The European Agricultural Innovation Association (EIP-AGRI) works to promote competitive and sustainable agriculture and forestry in order to “achieve more and better with less”.
EIP-AGRI Focus groups are temporary groups of selected experts who share a specific topic, share knowledge and experience. Each group explores practical and innovative solutions to problems or opportunities in the field and draws on experience from useful related projects. Each group meets twice and prepares a report of recommendations and results.
Eva Moré of the CTFC Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Group participated between 2019 and 2020 in focus group 35 “Diversification opportunities through plant-based medicinal and cosmetic products” which dealt with how to create diversification opportunities for farmers through chains of Innovative value of herbal medicinal and cosmetic products.
This group brought together researchers, consultants and producers from different European countries with the aim of collecting data, studies and knowledge on the demand for aromatic and medicinal plants (PAM), identifying value chains and actors where producers play a decisive role, assessing economic viability taking into account the diversification of farmers and foresters, suggesting business models, identifying future research needs and innovative solutions.
Various minipapers have been written on:
- Main actors, markets and collaboration of MAPs value chain
- Business models and empowerment of farmers
- Benefits of aromatic and medicinal plants for farming/forest systems
- Raw materials for medicinal, food suplements and other products
- Wild collection
- Knowledge and technical needs in production of raw materials
- Postharvest handling and drying
- Knowledge exchange and training
The main conclusions can be found in the final report
Eva Moré led the article on transfer and training, and has been actively involved in the topics of value chains, business models, agroforestry systems and wild harvesting.