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Agroecology aims to comprehensively transform food and farming systems, in all dimensions, from production to distribution and consumption, as well as governance. The aim is to achieve greater environmental and societal benefits, while reversing the negative effects caused by existing food systems. Yet an agroecological transformation requires ‘valuing’ agroecology and making available investments that strengthen innovative agroecological approaches, support new markets and help food system actors break free from current lock-ins. Therefore, funding agroecology is a fundamental step to enable the necessary transition.Thus, AE4EU has created a snapshot of agroecological funding. Quantitative data was collected via European online statistic platforms, whereas qualitative data was generated through questionnaires and interviews with stakeholders directly involved in practicing, funding, and implementing programmes on agroecology in various countries.Our research has shown that across Europe, good examples do exist to support agroecology. These can be used as models to be scaled out in other contexts. Crucially, it is necessary to create more accessible and effective funding for agroecology to reach ‘grassroots’ actors on the ground, that is, the growing agroecology movement, which includes many young people and new entrants into farming, as well as small-scale farmers more broadly. Therefore AE4EU suggests recommendations.

The new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) entered into force at the beginning of 2023, which includes the new form of direct payment schemes for environmental, climate and animal welfare. AE4EU aimed to analyse each member state’s strategic plan to determine which eco-schemes they have adopted and then identify which practices are truly agroecological and represent real progress to reach EU Green Deal targets.Although the EC did not explicitly mention the need for member states to adopt agroecological practices (AEP), all the member states except Cyprus have included at least one AEP in one or more of their eco-schemes, accounting for more than 68% of the total eco-schemes (111). Nevertheless, it remains clear that many Eco-schemes have not been created with robust funding, clear targets or proven benefits, and risk to fall short of further Green Deal goals and not deliver environmental benefits. Therefore, the AE4EU project suggests recommendations for the future implementation of the Eco-schemes.

This first book volume collects country reports produced by the AE4EU Horizon 2020 project and the European Association Agroecology Europe which involved a large number of organisations, as well as more than 25 "mappers" who conducted the work in different European countries. Among them were many members of the Agroecology Europe Youth Network (AEEUYN). The different volumes of the book series offer an illustrative state of the art of agroecology in Europe by synthesizing and providing key information on the common understanding of agroecology, as well as its development at the European level. To scale up agroecology, this first book volume provides critical information and analysis of the development of agroecology in different contexts, which is very much needed as a necessary step to attain larger insights about the state of the art of agroecology, as well as to support its expansion and use at the policymaker level. Documenting the development of agroecology in 13 European countries (Albania, Austria, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Romania), this volume describes 112 initiatives, examples, cases, and programmes linked to agroecology, and the development of agroecology in these European countries as well as the diversity of use of the concept.

The deliverable 5.1 aims at analysing the agroecology policy implementation at EU level and different European countries and CAP strategies. It has been structured in sections by analysing the agroecology policy definition based on a literature review that considers policy, but also end-users needs and research advances to fully understand the agroecology perception from different perspectives to deliver more targeted policies. The second section evaluates the role of agroecology within the European policies from a global perspective linked to strategies and the post-2020 CAP. The third section analyses how agroecology was fostered in the past considering the rules of the post-2020 CAP. Whenever relevant, the linkages with organic farming as a well stablished concept was also evaluated. Due to the delay in delivery the CAP strategies, which will be approved in July 2022, it was not possible to provide a concrete and valid analysis of the CAP strategies at country level, which will be the basis of the next policy report to be delivered at the end of the project as the basis of EU agroecology strategy that will be adapted at country level.

The deliverable 5.1 aims at analysing the agroecology policy implementation at EU level and different European countries and CAP strategies. It has been structured in sections by analysing the agroecology policy definition based on a literature review that considers policy, but also end-users needs and research advances to fully understand the agroecology perception from different perspectives to deliver more targeted policies. The second section evaluates the role of agroecology within the European policies from a global perspective linked to strategies and the post-2020 CAP. The third section analyses how agroecology was fostered in the past considering the rules of the post-2020 CAP. Whenever relevant, the linkages with organic farming as a well stablished concept was also evaluated. Due to the delay in delivery the CAP strategies, which will be approved in July 2022, it was not possible to provide a concrete and valid analysis of the CAP strategies at country level, which will be the basis of the next policy report to be delivered at the end of the project as the basis of EU agroecology strategy that will be adapted at country level.

Agroecology, as a holistic concept, is embracing today a diversity of interpretations, intentions and realties depending on the country considered and its context, history, stakeholders involved, and socio-political environment. Considering the aim to scale up agroecology, to document and analyse its development in different contexts is a critical and necessary step to get larger insight and knowledge about the state of art of agroecology, and for supporting its expansion and take-up at policymaker level. Through the “mapping of agroecology” we aim at providing an overview of the situation and reality of agroecology in different European countries. This could be seen as a step on the road of building a common understanding of agroecology as well as its development at European level (Wezel et al., 2018) and in the frame of the planned creation of an European partnership in Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures. The mapping did not aim to be completely exhaustive but rather illustrative, synthesizing and provide key insights, due to the dynamic nature of initiatives developments with new elements steadily added. This first part of the mapping on agroecology development highlight clearly differences of development and recognition of agroecology among countries in Europe. While the concept is still being in its infancy in certain countries, there were many initiatives with a link either direct or indirect to agroecology and some of its principles. Clear educational programs are lacking in different countries despite many initiatives formal or informal in this area. Dedicated research units, programs and project seems to be also lacking in most countries, allowing knowledge generation and sharing. Gathering a unique number of initiatives link to agroecology this work is an opportunity to pave its way in Europe. As stressed in other study (Gallardo-López et al., 2018) the coexistence of different vision, definition and use of the concept of agroecology is clearly highlighted. The mapping of agroecology in parallel in different European countries allow to compare – to a certain extent – the development of agroecology in those countries and more importantly allow to summarize the main barriers and perspectives in order to enlarge its development. Within the realm of the project, more countries are under way to be mapped and will add to the 10 countries shortly presented in this report. This will allow to broaden the analysis and provide insight to increase the development of agroecology. https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/agriculture-and-forestry/ecological-approaches-and-organic-farming/partnership-agroecology_en

Two policy briefs are included in this deliverable. Improving Eco-Schemes in the Light of Agroecology: Key Recommendations for the 2023-2027 Common Agricultural Policy discusses the new CAP structure, as well as its content, and provides recommendations how to improve the eco-schemes. They are for the first time the main stated body that the Commission has chosen to bring forward agroecology. The policy brief was written and released during a time when the Member States and Commission were still in conversation on what would be included in the country’s Strategic Plans, a process which has now almost ended. The recommendations include advancing agroecological practices; creating basic premiums for eco-friendly agricultural production systems; structuring multi-dimensional eco-schemes that encourage the implementation of multiple practices at once; ensuring the proportionality between the level of payment and the expected environmental benefits; maintaining rigorous conditionality by not paying for what should be mandatory; and using public money for public goods. The brief ends with an assessment on which countries have included agroecology in their plans, as well as which schemes seem promising or concerning for the advancement of agroecology. 10 Steps to Achieve the European Green Deal takes the time to show that many of the targets found within the European Green Deal, including the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, can be met by a transition to agroecology. It discusses the lack of roadmap that exists within many European legislations and aims to provide such a map through 10 concrete steps that can be taken to achieve no net emissions of greenhouse gases within the agricultural sector. These steps aim to provide a framework to achieve the promised reduction of chemical pesticides, fertilisers, nutrient losses, and environmental and climate footprints; protection of EU’s protected areas; planting of 3 billion trees; restoration of high diversity landscape features; and expansion of organic farming.

Aphids are vectors of plant viruses and can cause important yield losses in numerous crops. Rhopalosiphum padi is the main vector of Barley yellow dwarf virus PAV (BYDV-PAV). The yellow dwarf disease (YDD), present in all cereal growing regions in the world, caused by BYDV-PAV, can induce up to 80% of yield losses in barley. In a context of global warming, reduction of pesticide uses, and development of organic farming, new control methods for YDD incidence are needed. In this study, the association of a winter barley with clover was tested for its impact(s) on the R. padi/BYDV-PAV pathosystem. The effect of clover was different according to the morph of the aphid introduced in a multi-plant (i.e., arena) experimental design in laboratory. A spatial effect on aphid distribution (observed for alate founder morph) and a reduction of the size of aphid populations (observed for wingless founder morph) are described. However, the presence of clover did not modify, under our experimental conditions, the efficiency of BYDV-PAV infections and within arena spread of YDD. Thus, clover used by cereal growers for other services (weeds reduction, nitrogen supply, and soil cover), would participate to lower the risks associated to the presence of BYDV vectors through a bottom-up regulation of aphid populations within the field. Barley/clover intercropping should be considered as a promising method for a future management strategy against vectors of yellow dwarf disease, especially in an insecticide-free agriculture.

The European Green Deal is a monumental step in achieving a greener and more sustainable Europe, filled with promising targets which aim to culminate in no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 and economic growth decoupled from resource use. It establishes great potential for a fairer economy, the revitalisation of rural areas and sustainability. Yet, the roadmap on how to actualise such targets has yet to be realised.This policy brief provides a roadmap, by giving recommendations for 10 concrete steps that can be taken to achieve the European Green Deal through agroecology, especially the Biodiversity and Farm to Fork Strategies. It will focus on many of the technical aspects, as well as on research, social responsibilities and responsible governance. Each step is to be considered as a whole, rather than individually, as many steps require the other in order to create true transformation.

On the 25th of June 2021, the EU finalised its negotiations for the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that is set to come into power on the 1 January 2023 and run until 2027.While this CAP is being championed by its creators as a radical new framework for tackling agricultural and environmental issues, it has left many civil society organisations to wonder if it will deliver on the commitments found in other legislations such as the Farm to Fork Strategy of the EU Green Deal.Agroecology for Europe (AE4EU), aims to take part in this discussion and provide insights for policy makers and Member States in order to ensure that this new CAP is as robust as possible and delivers on its promises for change.