ABOUT US

Agricultural crops are currently managed with unsustainable practices that cause the loss of biodiversity. In particular, pest management in the Mediterranean region still largely relies on chemical pesticides that negatively affect beneficial insects (predators, parasitoids and pollinators), disturb beneficial microbial communities in the soil, threatening stability of agroecosystems, food security and human health. ECOBOOST will identify, develop, validate, and promote novel agroecological practices that boost functional biodiversity and maximize ecosystem services in Mediterranean crops, while minimizing negative environmental impacts of agriculture and preserving farmers’ income. ECOBOOST will use a holistic approach to provide Mediterranean farmers the knowledge and tools needed to implement agroecological practices and promote biodiversity at different levels (i.e. aboveground biodiversity, belowground biodiversity, crop biodiversity). Our consortium includes 10 partners from Italy, Greece, Germany, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey, whereas farmers associations, SMEs and NGOs have expressed their support to the project.

Period of Implementation
Sep 1, 2022 - Aug 31, 2025
Total Budget
EUR 1,479,069.00

Project team

Partners

Donors

OUR IMPACT

Goals

ECOBOOST goal is to develop and validate novel agroecological practices that boost functional biodiversity and maximize ecosystem services in Solanaceous crops, while minimizing negative environmental impacts of agriculture. ECOBOOST aims to generate new knowledge on how to manage complex interactions that occur in the Mediterranean agroecosystems among trophic levels (microbe-crop-pest-beneficial organisms).

Objectives

This goal will be achieved following a holistic approach that will provide Mediterranean farmers the knowledge and tools needed to implement agroecological practices and promote biodiversity at different levels: a) “aboveground, with the use of wild flowering plants in non-managed habitats to promote beneficial insects; b) belowground, with the use of biostimulants for seed coating and soil inoculation with selected microbes to promote soil and crop health; c) at crop biodiversity level with the exploitation of germplasm of Solanaceous crops, and by screening local varieties/breeds which are not only better adapted towards the Mediterranean conditions, but also possess early defenses against insect pests.

Intervention Strategy(ies)

To reach ECOBOOST objectives a combination of laboratory and small experimental assays will identify the most promising wild Mediterranean plants, microbial stimulants and local varieties of Solanaceous crops. Then pilot demonstration trials, targeting directly end-users (farmers, SMEs), will validate the effect of the previously identified candidates as tools to improve the resilience of small-scale Mediterranean farms. In addition, ECOBOOST will increase public awareness of agroecological practices and carry out environmental and socio-economic analyses to assess the impact of their implementation in agriculture and the determinants of their acceptance by end-users.

Impact Pathway

ECOBOOST will produce new knowledge, tools and services to promote functional biodiversity and maximize ecosystem services for crop production. ECOBOOST new knowledge may be summarized as (1) how to manage complex interactions that occur at the farm scale among trophic levels (microbe-crop-pest-beneficial organisms); (2) increased understanding on the genetic bases of crops programmed for a fast response against pest attack. ECOBOOST new tools may be summarized as (1) Identification of tomato/eggplant/pepper local varieties (landraces) that are resistant to (a) salt and nitrogen-limiting stresses and (b) pests; (2) Effective soil microbes that boost plant growth and defenses; (3) Wild Mediterranean plants that attract (a) natural enemies and (b) pollinators. ECOBOOST new services may be summarized as (1) An online platform to inform stakeholders about the results of the project with regard to the proposed innovative tools, its long term beneficial effects on health and on agricultural productivity; (2) A Mediterranean network of scientists and stakeholders working on innovative methods/tools to sustainably control pests in tomato, eggplant and pepper; (3) An online platform to inform farmers about the risks associated with pesticide use, the alternative eco-friendly solutions to pesticides and the risk farmers might face in the future in relation to climate change and extreme climate events. It is expected that the implementation of the proposed agroecological practices will increase the stability of agroecosystems and therefore, reduce the costs that farmers incur to control pests thus contributing to increase farmers’ income and to the zero-pollution ambition in the Mediterranean countries.

WHERE WE WORK

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