agrobiodiversity

Latest from EU Member States

A Taste of Community Breeding in Italy

July 16, 2026 Adèle Pautrat

While developing seeds suited to the specific conditions of organic farming still faces significant challenges, multi-stakeholder breeding systems are proving effective in steering research towards greater diversity. Among them, the participatory approach branches out into numerous projects and living labs across Europe, aiming to create new varieties tailored to local needs. Reporting from an experimental field day in Italy, Seeds4All project coordinator Adèle Pautrat explores the concept of participatory plant breeding, while agronomist Michael Daddio shares his inspiring thoughts on breeding as a tool to empower communities. By Adèle Pautrat and Michael Daddio […]

Latest from EU Member States

In Search of Untasted Flavours

July 8, 2026 Adèle Pautrat

Native to East Asia, the Goumi tree (Elaeagnus multiflora) is a rare find in Europe, which is a surprise considering its long list of desirable traits. Hardy and robust, the shrub requires almost no maintenance. It thrives in poor soil, which it helps enrich thanks to the nitrogen-fixing nodules on its roots. With pale green foliage, it produces fragrant white flowers, and small, glossy red fruits that look like candied berries. In a happy coincidence, not only did I discover that June is the perfect moment to taste the Goumi, but that there is actually someone growing them just a short train ride from Brussels, where I live. By Adèle Pautrat. […]

Latest from EU Member States

The EU Has the Funds but Lacks Focus – This Farm Shows What’s Possible with Both

June 10, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

Organic farming has long been hailed as the poster child for sustainable agriculture. But as the EU organic sector becomes increasingly industrialised, cracks are beginning to appear. How can we weed out the weaknesses in the current model and transition to diversified, resilient systems? Seeds4All visited the Bergerie de Villarceaux, a pioneering farm through the decades, in the hope of gleaning lessons from the past for the organic farmers of tomorrow. By Adèle Pautrat and Natasha Foote. […]

Latest from EU Member States

New Seed Platform – Seeds4All – Launches

October 5, 2020 ARC

Seeds4All is dedicated to seed diversity, and it aims to “give visibility to all European organisations that collect, enrich, produce, disseminate and sustainably use traditional and new varieties of seeds belonging to the public domain, freely reproducible and not genetically modified.” […]