STICHTING LOUIS BOLK INSTITUUT

Their core work

The Louis Bolk Institute is a Dutch independent research institute specializing in sustainable and organic agriculture, with deep expertise in alternative crops, plant breeding, and diversified farming systems. Their work centers on bringing underutilised plant species — such as quinoa, lupins, and legumes — into European food production as protein-rich, climate-resilient alternatives. They contribute applied agronomic research and field trial expertise to large European consortia developing sustainable food chains from seed to plate.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

The institute's H2020 participation spans start dates from 2015 to 2017, with projects running through 2021. Early projects (PROTEIN2FOOD, DIVERSIFOOD) focused on rediscovering and valorising underutilised crop species like quinoa and legumes for food production. Later projects (ReMIX, LIVESEED) shifted toward systemic agricultural redesign — mixed cropping systems and organic seed infrastructure — suggesting a move from individual crop research toward transforming entire farming systems.

Moving from single-crop research toward whole-system approaches to sustainable agriculture, making them a strong partner for projects addressing EU Farm-to-Fork and organic farming targets.

How they like to work

The Louis Bolk Institute exclusively participates as a partner rather than leading consortia, positioning itself as a trusted specialist contributor within large, multi-country projects. With 118 unique partners across 27 countries from just 5 projects, they operate in very large consortia (averaging 24+ partners per project), indicating comfort with complex coordination and broad European networks. This pattern suggests they bring specific applied research capabilities that complement larger teams rather than driving project strategy.

Remarkably broad network for a small institute: 118 unique consortium partners across 27 countries from only 5 projects. Their reach spans nearly all of the EU, with strong connections in the European sustainable agriculture research community.

What sets them apart

The Louis Bolk Institute occupies a distinctive niche as an independent, practice-oriented research foundation bridging organic farming science with real-world agricultural systems. Unlike university groups focused on fundamental research, they bring decades of applied field experience with alternative crops and organic methods. For consortium builders, they offer a credible Dutch partner with hands-on agronomic expertise and an unusually wide European network — valuable for projects needing practical validation of sustainable food innovations.

Highlights from their portfolio

• LIVESEED
  Largest funding received (EUR 538K) and most strategically significant — organic seed systems are a critical bottleneck for EU organic farming expansion targets.
• PROTEIN2FOOD
  Addressed Europe's protein transition challenge through underutilised species like quinoa and legumes, directly relevant to current EU protein strategy.
• LIBBIO
  Unusual cross-over between agriculture and biorefinery — lupins from marginal lands for industrial biomass, showing versatility beyond food applications.