for animal products while reducing its environmental impact, in face of great climatic and market changes. For this reason, there is a necessity to redesign livestock production systems in order to make them more sustainable and adaptable. IFS (crop-livestock-trees) could be a viable option to achieve the above-mentioned global goals. Moreover, the implementation of conservation agriculture practices proved to improve crop-livestock beneficial effects. This review paper aims at highlighting the scientific knowledge existing regarding the advantages and limitations of crop-livestock systems including agroforestry and conservation agriculture practices. This shows that integration (this integration can take different operational structures-farming systems) can be a positive approach to achieve farm’s sustainability.

TP Organics is one of the 40 European Technology Platforms recognized by the European Commission. Since 2007, TP Organics has been shaping research and innovation agendas to advocate for more sustainable food and farming systems in Europe based on organic and agroecological principles. The research priorities outlined in this publication are the result of intensive discussions, workshops and consultations that TP Organics held in 2018–2019. The priorities are the reflection of the knowledge and innovation needs of farmers, processors, companies, and civil society groups. They are eager to work with researchers and transform the food and farming systems of Europe. Our food and farming systems need to be climate-neutral, circular, diverse and fair. They need to be prepared for the rapid digitalisation of our economies, which brings new opportunities but also comes with risks. To achieve this, all actors need to change the way we produce and consume our food. Policy makers have a crucial role to play in this transformation. Their role is to ensure a common, integrated and holistic approach to food policy. An approach that has a long-term vision for the future, harmonizes goals, strategies and actions across sectors1, prioritizes investment for public goods and engages diverse actors in making this happen. TP Organics is convinced that research and innovation on organics and agroecology can enable the transition of our food systems towards a more sustainable future for all. The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda shows concrete research areas and priorities that need to receive proper support at EU level, in particular through Horizon Europe, the European Partnerships and Missions as well as EIP-AGRI, in order to leverage the potential of organics and agroecology.

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The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of the major helminth infections affecting organic dairy cattle in northern Spain. Milk and faecal samples were obtained from 443 milking cows. Ostertagia ostertargi and Fasciola hepatica exposure was assessed by detection of specific antibodies in milk samples and F. hepatica infection was diagnosed by the detection of coproantigens in faecal samples. Dictyocaulus viviparus and Calicophoron daubneyi infections were diagnosed by conventional coprological techniques. The prevalence of infections caused by F. hepatica was considerable low, but similar to data reported from conventional farming in the same area. The prevalence rate of C. daubneyi infection was higher than previous data mirroring an increase of the prevalence that was also reported in other European countries in recent years. Specific antibodies against O. ostertargi were detected in all herds and the median levels of antibodies, determined by ELISA, exceeded the thresholds indicating milk production losses. The prevalence of D. viviparus was almost negligible. For each parasite, an ordinal logistic-regression analysis was used to assess the risk of infection by taking into account the administration of effective anthelmintics and the number of lactations. Treatment of cows with fasciolicides decreased the risk of F. hepatica infection in multiparous cows, whereas treatment with oxiclozanide or albendazol did not decrease the risk of C. daubneyi infection or O. ostertargi exposure, respectively. The study findings demonstrate that helminth infection in organic dairy farming is similar or even lower than previous data reported from conventional farming. Special attention should be paid to the impact of these infections on milk production.

Based on urgent needs for food security compounded by a changing climate which impacts and is impacted by agricultural land-use and food distribution practices, we explore the processes of action in implementing agroecological food systems. We identified the following characteristics for an agroecological food system: 1. Minimizing use of external inputs, 2. Extent of internal resource recycling, 3. Resilience, 4. Multifunctionality, 5.Building on complexity and incorporating greater systems integration,6. Contextuality, 7. Equity and, 8. Nourishment. We focus on the city-region food systems context, concluding with practical drivers for realizing more agroecological food systems in cityregion contexts. Agroecological food systems are widely diverse,shaped by context, and achieved through multi-actor planning in rural, peri-urban and urban areas. Application of agroecological food systems in rural–urban contexts emphasize the necessity of diversification, zoning rural–urban landscapes, planning for seasonality in a food systems context, and producing at scale. Rural– urban food systems are a relevant and challenging entry point that provides opportunities for learning how food systems can be shaped for significant positive change. Social organization, community building, common learning, and knowledge creation are crucial for agroecological contextualized food systems, as are the support from appropriate governing and institutional structures.

Organic dairy farmers must live up to the organic goal of ‘good health’ in respect the organic principles and regulation. Veterinarians could be the organic dairy farmers’ expected sparring partners in reaching this goal but have found difficulties to establish advisory relationships with them. The objectives of this study are −from organic dairy farmers’ points of view- (i) to describe farmers’ objectives and strategies regarding herd health, (ii) to describe private veterinarians’ roles in farmers’ animal health promotion strategies and (iii) to identify farmers’ reasons for accepting veterinarians in an advisory role. Fourteen organic dairy farmers were interviewed using qualitative research interviews. Data collection and analysis was performed using a modified approach to Grounded Theory. Organic dairy farmers had animal health management strategies focusing on animal health promotion. Veterinarians had most often solely the role of therapist in farmers’ animal health management strategies. Reasons explaining that veterinarians were not able to establish advisory roles were found in the differences between veterinarians and farmers regarding their animal health strategies and solutions to disease problems. Furthermore, veterinarians did not always share farmers’ (organic) objectives, values and priorities and this could lead to disagreement on the best choice in animal health management practices. This might be further amplified in situations where there exists a lack of dialogue and mutual interest in other.

This is a planning tool and a practical guide which can be used by farming system students and farmer groups to get an overview over a farm. Organic agriculture is based on knowledge, insight and whole farm approaches. The farming system must work for each farmer family. Crop rotation cycles must be based on planning ahead, sometimes more than 2 years, so that different elements of the farm can work together. Intercropping must be based on knowledge on which crops support each other. The surrounding nature must be considered in the planning, e.g. rainfall, animals in the environment, where some of them can be predators and some can eat the crops. Herbs and weeds can prove to be valuable sources of nutrients, medicine or bio-pesticides. Agro-Ecological System Analysis (AESA) gives a good overview over the farm. An AESA should capture all elements of importance for the farming on every particular farm. AESA is an approach which allows us to look critically and analyse what is on a farm and how these existing things can work together for the benefit of the farmer family and the sustainability of the farming system.

Veterinarians could be the expected sparring partners of organic dairy farmers in promoting animal health which is one of the main organic principles. However, in the past organic dairy farmers did not always consider veterinarians to be pertinent advisors for them. The objectives of this study are – from private veterinary practitioners’ point of views- i) to describe the roles of veterinarians today in organic dairy farmers’ animal health promotion strategies, ii) to identify factors related to organic farming which determine their role on organic dairy farms, and, iii) to identify opportunities for improvement of veterinarians’ advisory services for organic dairy herds. Fourteen veterinarians, providing herd health advisory services to dairy farmers, were interviewed using qualitative semi-structured research interviews. A modified approach to Grounded Theory was used for data collection and analysis. Most often veterinarians had only contact with the organic dairy farmers in cases of individual ill animals or acute herd health problems. Even though certain veterinarians experienced situations and approaches of animal health and welfare on organic dairy farms not meeting their standards, they were not always able to establish themselves an advisory role supporting farmers in improving this. Indeed, organic production principles, regulations and farmers’ health approaches challenged veterinarians’ values on animal health and welfare and their perceptions of ‘good veterinary practices’. Also, some veterinarians considered that there was no direct economic interest for them in the organic dairy sector and that could diminish their willingness to invest in this sector. Possible opportunities for improvement were identified; for example proposing more proactively advice via existing organisations, by making adaptations to advisory services for the organic sector and/or by dissociating veterinarians’ curative role from their advisory role in disease prevention.

A longitudinal study to assess animal management practices and milk production was conducted for a period of 12 months on 30 smallholder farms keeping dairy cattle and certified organic pineapple production in Luwero and Kayunga districts, based on questionnaire and on-farm collected data. Farm sizes were 9.3 ± 6.7 acres in tethering system and 4.3 ± 2.6 acres in zero-grazing. Fifty-four percent of the zero-grazing herds had animal housing facilities. All farmers in tethering system kept cows on earthen floors and calves without bedding. Hygiene level in existing farms was low. Majority of calves were fed once a day by restricted suckling (77 %). Seventy-four percent of tethered cows were only fed on natural grass, while cows under zero-grazing system had a more diversified diet but with 82 % feeding mainly Napier grass. Most farms (87 %) used bulls for breeding. Milk production was higher (P < 0.05) in zero-grazing (6.5 L/cow/day) than tethering system, and higher (P < 0.05) for Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows (5.2 L/cow/day) than local breed cows (2.6 L/cow/day). Less than 1 L of milk per farm per day on average was sold. Disease treatments were exclusively for helminths, East Coast fever, and trypanasomiasis. Spraying of ticks and deworming were important control measures of vector-borne diseases. There is potential to develop alternative feed resources for dairy cattle and biorational pesticides for control and treatment of vector-borne diseases.

Veterinarians could be the expected sparring partners of organic dairy farmers in promoting animal health which is one of the main organic principles. However, in the past organic dairy farmers did not always consider veterinarians to be pertinent advisors for them. The objectives of this study are – from private veterinary practitioners’ point of views- i) to describe the roles of veterinarians today in organic dairy farmers’ animal health promotion strategies, ii) to identify factors related to organic farming which determine their role on organic dairy farms, and, iii) to identify opportunities for improvement of veterinarians’ advisory services for organic dairy herds. Fourteen veterinarians, providing herd health advisory services to dairy farmers, were interviewed using qualitative semi-structured research interviews. A modified approach to Grounded Theory was used for data collection and analysis. Most often veterinarians had only contact with the organic dairy farmers in cases of individual ill animals or acute herd health problems. Even though certain veterinarians experienced situations and approaches of animal health and welfare on organic dairy farms not meeting their standards, they were not always able to establish themselves an advisory role supporting farmers in improving this. Indeed, organic production principles, regulations and farmers’ health approaches challenged veterinarians’ values on animal health and welfare and their perceptions of ‘good veterinary practices’. Also, some veterinarians considered that there was no direct economic interest for them in the organic dairy sector and that could diminish their willingness to invest in this sector. Possible opportunities for improvement were identified; for example proposing more proactively advice via existing organisations, by making adaptations to advisory services for the organic sector and/or by dissociating veterinarians’ curative role from their advisory role in disease prevention

Semi-structured qualitative research interviews were conducted with eight organic dairy farmers (producers and shareholders of Thise Dairy Company), in which they shared their experience with growing herbs on grass fields on long-term basis for both grazing and silage production. Growing herbs implied some challenges: most herbs have a low competitiveness in relation to grasses and clover, their coverage is reduced rapidly from year to year as their survival during winters is low, and the seeds are quite expensive compared to grass seeds. Despite these challenges, the farmers continue to grow herbs year after year - constantly experimenting with optimizing the growing methods and seed mixtures. The motivations behind this were that they wanted to offer their animals a varied diet, they can see that the cows like the herbs, and sometimes even prefer them to grasses and clover, they believe in an increased mineral-uptake through the herbs, and that the herbs might have some medical effects on parasites. All in all, they trust that they are doing something good for their animals by offering them herbs in the feed. Plant coverage analyses were done at seven farms, two of which had participated in previous projects having one 100% herb field each. The plant coverage analyses could be combined with the results of plant coverage analyses from the two previous years. The development of the two fields had turned out very differently: one had been spontaneously invaded by 6% wild herbs, 25% rough blue grass (poa trivialis) and 26% white clover (Trifolium repens), and ribwort plantain, red clover, caraway, lucerne and yarrow (sown). All other sown herbs had disappeared. The second pure herb field was now covered 50% by Lucerne, and besides this, caraway, red clover, ribwort plantain and very little chicory and salad burnet. In both fields, birdsfoot trefoil, yellow sweet clover, Sainfoin and starflower never established although the originally seed mixture had a quite high con

Farmer Family Learning Groups is an approach which is owned by everybody who uses it and cannot be patented. So is the facilitator course, which uses the same approach: the participants guide the development and take responsibility for their own learning. This leaflet of 7 pages describe a number of useful approaches and group exercises, and suggest the organisation of the days of training.

In Uganda, certified organic livestock production is almost non-existent yet livestock is an integral part of many organic farms. With the increasing global market for organic foods, farmers cannot afford to overlook the emerging opportunity for organic livestock production. A survey to understand farmers’ perceptions and experiences in dairy production was undertaken on 30 certified organic pineapple farms with dairy cattle using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results indicated that average age of respondents was 48 years with majority (53.3%) having attained the minimum primary education. Land tenure system was majorly customary (96.7%). Farms had 0.4-2.6 acres of land for livestock production and 1-2 dairy cows. Tethering/free-range grazing (74.4%). was the commonest dairy management system. Milk yield and robustness were the main criteria for breed selection. Weather was rated highly as the risk factor to yields. Knowledge and market information were perceived as main considerations for adopting organic dairying. Disease was the main constraint to dairy production. Future development of organic dairy production will require providing farmers with knowledge on organic animal husbandry and market information on prospective organic animal products.