New transnational research activities in IPM are on the track

The C-IPM annual meeting in Rome homed in on several potentially interesting call topics, and proposed topics for future workshops. The meeting also included a communication workshop.

People from 31 funding organizations participated in the C-IPM annual meeting in Rome. Photo: Claus Bo Andreasen

The second annual meeting of the ERA-Net was held in Rome on November 11-13, 2015 during which C-IPM partners from 31 funding organizations met and discussed with each other. Items on the agenda included identification of topics for the 2016 call (2017 funding), presentation and discussion of ideas for knowledge-sharing workshops, and a discussion of how to help foster IPM using communication approaches.

 

Topic identification and selection process for 2016 call

One of the main issues of the meeting was identification of topics for the 2016 C-IPM call with 2017 funding. The topic selection procedure began in August 2015 and resulted in a longlist of topics in the early autumn. The main objective of the meeting in Rome was to discuss the longlist of topics and select those in which most funders have common interests.

 

The aim of the next step is to create a final list of topics and decide on the call process. We expect the final list to be ready in March 2016.

 

The final selection of project proposals submitted to the 2015 C-IPM call will be carried out on the 8 December 2015 during the call group meeting.

 

Discussion about possible workshops

The C-IPM executive committee proposed a number of workshops to increase knowledge transfer. The ideas include a workshop on biocontrol co-organized by C-IPM, Ecophyto and IOBC, and a workshop on IPM demonstration farms to be held in May 2016 in Bonn, Germany. In addition, two other workshops (one on Drosophila suzukii and another on breeding for IPM) could be expected in 2016.

 

Strategic research agenda to be finalized in March 2016

The governing board was informed about the progress on the strategic research agenda on IPM in Europe. The strategic research agenda has previously been the subject of two stakeholder consultations, and the C-IPM executive committee is now finalizing the document.

 

In January 2016, the C-IPM governing board will vote on the approval of the document and the final submission to the European Commission will be made by end of March 2016.

 

Workshop on communication on IPM

The meeting also included a workshop on communication and the impact of IPM research. Six breakout sessions, each focusing on a specific group (communication with consumers, retailers, local authorities and NGOs, farmers, advisory services, and agricultural suppliers), were formed.

One of the tools for communication and raising awareness of IPM research is popular science.

 

When put into action, popular science makes scientific research accessible to a general audience. It bridges the gap between scientists and end-users. It turns complex material into something that is easily comprehensible, interesting – and even entertaining.

 

Via popular science it is possible to elucidate the potential impact of IPM on e.g. food safety, the environment, socio-economics. In this way, popular science communication can boost public awareness of IPM as an instrument for environmentally friendly food production, food safety etc. 

 

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