Innovation groups

OK-Net EcoFeed adopts an interactive multi-actor approach, bringing together practitioners with advisers and scientists in Innovation Groups (IGs). The project works with 11 Innovation Groups. These are established national or regional groups of organic farmers, processors, breeders, researchers, value chain groups or farmer associations, based in various parts of Europe. Innovation Groups focus either on pigs, broilers or laying hens. Some address more than one type of animal. To support the work of the IGs, each IG has a facilitator, who is internal to the group and partner of the project consortium.

IGs will meet within the first 3 months of the project to discuss relevant innovations and ideas. During this meeting IGs will be encouraged to identify the specific character and any likely needs of the group ahead of the testing of innovations in year 2 and 3. A workshop “science bazar” will be organised in July – August 2018 where a scientist will present and discuss potential scientific and technical innovations to the IG members. The aim of these bazars is two-fold;

• to stimulate innovation from within the IGs and
• to identify and discuss bottlenecks and solutions to knowledge implementation.

Pigs:

Broilers:

Layers: