IOTA Research into Practice: A review of organic research and what it means for practical organic farming
The Institute of Organic Training and Advice is actively involved in disseminating the results of organic research through this public website as well as through a range of events and services, some of which are available to IOTA members only.
Recently Defra has been spending around £2 million a year on organic research. IOTA is focused on making best use of that work. With the new Defra research strategy there is no longer a ring fenced organic programme and there is an increasing expectation of funding through LINK projects and the Levy Boards.
The challenge to provide an efficient means of disseminating the results of research and supporting farmers in developing more effective organic systems gets ever greater. The dissemination of research results is funded by Defra through the PACARes project.
IOTA is or has been involved in several projects including:
- Using legume-based mixtures to enhance the nitrogen use efficiency and economic viability of cropping systems (LegLINK)
- Sustainable organic and low input dairying (SOLID)
Research review downloads – reviews of the research on 24 organic farming topics undertaken by IOTA, with summaries of the key recommendations for farming together with access to a number of otherwise inaccessible research reports.
Technical leaflet downloads – nine technical leaflets providing summaries of the key practical farming recommendations arising from organic research.