Survey on crop diversification initiatives

The DiverIMPACTS survey aims to document crop diversification experiences across Europe. When talking about crop diversification we mean the temporal and spatial diversification of crops through rotation, multiple cropping and intercropping.

We define rotation as growing different crop species on the same field in successive growing seasons. Multiple cropping means growing different crop species on the same field within a growing season, and intercropping means growing different species or cultivars in proximity on the same field (i.e. mixed, row or strip intercropping).

The starting point for a diversification initiative can be very different, from monoculture to already highly diversified production systems. In either case, the main criterion of a diversification initiative is that it further adds to the diversity of the current production practice. Diversified cropping systems can serve to produce a wider range of food, feed, industrial products (e.g. bioenergy carriers, biomaterials, biochemicals), thus promoting new markets and market relationships, and other ecosystems services (e.g. resilience against climatic extremes).

With this questionnaire we would like to:

• Identify existing diversification initiatives of annual crop production across Europe
• Create a typology of European diversification initiatives
• Identify the main factors for the success and failure of diversification initiatives
• Further use the results of the survey to better support the dynamics of crop diversification initiatives

Your contribution would help us reach these aims!

In case you are willing to participate in the survey, please contact Dóra Drexler (+36 20 346 9120) for a personalized link.