Events

The Crop-MATCHING consortium gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 7–8 May 2026 for its 1st Interim Meeting, bringing together the project partners to review the progress achieved during the first reporting period and coordinate the next implementation steps of the project.

Hosted by Szpirt & Company (S&C), the meeting focused on the progress of several work packages related to crop-matching practices, stakeholder engagement, policy analysis, communication activities and innovation management. The Project Officer connected remotely to share his thoughts with the consortium.

During the first day, partners presented the ongoing work developed under WP1, dedicated to build a multi-stakeholder co-creation community, and the identification of best crop-matching practices across ten target countries. Activities presented included the creation of Practice Groups and a European Thematic Network, generating a multi-actor structure involving farmers, researchers, public authorities and civil society organisations.

The consortium also discussed the review of existing knowledge and the identification of more than 100 crop-matching practices that will support the future selection of lighthouse practices and success stories across Europe.

WP2 sessions addressed farmers’ information and training needs as well as policy and governance analysis related to crop-matching adoption. Partners presented methodologies based on SWOT-PESTLE analysis, stakeholder engagement and policy exchange activities that will support evidence-based recommendations for smallholders and policymakers.

On the second day, discussions focused on communication, dissemination and capacity-building activities. The consortium reviewed the progress of the Crop-MATCHING website and social media channels, alongside the communication materials already developed to increase the project’s visibility and engagement with stakeholders across Europe.

Partners also presented the project’s innovation management strategy, which aims to transform project results into practical and accessible solutions for small-scale farmers and foresters through an Innovation Management System and collaborative multi-actor processes.

The meeting concluded with discussions on upcoming events, including thematic network exchanges in Portugal, Poland and Romania, European policy exchanges and the next General Meeting planned for October 2026 in Portugal. The next relevant event will be the first European Policy Exchange scheduled for 9 September 2026 in Chania, Greece. The event, hosted by CIHEAM MAICh, will foster dialogue between policymakers, researchers and agricultural stakeholders to strengthen governance frameworks and support the adoption of sustainable crop-matching practices across Europe.

Crop-MATCHING continues working towards supporting resilient, sustainable and biodiversity-friendly agricultural systems through innovative crop-matching approaches adapted to local contexts and farmers’ needs.