FIBL EUROPE - FORSCHUNGSINSTITUTFUR BIOLOGISCHEN LANDBAU IN EUROPA

Their core work

FiBL Europe is the Brussels-based European branch of FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture), one of the world's leading organic farming research organizations. They work on advancing agroecology, organic agriculture practices, and sustainable food systems across Europe — bridging research with on-farm application. Their H2020 involvement focuses on building European networks for agroecological research (living labs, research infrastructures), developing circular bio-based fertilizers from waste streams, and strengthening advisory services for sustainable farming. They operate at the intersection of policy, practice, and science, helping translate organic farming research into actionable guidance for farmers and advisors.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

FiBL Europe's early H2020 work (2019–2020) focused on integrated farming systems in developing contexts — crop-shrub-livestock integration, herder-farmer cooperation, and rural livelihoods in the Sahel region, reflecting a global sustainable agriculture agenda. Their more recent projects (2020–2021 onwards) shifted decisively toward European agroecological infrastructure: living labs, research networks, open innovation platforms, and circular economy solutions like bio-based fertilizers from fishery waste. This evolution shows a move from field-level participatory research toward building the institutional and technical backbone for Europe's organic farming transition.

FiBL Europe is positioning itself as a key node in Europe's agroecological research infrastructure, with growing emphasis on living labs, open innovation, and circular nutrient management — making them a strong partner for Farm-to-Fork and Green Deal-aligned projects.

How they like to work

FiBL Europe consistently participates as a partner rather than leading consortia (0 coordinator roles across 4 projects, plus one third-party involvement). They join large consortia — 98 unique partners across 33 countries indicates they are embedded in broad, multi-country networks rather than working in tight bilateral setups. This suggests they are a trusted specialist contributor that larger consortia bring in for organic agriculture expertise, rather than a project-driving institution — likely because Brussels-based operations focus on network facilitation and policy proximity rather than large-scale research management.

Extensive European and global network with 98 unique consortium partners spanning 33 countries — an unusually wide geographic spread for an organization with only 4 projects, reflecting the large-scale coordination and support actions they join. Their network likely concentrates in Western and Southern European agricultural research communities, with extensions into Sub-Saharan Africa through SustainSAHEL.

What sets them apart

FiBL Europe brings the credibility of the FiBL brand — one of the most recognized names in organic agriculture research worldwide — combined with a Brussels base that provides proximity to EU policy-making. They bridge the gap between on-farm organic practices and European policy frameworks, making them an ideal partner for projects that need both scientific rigor in agroecology and understanding of the EU regulatory and funding landscape. For consortium builders, they offer organic farming expertise with built-in connections to the broader FiBL research network (Switzerland, Germany, Austria).

Highlights from their portfolio

• ALL-Ready
  Preparation phase for a European-wide agroecology living lab and research infrastructure network — a foundational project shaping how Europe organizes agroecological research going forward.
• SEA2LAND
  Unusual cross-sector combination of fishery waste processing and organic agriculture, producing bio-based fertilizers — a concrete circular economy application with clear commercial potential.
• SustainSAHEL
  Their only project with a global development dimension, showing FiBL Europe's reach beyond the EU into Sub-Saharan African agricultural systems.