KMETIJSKI INSTITUT SLOVENIJE - AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE OF SLOVENIA

Their core work

Slovenia's national agricultural research institute, conducting applied research in crop science, plant breeding, soil management, and livestock diversity. They develop practical solutions for European farmers — from organic crop breeding and integrated weed management to food legume genetic resources and belowground biodiversity in horticulture. Their work bridges laboratory genetics with on-farm implementation, frequently operating in multi-actor frameworks that connect researchers directly with end users and farming communities.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015-2018), the institute focused on traditional agricultural disciplines: field crop management, conservation tillage, organic farming, weed control, and building a national centre of excellence across animal science, viticulture, and plant protection. From 2019 onward, their work shifted toward data-driven agriculture, genetic resources, and research infrastructure — with projects on knowledge e-platforms, food legume genomics with AI and citizen science, epigenome-enabled breeding, and soil data harmonization. The trajectory shows a clear move from conventional agronomy toward digitally-enabled, genetically-informed sustainable farming systems.

Moving toward data-intensive agricultural research combining genomics, digital knowledge platforms, and climate-smart soil management — positioning themselves as a partner for precision agriculture and genetic resource conservation projects.

How they like to work

They balance leadership and partnership — coordinating 3 of 12 projects (25%) while mostly contributing as a partner in larger consortia. With 281 unique partners across 49 countries, they maintain an exceptionally broad network for an institute of their size, suggesting they are well-connected and trusted across European agricultural research. Their two third-party roles (METROFOOD-PP, EJP SOIL) indicate they are also drawn in as national representatives in pan-European infrastructure initiatives.

Remarkably wide network of 281 partners across 49 countries — far exceeding what their 12 projects would suggest, indicating participation in very large consortia. Their reach spans well beyond the EU into global agricultural research networks.

What sets them apart

As Slovenia's primary agricultural research institute, they serve as the national entry point for EU agricultural collaborations — a role evidenced by their participation in pan-European infrastructure projects like METROFOOD and EJP SOIL. Their combination of plant breeding expertise (organic crops, food legumes) with animal genetics (pig breeds, monogastric epigenomics) is unusual for a single institute, making them a versatile partner who can cover both crop and livestock dimensions within a single consortium. For a research centre from a smaller EU member state, their 49-country network demonstrates exceptional international integration.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ECOBREED
  Their largest project (EUR 1M, coordinator role) — a flagship effort on organic crop breeding for wheat, potato, soybean, and buckwheat combining phenotyping, genotyping, and participatory approaches.
• TREASURE
  Coordinated project preserving local pig breed diversity across Europe, connecting biodiversity conservation with traditional food product quality — a distinctive niche combining animal science with cultural heritage.
• INCREASE
  Participating in an ambitious food legume genetic resources project combining genomics, AI, blockchain, and citizen science — representing their move toward data-intensive agricultural research.