OPER8: European Thematic Network for Expanding the Potential of Alternative Weed Control Methods

Name: European Thematic Network for unlocking the full potential of Operational Groups on alternative weed control (OPER8)

Source of funding: EU Research and Innovation Programme “Horizon Europe” project. Contract No. 101060591

Total funding: EUR 1,999,644 / EUR 122,750 ZSA funding

Implementation time: 01.10.2022-30.09.2025 (3 years)

Coordinator: Agricultural University of Athens (Greece)

Partners: 10 partners from 7 countries: Greece, Italy, France, Sweden, United Kingdom, Spain and Latvia.

Purpose: To establish a sustainable, multi-actor, EU-wide thematic network to support and promote solutions for non-chemical weed control, based on the knowledge and results of the eight (8) operational groups, and to stimulate knowledge exchange between all relevant actors and stakeholders.

For this purpose, Oper8:

-create national cooperation networks;

-identify the drivers, barriers and causes that lead to the lack of implementation of non-chemical weed control methods;

-will establish mutual cooperation and exchange of experience within the project to jointly develop, demonstrate and evaluate non-chemical weed control methods;

-use knowledge transfer tools and methods (seminars, demonstration farms, CAP events) to adapt and scale up alternative weed control solutions and ensure their dissemination across the EU. The project will demonstrate and evaluate alternative weed control methods in each demonstration farm in the project partner country. In Latvia, the ZSA, in cooperation with LLU Agrihorts, will conduct trials with the weed robot developed by LLU Agrihorts on vegetable farms. Farmers will have the opportunity to gain the latest knowledge in seminars and practical demonstrations to select the appropriate weed control methods for specific crop growing conditions and needs.

Contact persons: Inga Bērziņa (inga@zsa.lv) and Iveta Grudovska (iveta@zsa.lv)