This p ojec has ecei ed unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon 2020 esea ch
and inno a ion p og amme unde he g an ag eemen numbe 101000499.
© COPYRIGHT
NEWSLETTER
Magazine
7 ISSUE
Augus 2025
FORK-TO-FARM AGENT-BASED
SIMULATION TOOL
AUGMENTING BIODIVERSITY IN
THE AGRI-FOOD VALUE CHAIN
1. Ou Fa me Recommenda ions
2. In e iew wi h JLU
3. Ou Pilo cases- Eggplan s
4. Ou Recipes- Baked eggplan &
Po a o a la papa Alexie
5. News
6. Ou la es Publica ions
7. Ou Team
Con en s
h
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A BioValue, we’ e ga he ed insigh s om ac oss ou pa ne egions o b ing you key
ecommenda ions o sus ainable and e icien a ming. He e’s wha we sugges :
1.Ou Fa me Recommenda ions
BIODIVERSITY
LENTIL CULTIVATION
Soil P epa a ion
Go o minimum o no illage, ideally combined wi h mulching and co e c ops o imp o e soil heal h
and supp ess weeds. The alse seedbed echnique can also be an e ec i e way o educe weed
p essu e be o e plan ing.
Sowing
Aim o 300–400 li e seeds/m², sown a a dep h o 40–60 mm, depending on seed size. Rows should be
spaced 15–25 cm apa .
Seed ea men s wi h ungicides can help p o ec agains seedling o . Seeding a es a y:
·60–80 kg/ha o small-seeded a ie ies
·120–160 kg/ha o la ge-seeded ones
·Mixed c opping is also ad ised o educe lodging and imp o e c op esilience.
Fe iliza ion
Len ils a e ni ogen- ixing c ops, meaning hey gene ally don’ need added e ilize . They wo k
especially well in c op o a ions o na u ally en ich he soil—an excellen s a egy o o ganic sys ems.
Disease & Pes Managemen
P e en ion is key:
·Use ce i ied seed and o a e c ops widely
·Wa ch ou o diseases like Fusa ium, Bo y is, and i uses (e.g., bean yellow mosaic i us)
·Pes s such as wi ewo ms, aphids, and nema odes can also educe yields.
2
´
A BioValue, we’ e ga he ed insigh s om ac oss ou pa ne egions o b ing you key
ecommenda ions o sus ainable and e icien a ming. He e’s wha we sugges :
LENTIL CULTIVATION
1.Ou Fa me Recommenda ions
BIODIVERSITY
Weed Con ol
Len ils g ow slowly a i s and don’ compe e well wi h weeds. Conside :
·Wide ow spacing (45–50 cm) o mechanical weeding
·In eg a ed non-chemical s a egies like alse seeding, co e c ops, highe sowing densi ies, and imely
hoeing/weeding.
Ha es ing
Ha es ing is usually mechanized using all, up igh a ie ies. Depending on he me hod, i can be done in one pass
(wi h a combine ha es e ) o in wo s eps (mowing and h eshing).
Bonus: le o e esidues a e aluable o age!
C op Ro a ions
In semi-a id a eas (250–350 mm ain all/yea ), o a ing len ils wi h o he c ops plays a i al ole in main aining soil
e ili y and b eaking disease cycles.
3
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A BioValue, we’ e ga he ed insigh s om ac oss ou pa ne egions o b ing you key
ecommenda ions o sus ainable and e icien a ming. He e’s wha we sugges :
LATHYRUS CULTIVATION
1.Ou Fa me Recommenda ions
BIODIVERSITY
Soil P epa a ion
In egions like Spain, minimum illage is commonly p ac iced:
Shallow seedbed p ep using su ace ools (e.g., cul i a o o ib ocul i a o )
A oid illing deepe han 20 cm, and aim o e ain 30% o p e ious c op esidues
In Andalusia, do no bu y d y s ems o O obanche c ena a (b oom ape), a p oblema ic pa asi ic plan ,
as his can sp ead i s seeds.
Tip: Le el you ield be o e sowing and oll i a e sowing o ease ha es ing and educe losses.
As a legume, La hy us suppo s soil e ili y and is well-sui ed o o ganic o a ions.
Weed & Disease Managemen
La hy us is highly suscep ible o b oom ape (O obanche c ena a). Fa me s can manage i by:
Delaying sowing un il sp ing
Choosing ea ly-ma u ing a ie ies o a oid b oom ape de elopmen
E ec i e mechanical weed con ol includes:
Blind ha owing and ow hoeing, especially in d y condi ions
Pe o ming hese be o e eme gence (conside seed dep h)
Using p ecision hoeing ools wi h op ical o digi al guidance o inc eased e iciency
O he help ul weed con ol s a egies:
Highe sowing densi y
Ro a ing wi h c ops ha supp ess weeds o g een manu e c ops
Using polycul u es (e.g., ce eals wi h legumes) o mixed c opping sys ems
C op Ro a ion
As a ni ogen- ixing legume, La hy us is a aluable o a ional c op, imp o ing soil heal h o u u e
plan ings.
Recommenda ion: A oid plan ing La hy us on he same ield mo e han once e e y 3–4 yea s.
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A BioValue, we’ e ga he ed insigh s om ac oss ou pa ne egions o b ing you key
ecommenda ions o sus ainable and e icien a ming. He e’s wha we sugges :
BUCKWHEAT CULTIVATION
1.Ou Fa me Recommenda ions
BIODIVERSITY
Buckwhea is a as -g owing, esilien c op wi h mul iple bene i s o ag oecological sys ems. He e’s how a me s
ac oss ou egions a e success ully cul i a ing i :
Soil P epa a ion
Buckwhea h i es unde educed o minimum illage combined wi h mulching—a me hod ha imp o es soil e ili y
and con ols weeds while suppo ing conse a ion ag icul u e.
Sowing
Timing depends on soil empe a u e and mois u e. While op imal ge mina ion occu s a 27°C, buckwhea can
ge mina e in a wide ange (8°C o 40°C).
-Seeding a e: 35–80 kg/ha / Row spacing: 15–20 cm / Plan ing dep h: 2–3 cm
Fe ilisa ion & I iga ion
A oid excessi e ni ogen, especially when combined wi h hea y ain o wind, as his inc eases he isk o lodging and
delays ipening.
Buckwhea ypically doesn’ equi e i iga ion—excess wa e can educe yields.
Weed Con ol
Buckwhea 's sho g ow h cycle limi s weed p oblems.
Mechanical weeding can be done pos -ge mina ion. Chemical he bicides a e no egis e ed in mos coun ies
s udied.
P o ip: Use alse sowing 2–4 weeks be o e plan ing. Le weeds ge mina e and hen up oo hem ( o 3–5 cm dep h) o
educe ea ly compe i ion.
Pollina ion
Pollina ion is key o yield. Encou age insec ac i i y by:
Placing bee colonies nea he ields / Plan ing lowe s ips o a ac pollina o s
Ha es ing
Buckwhea doesn’ ma u e uni o mly—i lowe s con inuously un il ha es . Begin ha es ing when a leas 75% o
g ains a e b own. Ha es iming is c ucial o a oid g ain loss.
C op Ro a ion
Bes p eceding c ops include win e whea , ye, peas, and clo e .
A oid plan ing buckwhea a e canola, sun lowe , o mus a d, which may lead o olun ee plan s.
No e: Buckwhea is a hea y eede , especially o phospha es, so plan e ilize use acco dingly o he nex c op.
5
2. In e iew wi h JLU
·Wha is JLU's ole in he
BioValue p ojec ?
Jus us Liebig Uni e si y Giessen (JLU) plays a cen al and mul i ace ed ole in he BioValue p ojec , con ibu ing i s
in e disciplina y expe ise in clima e science, o ganic a ming, and ag i- ood sys ems. JLU leads Wo k Package 8, i led
“Enhancing he ag i- ood alue chain biodi e si y links ia he BIOVALUE ool,” which ocuses on de eloping and es ing
s a egies o inc ease plan di e si y along he ag i- ood alue chain. JLU’s eam, pa icula ly om he clima ology and
ag icul u al sec o s, analysed di e si ica ion s a egies ailo ed o each ac o , p oduce s, p ocesso s, e aile s, and he ull
alue chain. Emphasis was placed on he ole o ag icul u al p oduce s, iden i ying p ac ices and coope a ion models ha
os e high c op di e si y. Toge he wi h o he pa ne s, JLU es s and in e p e s he BIOVALUE ool and de elops
ac ionable ecommenda ions, ensu ing hey a e co-designed wi h s akeholde s o enhance eal-wo ld up ake.
Beyond alue chain s a egies, JLU also led he clima e change and biodi e si y impac asks in WP6. The eam de eloped
high- esolu ion, bias-co ec ed clima e p ojec ions on daily, mon hly, and seasonal imescales o he p ojec ’s pilo
coun ies, assessing he impac s o clima e change on biodi e si y, soil, and wa e condi ions. Special a en ion was gi en
o he spa ial and empo al e olu ion o ex eme wea he and compound e en s, gi en hei c i ical in luence on a ming
p ac ices and ag icul u al p oduc ion and he eo he whole ag i- ood alue chain. These da ase s we e no only sha ed
wi h p ojec pa ne s bu also se ed as key inpu s o he BioValue modelling amewo k.
Fu he mo e, JLU con ibu ed o he plan b eeding p og am in WP7, p omo ing he use o unde u ilised species o
s eng hen gene ic di e si y. In Ge many, he eam led pilo s udies on La hy us species (e.g., La hy us sa i us o g ass
pea), coo dina ed wi h pa allel/pai ed expe imen s in Spain, and suppo ed ials on eggplan land aces alongside pilo
plo s in Cyp us. This wo k ein o ces JLU’s commi men o biodi e si y-d i en, clima e- esilien ag i- ood sys ems.
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JLU p o ides a dis inc i e in e disciplina y skill se c ucial o ackling biodi e si y challenges in ag i- ood alue chains
unde clima e change. I s expe ise spans clima e a iabili y and ex eme e en s and hei impac s on biodi e si y and
ood sys ems, ensu ing long- e m isks a e e ec i ely in eg a ed in o esilience planning. I also con ibu es deep
knowledge o c op di e si ica ion s a egies, and he economic and sys emic le e s needed o in eg a e unde u ilised
species in o alue chains. JLU adds alue h ough i s capabili ies in policy analysis and go e nance amewo ks,
suppo ing he de elopmen o p ac ical and con ex -sensi i e policy ecommenda ions. I s expe ience in sus ainabili y
me ics and he managemen o ield-le el pilo s udies s eng hens he p ojec ’s g ounding in eal-wo ld ag icul u al
sys ems. By combining na u al and social sciences, JLU enables a holis ic and applied app oach o ad ancing clima e-
esilien , biodi e si y- ich ag i- ood alue chains in BioValue.
2. In e iew wi h JLU
·Wha unique expe ise does JLU b ing o he p ojec ?
·How has JLU con ibu ed o enhancing biodi e si y in
he whole ag i- ood alue chain?
All o JLU’s asks in he BioValue p ojec suppo ed he enhancemen o biodi e si y and pa icula ly c op di e si y, a mul iple
in e connec ed le els o he ag i- ood alue chain. I s in e disciplina y con ibu ions we e embedded in bo h empi ical esea ch
and s a egic sys ems analysis.
Field le el: JLU led pilo s udies in Ge many wi hin WP7, gene a ing p ac ical e idence on he iabili y o unde u ilised c ops and
a ie ies such as La hy us sa i us and adi ional eggplan s. These ials assessed pa ame e s such as p oduc i i y, sus ainabili y,
and nu i ional quali y, which a e key o in o ming decisions abou c op di e si ica ion unde di e se en i onmen al condi ions.
Fa me le el: Th ough close engagemen wi h p oduce s, JLU iden i ied he key challenges a me s ace when in oducing
unde u ilised species. I also examined coping s a egies and de eloped a ge ed ecommenda ions o suppo a me -d i en
biodi e si y enhancemen wi hin ag icul u al p oduc ion sys ems.
Value chain le el: In collabo a ion wi h CAPNUTRA and UNIBO unde WP8, JLU explo ed biodi e si y- ela ed challenges and
solu ions ac oss he en i e alue chain, including p ocesso s and e aile s. Recommenda ions we e i e a i ely e ined h ough
engagemen wi h s akeholde s o ensu e hei p ac ical ele ance and accep ance.
In addi ion, JLU con ibu ed o he co-de elopmen and es ed he BIOVALUE ool. JLU also con ibu ed bias-co ec ed clima e
p ojec ions and analysis o ex eme wea he e en s o ensu e ha biodi e si y planning is clima e- esilien .
By add essing c op di e si y a mul iple le els and in eg a ing empi ical, social, and clima e-in o med pe spec i es, JLU played a
key ole in enabling ac ionable s a egies o mo e di e se, sus ainable, and clima e- esilien ag i- ood sys ems.
7
·Wha u u e de elopmen s o ou comes does JLU
an icipa e om he BioValue p ojec
JLU an icipa es se e al key ou comes om i s in ol emen in he BioValue p ojec , pa icula ly in p omo ing c op di e si y and
biodi e si y ac oss ag i- ood alue chains.
A no able de elopmen al eady isible is he g owing in e es in unde u ilised c ops. As e idence on hei iabili y, sus ainabili y, and
nu i ional alue inc eases, s akeholde s, ha is om a me s o policymake s, a e becoming mo e open o in eg a ing such species in o
p oduc ion and p ocessing sys ems. BioValue’s case s udies e ealed ha awa eness- aising and p ac ical, undable esea ch we e
among he mos c i ical s a egies iden i ied by alue chain ac o s o suppo his ansi ion.
JLU expec s he BIOVALUE agen -based modelling ool o con inue e ol ing as a p ac ical esou ce o simula ing decision-making
p ocesses and assessing biodi e si y ou comes ac oss di e en alue chain con ex s. This ool holds po en ial o u u e applica ion in
bo h esea ch and policy de elopmen . Fu he , he high- esolu ion clima e p ojec ions de eloped by JLU will suppo long- e m clima e-
esilien biodi e si y planning, pa icula ly in iden i ying a eas and ac o s ulne able o ex eme e en s. Taken oge he , JLU sees
BioValue as a ca alys o expanding in e disciplina y collabo a ions, in o ming biodi e si y- iendly policy, and os e ing mo e esilien
and di e si ied ag i- ood sys ems ac oss Eu ope.
2. In e iew wi h JLU
8
Wha is cul i a ed wi hin BioValue?
▶
Na u ally Swee : Unlike many o he eggplan s, his a ie y has a mild,
swee la o —no de-bi e ing needed.
▶
Low Oil Abso p ion: Thanks o i s i m ex u e, i abso bs signi ican ly
less oil du ing cooking, making i ideal o ying o oas ing
▶
Few Seeds: The “Whi e Eggplan o San o ini” has e y ew seeds,
esul ing in a smoo he , mo e enjoyable ex u e.
▶
Geno ype Ma e s: Nu ien le els a y sligh ly based on g owing
condi ions and geno ype, hough only manganese eaches mode a e daily
alue le els
3. Ou Pilo Cases - Eggplan s
Se e al pilo cases ha e been designed o sp ead he
unde u ilized and gene ically di e se c ops om small
egions o islands all o e Eu ope, enhancing he
cul i a ions’ biodi e si y.
These se en pilo cases a e wa e -ene gy e icien ,
en i onmen ally esilien , highly nu i ious, an ioxidan -
ich, p o ein- ich, and glu en- ee. They ha e a high
po en ial o en e he ood alue chain and be
inco po a ed in o he consume ’s shopping lis .
Le ’s ge o
know be e
he pilo case
o Eggplan s:
[Pilo Case] #6 Two eggplan geno ypes
Desc ip ion: Eggplan , a membe o he
nigh shade amily (Solanaceae), is packed wi h
nu ien s—bu i doesn’ always win o e
e e yone’s as e buds. I s some imes bi e
la o can make i less popula among child en
and e en some adul s. Bu no all eggplan s a e
c ea ed equal!
9
“Tsakoniki” Eggplan – A Swee G eek Classic
Hailing om he own o Leonidio in G eece, he Tsakoniki eggplan is celeb a ed
o i s swee , delica e la o and ende , easy- o-cook skin. This local a ie y is
ideal o adi ional Medi e anean dishes and pe ec o hose who ypically shy
away om eggplan ’s bi e ness.
“Whi e Eggplan o San o ini” – A Ra e Culina y Gem
This a e a ie y om San o ini s ands ou no jus o i s unique whi e colo , bu
also o i s mild as e, low seed con en , and i m ex u e. I s compa a i e
ad an ages make i a p ized ing edien in bo h home ki chens and gou me
cuisine.
D4.2
D11.7
14
This a icle examines La hy us
sa i us (g ass pea) in Eu opean
ag i- ood chains, ocusing on
Ge many and Spain. G ass pea
h i es in d y and we clima es,
imp o es soil e ili y h ough
ni ogen ixa ion, and appeals
o o ganic a me s. When
p ope ly p ocessed, i o e s
nu i ional bene i s and sui s
cu en culina y ends. To
maximize i s po en ial, adap i e
a ming, alue chain
collabo a ion, a o dable
p icing, and clea
communica ion a e key. The
s udy highligh s g ass pea as a
p omising c op o sus ainable,
clima e- esilien ood sys ems in
Eu ope.
Check i HERE.
Explo ing he Po en ial and Challenges o
La hy us sa i us (G ass Pea) in Eu opean Ag i-
Food Value Chains: AC oss-Coun y Analysis
I ina Solo ie a 1,2,* , Pa lina Mi e a-Böl e 1 , Ma ija Knez 3,4 , Ann-Ka h in Bessai 5 ,
Eleono a Ba illi 6 , Nadja Kaspe czyk 1 , Ma ija Ranic 3,4 , Mi jana Gu ino ic 3 , Ped o Jose
Luna Casado 6 , Nicolas Alba Mo ales 6 , Manuel Sanchez 6 , Cy il Tissey e 7 , Bu kha d
Schae 7 and Elena Xoplaki
6. Mus eads- Ou La es
Publica ions
16
Con ac
Kons adinos Ma as
Coo dina o / Adminis a o :
ma as@au h.g
As e ios Theo ilou
Managemen issues:
as e ios@ag o.au h.g
The Conso ium
www.bio alue-p ojec .eu
in o@bio alue-p ojec .eu
@BioValue P ojec
@BioValueP ojec
@Bio alueP ojec
FORK-TO-FARM AGENT-BASED SIMULATION
TOOL AUGMENTING BIODIVERSITY IN THE
AGRI-FOOD VALUE CHAIN
F om he beginning o ou p ojec
and in o de o ensu e an e icien
and a icula e coo dina ion and
implemen a ion, he BioValue
conso ium o med he ollowing
in e nal collabo a i e eams:
Gene al Assembly: All Pa ne
Leade s o m he p ojec ’s Gene al
Assembly
Execu i e Managemen Boa d:
All Wo k package Leade s o m
he Execu i e Managemen
Boa d (EMB)
Exploi a ion and Dissemina ion
Team (EDT): AXIA [Leade ], AUTH,
CIHEAM /MAICH o m he EDT
Scien i ic In e nal Commi ee
(SIC):
AUTH [Leade ], MAICH, JLU,
CAPNUTRA o m he SIC
Da a p o ec ion o ice : P ojec ’s
Da a p o ec ion o ice is IDENER
This p ojec has ecei ed unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon 2020 esea ch and
inno a ion p og amme unde he g an ag eemen numbe 101000499.
@BioValue_P ojec
@BioValue P ojec
© COPYRIGHT
