LIVESEED

Organic farmers need cultivars well adapted to a range of different soils and agroecological conditions, capable of competing with weeds, with good tolerance to disease and pests, as well as offering unique qualities valued by consumers. However, it is estimated that 95% of seed used in organic production is based on varieties bred for the conventional sector, whilst there are only a few varieties that were specifically bred for organic farming systems.  Using organic seed is an essential requirement of the European Organic Regulation (834/2007) and important for a fully organic cycle. However, there is a chronic lack of organically produced seed on the market, both in terms of overall quantity and range of varieties available. LIVESEED is a Horizon 2020-funded project that runs from 2017 to 2021. Its objective is to improve transparency and competitiveness of the organic seed and breeding sector, encouraging greater use of organic seed in Europe. Their official website provides information about the project, their results and useful resources such as booklets, videos, among others.