Supporting the agroecological transition through living labs networks (SUNRISE)

SUNRISE aims to foster the agroecological transition by establishing a network of agroecological living labs (AELLs) across 10 EU countries, building upon existing living labs.

AELLs are framed at sub-regional level and are based on networks of actors (multi-actor teams, MATs) engaged in agroecological practices/value chains.

MATs are responsible for activities of co-creation, demonstration, and knowledge sharing centred on innovative agroecological practices.

In all AELL areas, research infrastructures (RIs) are active in agroecological research and testing co-created innovations. RIs and commercial farms where research/innovation testing is conducted are target sites for dissemination.

In Sweden, SUNRISE will target mixed cropping systems in establishment by a MAT in Norrboten and Västerbotten, allowing farmers to design and test crop-livestock integration systems, measuring also changes in soil and animal welfare.

The proposal core is to co-design, co-test, co-evaluate, co-validate and co-share novel agroecological solutions (i.e., practices) aimed to overcome key challenges that impede or delay the agroecological transition.

Activities are centred on priority sub-themes and related potential agroecological solutions identified and validated by each MAT.

Successful activities will allow synthesising and upscaling of SUNRISE approaches and outcomes from a local level (Local Lighthouses) to a European one (European Lighthouses), laying the basis for a permanent AELL network.