b'Not so Frequently Asked QuestionsAll you wanted to know about organic agriculture in Europe.Marcel BruinsORGANIC AGRICULTURE ISa fast-growing sector in Europe covering 13.4 million hectares of agricultural land in the EU-28 (2018). With a steady growth in demand and a recent update to the EU Regulation on Organic Production, it was time for our sister publication European Seed help us to dive into this sector. European Seed spoke with Jaime Prohens, director at the Institute for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agro-diversity (COMAV) at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) in Spain; Teodoro Cardi, director of the Research Centre for Vegetables and Ornamental Crops in Italy; and with Csar Gonzalez, manager public affairs at Euroseeds in Brussels, Belgium.ES: Why is it important to devote more attention to organicTomato plants grown in the organic experimental farm in Monsampolo del Tronto, Italy, in agriculture in Europe? the framework of the Bresov project.PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. G. CAMPANELLIDuring the last years, there has been a constant increase of agricultural landquality and aspects related to ecologi- I think so, says Prohens. It goes in the dedicated to organic farming in Europecal impact of agriculture and were readydirection of providing consumers with as a reflection of the evolution of the EUto pay higher prices for what they per- a guarantee that organic food has been organic market, says Gonzalez. This hasceive high quality products, says Cardi.produced under the highest standards led to more companies active in the sectorAlthough, in a general sense, high-qualityof complying with organic production and an increased availability of high-qual- agriculture is not related only to organicprinciples.ity seeds suitable for organic farming. Byagriculture, it is true that the latter is per- Cardi says the new Regulation is a doing so, breeders respond to a genuineceived as a major component to obtaingood step forward since it gives a com-demand from farmers and consumers,healthier and more sustainable products,prehensive frame of all different aspects he says. However, more attention shouldhe adds.of the organic chain, including produc-be put on the fact that with increasingIn a highly diversified agriculturaltion and transformation, and import-pressure on agricultural land and organiccontext, organic agriculture can play a sig- export rules, both in plants and animals. food demand on rise, the yield gap withnificant role to increase the value of agri- Some specific points, however, should conventional farming should be reduced.cultural chains and the income of farmers,be revised. The importance of select-Otherwise, imports of organic food willat least in some areas. Nevertheless, moreing genetic materials adapted to organic continue rising which has negative conse- attention is needed in research aimed toagriculture is underlined, but, nevertheless, quences on GHG emissions. reduce pitfalls of organic agriculture, inin my opinion, the text limits too much For Prohens, the main reason is there is aorder to increase productivity and abil- the tools that can be used, he adds. In clear increase in demand by consumers andity to manage old and new phytosanitaryorder to obtain disease and pest resistant because of the higher prices, it can contrib- emergencies, says Cardi. materials, and compensate the productiv-ute to maintaining rural communities. ity gap, it is necessary to exploit genetic Agri-systems in Europe are quiteES: EU Regulation 2018/848 haspools beyond natural crossability, exploit-diverse, in terms of environments, cropsrecently been approved and willing technologies like embryo rescue and and markets. In recent years, custom- soon come into force. Is this a step inothers. I can somehow understand that ers have paid more attention to productthe good direction?transgenic products are not accepted, 66/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2021'