On this page we will keep you updated on project results. We will share our output and give you a view of our progress.

Results WP 1

In January 2020 we finished Work Package 1 “Research Toolbox”. This WP is led by Lancaster University. The aim of this work package is to assess the current scientific and technical options available to improve crop plants, of course without compromising crop quality.

Database

One of the aims of WP1 was to do literature research and data-mining to get a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in the field. We developed a system curating the latest available information in scientific literature, compiled by scientific experts in the subtasks of Yield, Nutritional Quality and Sustainability. This has resulted in a comprehensive database listing the state-of-the-art research topics, technologies, genes and traits that could have implications to crop improvement.

You can view the introduction to the database here.

You can access the database here

https://cropbooster-p.wur.nl

Scenario Building Workshops

In addition, ETP-Plants for the Future took the lead in organizing a “forward looking” workshop. In this workshop we developed future scenario’s how the different options to improve crop plants would work out when extrapolating the current state-of-the-art.

You can read all about our scenario's here.

As part of the workshop, we discussed our findings with the members of our Stakeholder Group. To aid this discussion, we prepared Preparatory Documents on yield improvement (Deliverable 1.3), on nutritional quality improvement (Deliverable 1.4), and on sustainability improvement (Deliverable 1.5). These discussions with our Stakeholder Group were used to refine the final outcome of work package 1; the “Report discussing strategy for future plant research” (Deliverable 1.8 part 1 and Deliverable 1.8 part 2).

Results WP 2

The main objective of work package 2 is to assess the economic, social, and environmental impact of the strategies developed by work packages 1. For this, a number of online mini-focus groups was organized which were supported by an additional on-line survey. The basis for these mini-focus groups was the “impact expert panel protocol” which already was developed as basis for the workshops. Using this protocol, the online mini-focus groups were successfully organized and the feedback on the outcome by stakeholders was collected.

In addition, the added extra online-survey has known a very good response rate with approx. 300 participants and has aided the robustness of the outcomes of the mini-focus groups significantly. The results of the focus groups and of the survey were reported in a series of 3 reports; the Agricultural Production Impact Working Paper (Deliverable 2.1), the Business Impact Working Paper (Deliverable 2.2) and the Consumer Impact Working Paper (Deliverable 2.3).

These three Impact Papers served as input for our Food Systems Impact Integration Workshop were the results and recommendations of these papers were discussed with our Stakeholder Group and with scientific experts earlier involved in the focus groups. The results of this workshop lead to the drafting of the main deliverable of work package 2; the “Integrated Impact Assessment”(Deliverable 2.4).

Results WP 3

Together with WP4 & 5, work package 3 is focussed on developing an implementation strategy and roadmap for future-proofing our food system by involving social actors – academia/researchers, end-users/citizens, policy makers, industry/businesses, and agriculture/farming communities.

In the second year of the project, a first drafted outline of the communication strategy to interact with a non-expert audience was elaborated by the WP3-team. In addition, to present the key findings on the technologies from WP1 the description of the technologies were summarized and made more easy to read for non-experts. Next, in a series of online consultations, the outcome of WP1 and the communication strategy developed in WP3 were discussed with international stakeholders. This was done by conducting online interviews and questionnaires in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. The results of this was reported in the Consultation Report on the First Consultation Step (Deliverable 3.1).

In year 3, two “Citizen Juries” were organized to discuss with the general public the pro’s and con’s of modern plant breeding and to obtain their opinion about the potential use of New Breeding Technology. These juries were organized as online events and were held respectively in The Netherlands and in the UK. The most important outcome of these Citizen Juries was that both in The Netherlands as in the UK, the juries deemed the use of New Breeding Technologies acceptable, but under conditions, for instance, that the use of these technologies would be safe, and some kind of regulation and supervision would be in place. The results of both Citizen Juries were compiled in the “Report on the Dutch and British Citizens' Juries” (Deliverable 3.2).

Finally, the WP3 team organized a number of online meetings and started a number of surveys both on the topic of communication of scientific results and technologies. The results hereof lead to the “Recommendation dossier on mid-term outreach measures to increase public awareness and understanding of novel technologies” (Deliverable 3.3). This report contains a number of recommendations for a future research programs on developing “crops for the future” by including new plant breeding techniques such as CRISPR/Cas.

Results WP 4

The task of work package 4 in CropBooster-P is to strengthen international research cooperation by mapping, connecting and involving the plant research community in Europe, with the ultimate goal to define a pan-European consortium to execute the CropBooster-P Research Plan.

For this, the WP4 team has carried out a large scale mapping of the European network of plant scientists and organizations researching aspects of plant yield, quality and sustainability. This involved the analysis of more than 25.000 scientific publications and was carried out in close cooperation with experts in the field. The end-product, the Network Map of Research Networks (Deliverable 4.1), gives a thorough and comprehensive overview of scientific cooperation in the field of plant research in Europe.

Next, 16 Focus Groups (expert panels) were assembled to define scientific and technical strategies in the areas yield, nutritional quality and sustainability. In total, more than 130 scientist from over 70 institutes and universities in 15 EU Member States participated in the Focus Groups. These groups produced a number of draft review papers and research visions which were further discussed in a two-days online meeting with our stakeholders. The presentations from this meeting can be found here.

The produced papers and the discussion thereof with our stakeholders led to the final deliverable of this work package; the "White Paper and Scientific Basis of the Strategic Research Agenda" (Deliverable 4.2).

Results WP 5

As part of the final roadmap to be produced by CropBooster-P, a layout will be drafted by work package 5 of the organization of a future research consortium that will be required to execute the research program defined in the roadmap. Such a large, pan-European consortium will need a strict modus operandi to effectively carry out a very large research program, and at the same time foster and maintain a strong relation with society in order to guarantee the successful uptake of the research outcome by, and in, society. In WP5 therefor, a number of documents have been prepared in the current reporting describing specific elements of this modus operandi: A report describing the form in which the results of research will be made available to industry (Deliverable 5.1), a report describing the intellectual property management framework (Deliverable 5.2) and a report describing the communication policy for the program (Deliverable 5.5).

This work package also drafted the research agenda (Deliverable 5.6) for the future research consortium by amalgamating all results from work packages 1 to 4, and by incorporating the views of external experts in cases were additional information was required. This was done by organization of a two-days’ workshop (presentations can be found here) and by requesting specific input from external experts later on in the writing of the research agenda.

Finally, Work Package 5 produced the overall deliverable of the CropBooster-P project, which is the “White Paper describing the route to improved crop yields in Europe” (Deliverable 5.7). This white paper consists of two parts, the Research Agenda, describing the required research to future-proof Europe’s crops, and the Implementation Plan (deliverables 5.1 – 5.5), outlining how this research can be executed by a pan-European Consortium.

This White Paper, also referred to as the “CropBooster Roadmap” was officially handed over to the European Commission in a meeting in Brussels in October 2022. 

As we look back on the first year of CropBooster-P we can conclude that a lot of progress has been made and a lot of work has been done.  

Introduction

CropBooster-P is organized into 5 operational work packages: WP1, Research Toolbox; WP2, Economic, Social and Environmental Impact; WP3, Societal Needs and Expectations; WP4, International Cooperation; WP5, Strategy Development. Together, the operational WPs will develop our “Roadmap to future-proof our plants”. In addition, the project knows two supporting work packages: WP6, Management, Office and Stakeholder Involvement, and WP7, Ethical Requirements.

Read the full report of year 1 here.

As we look back on the second year of CropBooster-P we can conclude that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we were able to get a lot of work done. 

Introduction

CropBooster-P is organized into 5 operational work packages: WP1, Research Toolbox; WP2, Economic, Social and Environmental Impact; WP3, Societal Needs and Expectations; WP4, International Cooperation; WP5, Strategy Development. Together, the operational WPs will develop our “Roadmap to future-proof our plants”. In addition, the project knows two supporting work packages: WP6, Management, Office and Stakeholder Involvement, and WP7, Ethical Requirements.

Read the full report of year 2 here. 

We look back on the third year of CropBooster-P and the second year of our global Covid-19 pandemic. We can conclude that we have shown flexibility and resilience, our adaptive skills have led to outstanding results in our workpackages. 

Read the full report of  year 3 here. 

In the fourth year of the project, the CropBooster-P Project was finalized and the main outcome of the project, the CropBooster Roadmap, was officially handed-over to the Commission in a meeting on October 17th 2022 in Brussels. Also, the results of the project were published in a number of scientific publications, most of which will appear in a special issue of Food and Energy Security: “Future proofing crop production to meet the needs of society”. 

Read the full report of year 4 here.