EcoFlourish Kick-Off

On 6 May 2026, ECOFLOURISH partners gathered at the Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas, Lithuania, for an intensive internal project meeting dedicated to launching joint scientific and Living Lab activities and coordinating the first stages of project implementation.

The kick-off sessions provided an opportunity for consortium partners to meet in person, present their expertise and ongoing activities, and establish a common understanding of the project’s scientific, methodological and practical priorities. Particular attention was given to ensuring that the different research components of ECOFLOURISH are closely connected and that data collected across participating countries can be compared and jointly analysed.

During the meeting, partners presented their planned contributions and discussed progress and responsibilities within the different ECOFLOURISH Work Packages. The discussions focused on how individual scientific tasks, Living Lab activities and stakeholder engagement should complement each other throughout the project.

A substantial part of the meeting was devoted to methodological coordination and data collection. Researchers exchanged approaches for field observations, monitoring and experimental work and discussed how data should be gathered, structured and shared across the consortium. Establishing comparable methodologies from the beginning of the project was identified as particularly important for producing robust results across different geographical, climatic and farming conditions.

The partners also discussed the practical organisation of the project’s Living Labs. These Living Labs will provide real-world environments where researchers, farmers and other stakeholders can jointly test and evaluate agroecological approaches. Discussions covered the organisation of upcoming fieldwork, cooperation with participating farms, monitoring needs and the types of information required to evaluate environmental, agronomic and socio-economic changes.

Special attention was given to the integration of agroecological monitoring, biodiversity assessment and digital technologies. Partners exchanged experience on the use of monitoring tools and data-driven approaches and discussed how environmental and crop-related observations could support the evaluation of sustainable berry production systems.

The meeting at the Botanical Garden also included on-site observations relevant to agroecological monitoring and Living Lab design. This practical component allowed the consortium to connect methodological discussions with real environmental conditions and to consider how monitoring approaches can be adapted to different Living Lab sites.

The kick-off sessions were also an important opportunity for knowledge exchange between partners. Researchers shared existing experience, methodological solutions and best practices that can be transferred between countries and adapted to the specific conditions of individual Living Labs. Such exchange is essential to the ECOFLOURISH multi-actor approach, which aims to combine scientific knowledge with practical experience and local needs.

The discussions resulted in a clearer common framework for the next stages of the project, including upcoming field activities, data collection, coordination between Work Packages and the further development of Living Labs. The meeting established a strong basis for continued cooperation between consortium partners and for the implementation of integrated approaches to sustainable berry production, biodiversity enhancement, digital monitoring and agroecological innovation.

The internal sessions formed part of a broader programme of ECOFLOURISH activities in Lithuania, combining scientific project work, stakeholder engagement and exchange with researchers, policymakers, farmers and other actors involved in the transition towards more sustainable agricultural systems.

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