ABSTRACT. Introduction Organic farming has historically built on experiential knowledge progressively integrated with scientific competences (Canali et al., 2020). As an early example of hybridisation between knowledge systems, it has fostered social and institutional innovations, particularly when combining innovation pathways, competence development and the accompaniment of agroecological practices through tailored technical support. However, the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) still struggles to deliver on its systemic ambition and remains fragmented across its key pillars (training, advisory, innovation). Attempts to integrate advisory and knowledge development have emerged within some EIP-AGRI Operational Groups (OGs) in Italy, notably fostering organic farming. This contribution reports and reflects on such experiences to discuss the potential role of the organic sector as a frontrunner in strengthening AKIS integration. The analysis draws on the experience of the Italian Foundation for Organic and Biodynamic Agriculture (FIRAB) in EIP-AGRI initiatives. Operational Groups, together with multi-actor projects and Living Labs, contribute to shaping open innovation arrangements in which different knowledge systems converge to address emerging innovation needs (Colombo et al., 2024). In the last CAP programming period, Italy exceeded the planned number of innovation initiatives, activating 840 OGs compared with a target of 626. According to the Innovarurale portal, 64 OGs (7.6%) addressed organic farming systems. FIRAB contributed to eight OGs, all focused on organic farming except one. Methods FIRAB’s OGs were analysed to assess whether the innovation trajectory was complemented by advisory or training components, based on participatory observation in the OGs. The OGs structure, goals and project implementation were scrutinized focusing on the AKIS pillars complementarity, if any. Comparing OGs through these lenses allows to draw lessons on possible synergistic conditions in AKIS and on ways to maximize the capacity development potential of organic operators. Data Data originate from FIRAB’s roles in the OGs between 2018 and 2025. Insights were cross-analysed to ascertain when and to what extent advisory and/or training strengthened the innovation trajectories. Among the eight OGs, two included training initiatives to organic and in-conversion farmers (Territori Bio and Consemi, 11 and 4 courses, respectively) and six provided integrative advisory support, namely: Territori Bio on organic olive and wine production, provided by an external advisory consultancy; Consemi on technical indications in support of the House of seeds establishment, provided by an OG partner; Cereali resilienti to foster evolutionary populations and related value chains, provided by an OG partner; SAI Marche supporting farmers on silvopastoral rearing of pigs and veterinary services, provided by external consultants; Ortobiostrip on the strip cropping management, provided by an OG partner; Sicarib on regenerative practices, provided by an OG partner. Two projects (Innovabiozoo and Fi.Si.Ca.) did not complement innovation with either training or advice. Results and Discussion Six of the eight OGs included technical support to strengthen the innovation process and ensure continuity. Methodological and operational accompaniment was provided either by external consultants and advisory organisations (two OGs) or by OG partners acting as innovation brokers while providing technical guidance (four OGs). Only two OGs included training initiatives addressing audiences beyond the project partnership in order to develop competences on the innovation topics. Two OGs did not integrate advisory or training components and therefore developed innovation as an “AKIS stand-alone” process. The OGs combining innovation activities with competence development created more favourable conditions for consolidating results. Farmers’ knowledge was strengthened both within the consortium (mainly through technical advice) and through broader outreach (mainly through training). This contributed to reinforcing the durability of innovation outcomes. Conversely, the OGs lacking such synergies showed less consistent results. Conclusions Despite its anecdotic nature and the limited sample, which can be enriched and reassessed analysing OGs funded in the 2023-2027 CAP planning period, the analysis of eight Operational Groups combining, or lacking, innovation, advisory and training activities provides insights into how organic farming may contribute to strengthening the “S” of AKIS. In practice, AKIS often operates more as a Sum than as an integrated System. However, experience suggests that Synergies can be built through its operational implementation. The organic sector, with its emphasis on knowledge development and sharing, offers opportunities to enhance integration among AKIS pillars. These findings provide indications for improving AKIS functioning, particularly in the context of CAP Strategic Plans and the EU Agroecology Partnership, which aims to redesign open innovation arrangements.

ABSTRACT. 1. Introduction Organic agriculture is a key component of sustainable food systems and requires continuous innovation to improve (European Commission, 2023). Within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), cooperatives play a key role in knowledge co-creation and innovation diffusion (European Commission, 2023; Fontanari & Sacchetti, 2019). This study examines innovation adoption in Italian organic cooperatives, focusing on gaps between perceived and desired innovation levels within the EIP-AGRI, rural development policies (PSR/CSR) and the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS; Rete Rurale Nazionale., 2023).

2. Methods An online survey administered to cooperatives was adopted (November 2025 and January 2026), covering organisational characteristics, innovation activities and participation in innovation-related policy instruments. Perceived importance and performance were analysed using Likert scales ranging from 1 to 5. The analytical framework combines an importance-performance analysis (IPA), already applied in agricultural studies to identify priority areas for improvement (Rezgui et al., 2026), with the balanced scorecard proposed by Kaplan & Norton (1992), as suggested by Gambelli et al. (2021).

3. Data Out of 400 cooperatives contacted, 36 valid responses were obtained covering different stages of the supply chain. The dataset also includes information on turnover from organic products, internal technical advisory services, innovation support organisations and participation PSR/CSR and AKIS innovation initiatives.

4. Results and discussion Results indicate a high level of participation in initiatives financed through the PSR/CSR; participation in measures specifically supporting knowledge exchange and innovation remains limited. The IPA highlights significant gaps between the high importance attributed to the several innovation domains and the performance achieved. The balanced scorecard (Kaplan & Norton, 1992) suggests that such gaps are mainly associated with research and training, and the economic-financial dimension, highlighting the need to strengthen knowledge exchange and financial support within the AKIS to facilitate innovation adoption.

Conclusions This study highlights a clear gap between the importance attributed to innovation and the level of implementation achieved. Strengthening AKIS through participatory and bottom-up innovation processes could enhance the effectiveness of CAP and support more resilient and innovative organic supply chains. Future research should: (i) expand the sample and further explore the role of innovators of organic cooperatives within an AKIS-based perspective; (ii) enhance BPIs validity through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; Gambelli et al., 2021).

References

European Commission. (2023). Approved 28 CAP strategic plans (2023-2027). https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-06/approved-28-cap-strategic-plans-2023-27.pdf

Fontanari, E., & Sacchetti, S. (2019). The Knowledge-based Agricultural Cooperative: A Validation from the Trentino Case. Journal of Entrepreneurial and Organizational Diversity, 8(2), 46–70. https://doi.org/10.5947/jeod.2019.008

Gambelli, D., Solfanelli, F., Orsini, S., & Zanoli, R. (2021). Measuring the economic performance of small ruminant farms using balanced scorecard and importance‐performance analysis: A european case study. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063321

Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (1992). The Balanced Scorecard-Measures That Drive Performance. Harvard Business Review, (70), 71–79.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), & Eurostat. (2005). Oslo manual : guidelines for collecting and interpreting technological innovation data (OECD Publishing., Ed.; 3rd ed.). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development : Statistical Office of the European Communities. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264013100-en

Rete Rurale Nazionale. (2023). AKIS interventions in the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. CREA – Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economics Analysis. https://www.reterurale.it/AKISMaggio2023

Rezgui, F., Blanc, L., Plaza-Bonilla, D., Lampurlanés, J., Dordas, C., Papakaloudis, P., Michalitsis, A., Hossard, L., Lambarraa-Lehnhardt, F., Bellingrath-Kimura, S. D., Paul, C., & Reckling, M. (2026). Stakeholders’ critical perception of diversification strategies in cereal-based rotations. European Journal of Agronomy, 175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2026.128000

ABSTRACT. 1. Introduction In the agri-food sector innovation has become closely linked to sustainability, due to their interconnection along the entire value chain (Bigliardi & Filippelli, 2022). Organic agriculture can be considered a form of sustainable innovation itself (Rizzo et al., 2024); however, systematic knowledge about new or significantly improved production or delivery methods (i.e., 'process innovations'; OECD & Eurostat, 2005) in this sector remains limited. The present review addresses this gap by systematically analysing recent literature on process innovations in organic agriculture.

2. Methods The study adopts a systematic literature review (SLR) approach. Process innovation is examined according to the Oslo Manual (OECD & Eurostat, 2005). A Boolean search algorithm was developed based on a core search string defining the thematic domain of organic agriculture, and on an additional set of keywords specifically designed to capture process-related innovations in agriculture. Searches were conducted in Scopus and Web of Science, including peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2014 and 2026.

3. Data The search returned 279 records from Scopus and 188 from Web of Science. After duplicates and retracted publications removal, 315 studies were identified. Title and abstract screening reduced the dataset to 145 potentially relevant manuscripts which, excluding publications sought for retrieval, ended up to 132. Full-text screening and quality assessment further refined the dataset, resulting in an initial sample of 100 primary studies.

4. Results and discussion Preliminary evidence highlights two main clusters: the first is associated with genetic improvement and breeding strategies aimed at enhancing crop adaptation and agronomic performance under organic conditions, such as for nitrogen-fixing cultivars (e.g., common bean; Caproni et al., 2018);the second relates to agronomic management practices and technological innovations, enhancing resource efficiency and improving the sustainability and resilience of farming systems, for instance through IoT and AI-based frameworks (Contuzzi et al., 2025; Råberg et al., 2019). Findings also indicate that innovations stem from structural limitations typical of low-input production systems.

5. Conclusions Process innovations are a key driver of sustainability and resilience of organic farming: they enhance resource efficiency, ecosystem services and system resilience within evolving CAP policies. However, these results present only one dimension of a broader ongoing study on innovations in organic agriculture; future research will integrate all innovation categories to provide a more comprehensive overview of the sector’s innovation landscape.

References Bigliardi, B., & Filippelli, S. (2022). A review of the literature on innovation in the agrofood industry: sustainability, smartness and health. In European Journal of Innovation Management (Vol. 25, Number 6, pp. 589–611). Emerald Group Holdings Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-05-2021-0258

Caproni, L., Raggi, L., Tissi, C., Howlett, S., Torricelli, R., & Negri, V. (2018). Multi-environment evaluation and genetic characterisation of common bean breeding lines for organic farming systems. Sustainability (Switzerland), 10(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030777

Contuzzi, N., Galiano, A. M., & Casalino, G. (2025). Integrated IoT-based production, deep learning, and Business Intelligence approaches for organic food production. Journal of Industrial Information Integration, 46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jii.2025.100850

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), & Eurostat. (2005). Oslo manual : guidelines for collecting and interpreting technological innovation data (OECD Publishing., Ed.; 3rd ed.). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development : Statistical Office of the European Communities. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264013100-en

Råberg, T. M., Carlsson, G., & Jensen, E. S. (2019). Productivity in an arable and stockless organic cropping system may be enhanced by strategic recycling of biomass. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 34(1), 20–32. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170517000242

Rizzo, G., Migliore, G., Schifani, G., & Vecchio, R. (2024). Key factors influencing farmers’ adoption of sustainable innovations: a systematic literature review and research agenda. In Organic Agriculture (Vol. 14, Number 1, pp. 57–84). Springer Science and Business Media B.V. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-023-00440-7

ABSTRACT. Introduction: The spread of organic farming worldwide has increased significantly, particularly in the EU, driven by sustainability goals. In Hungary, adoption has expanded, yet substantial spatial variation persists, indicating regional disparities relevant for farm persistence and policy design. While previous studies have focused on the spatial distribution and adoption of organic farming, less attention has been paid to how neighborhood dynamics influence farm persistence over time and interact with structural characteristics. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how spatial patterns and farm-level factors jointly shape the persistence of organic farms.

Methods: This research employed spatial mapping techniques to visualize the density of organic farms across Hungary and assessed the spatial factors influencing farm persistence using Random Forest (RF) and Generalized Additive Models (GAM). The RF model identified key drivers, while the GAM explicitly accounted for spatial dependence and neighborhood effects using spatial smoothing functions. The combined approach enabled a complementary assessment of non-linear structural effects and spatial processes influencing farm persistence.

Data: The analysis used farm-level data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO), including the 2020 Agricultural Census and the 2023 Farm Structure Census. Organic farms were analyzed at a 1000×1000 m grid resolution. Variables included Standard Output (SO), farm structure, and a binary indicator of persistence between 2020 and 2023. Farm typology followed EU Regulation 2018/1091, which classifies farms based on their production structure expressed in Standard Output (SO) values. Three new spatial variables were created from HCSO data for this study: (i) distance between nearest farms, (ii) neighboring farm persistence rate, and (iii) neighboring farm density.

Results and Discussion: Overall, 76.2% of farms remained organic between 2020 and 2023, while 23.8% exited. Both models identified spatial factors – especially neighboring farm persistence, density, and proximity – as key determinants of farm survival. These effects were comparable in importance to structural variables such as farm size and organic area. The results indicate that farm persistence is shaped not only by individual characteristics but also by the surrounding farming environment, reflecting mechanisms such as knowledge spillovers, shared infrastructure, and local social reinforcement within clusters of organic farms. The observed spatial patterns should not be interpreted as purely geographical effects but rather as proxies for underlying socio-economic and institutional processes not directly captured in the dataset, such as advisory access, knowledge exchange, or local market structures, indicating the importance of local interactions and network effects. Model robustness was confirmed through multiple validation metrics. The RF showed moderate predictive performance (AUC = 0.66; Brier = 0.23), while the GAM achieved higher discrimination and calibration (AUC = 0.86; Brier = 0.13). Results were stable across validation approaches, and spatial autocorrelation in the GAM residuals was effectively eliminated (Moran’s I ≈ 0), indicating that spatial dependence was adequately accounted for. Both models consistently identified similar key drivers.

Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of spatial context in organic farm persistence. Policies should incorporate spatially differentiated measures, strengthen regional clusters, and promote collaboration between neighboring farms. The results should be interpreted with caution given the relatively short observation period (2020–2023) and the use of a binary persistence indicator, which does not capture underlying economic performance.

References 1. Ilbery, B., & Maye, D. (2011). Clustering and the spatial distribution of organic farming in England and Wales. Area, 43(1), 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4762.2010.00953.x 2. Läpple, D., & Cullinan, J. (2012). The development and geographic distribution of organic farming in Ireland. Irish Geography, 45(1), 67–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/00750778.2012.698585 3. Läpple, D., & Kelley, H. (2015). Spatial dependence in the adoption of organic drystock farming in Ireland. European Review of Agricultural Economics, 42(2), 315–337. https://doi.org/10.1093/erae/jbu024 4. Schmidtner, E., Lippert, C., Engler, B., Häring, A. M., Aurbacher, J., & Dabbert, S. (2012). Spatial distribution of organic farming in Germany: Does neighbourhood matter? European Review of Agricultural Economics, 39(4), 661–683. https://doi.org/10.1093/erae/jbr047 5. Komor, A., Pawlak, J., Wróblewska, W., Białoskurski, S., & Czernyszewicz, E. (2025). Spatial Differentiation of the Competitiveness of Organic Farming in EU Countries in 2014–2023: An Input–Output Approach. Sustainability, 17(17), 7614. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17177614

ABSTRACT. Introduction The most ancient residues of rye (Secale cereale L.) were found at Tell Abu Hureya in northern Syria. Meanwhile the neolithic population of near east went toward north, where there were more cold climatic conditions, the rye crop tended to dominate against the more quoted cereals such as barley and wheat thanks to its higher adaptability to extreme pedoclimatic conditions. In Italy the most ancient traces of rye were found in Piemonte (Alba, Borgo Moretta). Only from low middle age, rye spread increased in mountain cropland of Italy and northern Europe were often it has reported as the major cereal crops. In the croplands of Matese massif different cultivars of rye for centuries were used as a popular food as a flour for making bread or “polenta” (e.g. porridge or mush). Nevertheless in the last century this crop disappeared also in mountain rural areas substituted by permanent meadows due to wars, industrialization of plain areas and the consequent depopulation of internal mountain areas.

Method During the first year rye grains were collected in the small farmers of the Matese area (municipalities of Letino, Gallo Matese, Castello del Matese, Piedimonte Matese) and in the germplasm bank of Campania. From this survey 80 kg of seed were collected and were sowed on October 15, 2023 in a 0.2 ha field of the Falode farm in Castello del Matese by using a normal wheat seeder in 0.15 m rows. Harvest was made with a wheat thresher on August 1, 2024. With this yield the following year a second sowing was made in a 1 ha area of the same farm. With the aim to reduce weed growth a false sowing technique was applied as follows: early rotary hoeing for seedbed preparation (October 20); second soil tillage with Spike Tooth Harrow (November 3); rye sowing with 200 kg/ha of seeds (November 11). Harvest was made on August 13 2025. Machinery were the same of the previous year

Results and discussion Rye yield was 250 kg/ha in the 1st year with a very low purity (69%), so that clean seed were only 175 kg/ha. In the 2nd year thanks to the false sowing purity was very high (97%) and with a final yield of 200 kg/ha, confirming results of Pratiwi and Marino (2025) who suggest this technique in organic cropping systems. Thanks to the absence of fertilization, the culm lodging was only 10% (Fig. 1). Average weight of grains was normal (35 mg/grain), so protein content (12.6%), confirming the good nutritional value of this cros as reported by Landi et al., (2025). Food culture constitutes a fundamental driver of tourism as well as a key element in strengthening the identity of a territory. Rye has been cultivated on the Matese highlands since the late Middle Ages, when Romano-Lombard populations settled in these upland areas to escape Arab incursions that were devastating the Campanian plain and the Molisan slopes. This crop therefore represents a cornerstone of the identity of the Matese area in the province of Caserta. Low yields, consistent with those of ancient grains, have led to its gradual abandonment; with its disappearance, an important part of local food culture is also being lost. The recent establishment of a Slow Food Presidium dedicated to the protection of this crop represents a significant first step forward. It lays the groundwork for the creation of a value chain involving local restaurateurs and processors, primarily aimed at generating a fair price for farmers—one that adequately compensates the resources employed and makes production economically viable once again.

Conclusion Results obtained in this filed experiment demonstrate the feasibility of producing amount and quality necessary for guaranteeing the right price for the rye cultivated in the Matese mountains. The institution of a “Slow Food Presidium” and the formalization of the national Park of Matese could help developing a local integrate chain that can allow commercialization of this crop but also added value for farmers thanks to its valorization in flour, bread, cookies,….. For gaining this objective it is necessary to have the presence in the cultivation area not only of farms, but also of other players necessary for its cultivation and utilization such as mechanization for sowing, harvest, grain cleaning, stone milling and also a community oven could give to the slow food presidio a higher social value thus representing a model for the local development of the internals hilly and mountains croplands.

References Pratiwi, O., Marino, S. (2025). How repetitive integrated weed management strategies affect weed dynamics in organic crop rotation system. Weed Science, 73(1), e77 Landi, N., Ragucci, S., Campanile, M.G., Hussain, H.Z.F., Papa, S., Di Maro, A. (2025). Nutritional Values and Biochemical Traits of Rye (Secale cereale L.) Seeds, a Landrace from Matese Mountains (Southern Italy). Foods, 14, 1120.

ABSTRACT. Retail sales of organic products in Hungary rose by 13.9% between 2023 and 2024, making it the second-fastest-growing market in the EU. To further promote growth dynamics, it is essential to understand the drivers of consumer behaviour. Surveys on Hungarian consumers of organic food often lack adequate sample sizes and cluster-specific details. The objective of our research was to identify consumer clusters regarding their purchasing habits for organic products. The study examined across clusters preferred sales channels, factors that trigger or reinforce interest in buying organic products, barriers and incentives to purchasing, and willingness to pay a price premium.

Consumer behaviour regarding organic food was assessed in 2024 using a combined methodology comprising an anonymous online questionnaire (LimeSurvey) and the online market research community (NRC). The survey consisted of 18 topic-specific and 9 demographic questions, including open-ended, multiple-choice, and Likert-scale questions.

The sample of 1000 respondents is representative of age and type of settlement, and after weighting, of sex and educational attainment. The data were analysed using SPSS, applying descriptive statistics, relationship analyses, factor analysis, and cluster analysis.

Three clusters were identified in the Hungarian organic food market: 'considered', 'conscious', and 'sceptical' consumers. The considered cluster had a moderate level of familiarity with the concept and logo of organic products. They typically purchased organic products weekly or monthly, often from discount stores, hypermarkets, or directly from producers, and were willing to increase their purchases in the future. Conscious consumers bought organic food daily or weekly, and they planned to increase this in the future. They possessed the highest level of knowledge regarding organic products. Sceptical consumers were less informed about organic products and did not buy organic food regularly. The most significant factor influencing the decision to start or increase the purchase of organic food across all clusters was personal decision-making. Direct information from producers and personal contact with other consumers were particularly important for conscious and considered consumers. A unique finding was that conscious consumers responded more favourably to expert-written articles and in-store promotions, reflecting their greater commitment and knowledge. The main barrier to purchasing organic food was high prices - among the sceptical and considered groups -, while limited availability and difficulty in accessing organic products were primarily issues for conscious ones. A novel finding of our study is that the availability of Hungarian organic products was the strongest incentive factor driving organic purchases, particularly among conscious and considered consumers. In contrast, for sceptics, lower prices were the strongest factor. Wider access was also highly ranked in all groups, while freshness, increased supply, and the availability of organic products in canteens were particularly important factors for conscious consumers. The majority of respondents consider a 1–20% price premium for organic products to be acceptable. Interestingly, there was a significant positive correlation between the frequency of organic food purchases and the willingness to pay a premium for organic foods among considered and sceptical consumer groups, as measured by Spearman’s rank correlation for ordinal variables.

In order to boost the Hungarian organic food market, it would be essential to apply a targeted marketing strategy featuring cluster-specific communication, public education and price sensitivity management, as well as improving the availability and accessibility of domestic organic products. Based on our results, resilient organic food systems are supported primarily by conscious consumers, as they are the most informed and active shoppers. Conscious consumers represent the system’s expandable reserve, while engaging sceptics would be possible mainly through awareness raising, improved access, and more affordable prices.

Gumber, G. and Rana, J. (2021). Who buys organic food? Understanding different types of consumers. Cogent Business & Management, 8(1).

Nagyné Pércsi, K. N., Ujj, A., Essoussi, W., Györéné Kis, Gy., & Jancsovszka, P. (2024). Food Consumption Habits of Hungarian Organic Food Consumers and Their Policy Implications. Agriculture, 14(1), 91.

Rizzo, G., Testa, R., Schifani, G., & Migliore, G. (2023). The Value of Organic plus. Analysing Consumers’ Preference for Additional Ethical Attributes of Organic food Products. Social Indicators Research, 175(3), 859-878.

Willer, H., Trávníček, J., & Schlatter, B. (2025). The world of organic agriculture: Statistics and emerging trends 2025. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL & IFOAM – Organics International.