On 1 August 2019, a workshop focusing on soil management, organic seed, organic EU-regulation, especially regarding the mandatory database, took place in Lithuania, Ukmergė district.
Xenia Gatzert from FiBL participated in the event, on behalf of LIVESEED. She introduced the project, talked about the issues of organic seed production in Europe, the current state of databases for organic seeds in the EU and about the vision of a common EU-wide router database on organic seeds, providing an interface to national databases. This aims to improve transparency and availability of organic seeds across Europe and thus increase the use of organic seeds. It also helps better comply with the new EU Regulation that will come into force in 2021, aiming at phasing out the current derogation practice for untreated conventional seed by 2036.
During the event, farmers’ farm research was presented, scientists from various fields presented reports on soil and its processes, benefits and importance of intermediate crops. Also, the participants had the chance to visit demonstration trials on crop rotation and soil response to different plant species and varieties as well as to analyse the soil profile.
The workshop was organized by UAB Agrolitpa, an organic seed producer that has long been cooperating with the most famous breeding and seed breeding companies in Europe and beyond. This has allowed them to select the most suitable and effective varieties that are best adapted to organic or non-organic production, meet agro-ecological conditions in Lithuania as well as the grower’s needs and expectations.
For more detailed report of the workshop (in Lithuanian), please visit https://www.manoukis.lt/naujienos/ukis/ukininko-laukuose-tvaraus-ukininkavimo-akademija

Xenia Gatzert (FiBL), introduced by Sofija Jankauskiene (UAB Agrolitpa), presents the LIVESEED project during the workshop.

Cover crops mixture TGS 4.

Participants of the workshop visiting the demonstration field trials.