LIVESEED was a major European research and innovation project dedicated to strengthening the availability and use of organic seed and plant breeding across Europe.
The project ran from June 2017 to September 2021 and brought together research institutions, universities, seed organizations, organic farming groups, and other stakeholders from across Europe. Its central objective was to make organic seed more widely available while improving its quality, diversity, and competitiveness.
The project addressed an important challenge facing organic agriculture: organic farmers need seed that is suitable for organic production systems, but historically, the availability of organically produced seed has not always matched demand.
LIVESEED therefore examined the entire organic seed chain, from breeding and variety development to seed production, certification, marketing, regulation, and farmer access.
The Need for Organic Seed
Organic farming is based on production principles that differ from conventional agriculture.
Organic farmers generally work with lower external chemical inputs and place greater emphasis on soil health, biodiversity, ecological processes, and preventive crop management.
The seed used in these systems can therefore play an important role.
Seeds and plant varieties developed specifically for organic production can be selected for characteristics such as disease resistance, adaptation to low-input conditions, competitiveness with weeds, nutrient-use efficiency, and suitability for diverse farming systems.
However, simply producing conventional varieties organically does not necessarily address all of the needs of organic farmers.
This created a need for greater investment in organic plant breeding and the development of varieties specifically adapted to organic and low-input systems.
LIVESEED focused on this challenge.
The Project’s Main Objective
The overall goal of LIVESEED was to improve the availability, quality, and competitiveness of organic seed and encourage the development of organic plant breeding across Europe.
The project approached the issue from multiple directions rather than focusing solely on seed production.
Its work included:
- Organic plant breeding
- Seed production
- Seed quality
- Variety testing
- Organic seed databases
- Regulatory frameworks
- Market development
- Farmer participation
- Knowledge exchange
- Policy recommendations
This broad approach reflected the complexity of the organic seed sector.
A seed can be technically available but difficult for farmers to find. A variety may be well adapted to organic production but have insufficient seed production. A suitable variety may exist but lack adequate market demand.
LIVESEED attempted to address these interconnected problems.
European Collaboration
LIVESEED was structured as a collaborative European project.
The initiative brought together organizations from different parts of the European organic agriculture and research community. This international structure was important because seed systems, agricultural conditions, regulations, and crop priorities differ between countries.
A solution that works for a cereal-growing region in northern Europe may not necessarily work for vegetable production in southern Europe.
By connecting researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, policymakers, and organic-sector organizations, LIVESEED aimed to encourage the exchange of knowledge and approaches between countries.
This helped the project consider organic seed as a European-wide system rather than a collection of isolated national markets.
Organic Plant Breeding
One of LIVESEED’s major areas of interest was organic plant breeding.
Plant breeding involves selecting and developing plants with desirable characteristics. Conventional breeding programs may focus on traits such as yield, uniformity, disease resistance, or suitability for particular production systems.
Organic breeding adds another layer of requirements.
Plants intended for organic agriculture may need to perform effectively under conditions involving:
- Lower availability of readily soluble nutrients
- Greater biological diversity
- Reduced reliance on synthetic pesticides
- Greater weed competition
- Different soil-management practices
- Variable environmental conditions
LIVESEED investigated how breeding strategies could better address these conditions.
The project supported research into breeding approaches and the development of varieties capable of performing well under organic management.
Variety Testing
Testing varieties under appropriate production conditions is an important part of plant breeding.
A variety that performs exceptionally well under conventional high-input conditions may not necessarily perform equally well on an organic farm.
LIVESEED therefore placed attention on testing and evaluating varieties under organic conditions.
Such testing can provide useful information about characteristics including yield stability, disease resistance, competitiveness, quality, and adaptation.
Testing across different European environments can also reveal whether a variety performs consistently or whether its suitability is strongly dependent on local climate and soil conditions.
Increasing Organic Seed Availability
A central challenge identified by LIVESEED was the availability of organic seed.
Organic agriculture has expanded substantially in Europe, but the supply of organically produced seed has not always developed at the same pace.
Farmers need access to appropriate seed when planning their crops. If suitable organic seed is unavailable, they may face limited variety choices or rely on exceptions allowing the use of conventionally produced seed under certain circumstances.
Increasing organic seed availability therefore requires action at several stages.
Seed producers need sufficient demand to justify production. Farmers need access to suitable varieties. Breeders need incentives to develop varieties. Seed companies need viable markets.
LIVESEED’s approach was to examine these relationships and identify ways of strengthening the overall system.
The Organic Seed Database
Access to information is another important part of seed availability.
Farmers cannot easily choose organic seed if they do not know which varieties and suppliers are available.
LIVESEED contributed to work surrounding organic seed databases and transparency of seed availability.
Such databases can help connect farmers with seed suppliers and provide information about available varieties.
Improving the visibility of organic seed can also make it easier to identify gaps in the market.
If farmers repeatedly search for varieties that are unavailable, the information can help researchers, breeders, and seed companies identify areas where additional production or breeding may be needed.
Seed Quality
Availability alone is not enough.
Organic seed must also meet appropriate quality standards.
Seed quality can involve factors such as germination, health, purity, genetic identity, and physical condition.
Poor-quality seed can result in weak establishment, uneven crop stands, lower yields, and additional production problems.
LIVESEED therefore considered how organic seed production and quality could be improved while maintaining the integrity of organic systems.
Quality is particularly important when farmers are investing significant amounts of time and resources into crop production.
Genetic Diversity
Another important theme associated with LIVESEED was crop diversity.
Modern agriculture has often relied heavily on a relatively limited number of widely cultivated varieties.
Organic farming, by contrast, can benefit from broader genetic diversity.
Different varieties may provide different combinations of characteristics, allowing farmers to select plants suited to local environments, farming methods, markets, and climate conditions.
Greater genetic diversity can also contribute to resilience.
If environmental conditions change, having a broader range of genetic material can provide breeders and farmers with more options for adaptation.
LIVESEED therefore considered biodiversity and genetic resources as part of the broader development of sustainable organic seed systems.
Farmer Participation
Farmers were an important part of the LIVESEED approach.
Seed systems work most effectively when breeding and variety development reflect actual agricultural needs.
Farmers have practical knowledge about how varieties perform under local conditions. They can identify characteristics that may not be obvious in laboratory or conventional trial environments.
Participatory approaches can therefore connect farmers directly with breeders and researchers.
This can help identify desirable characteristics and ensure that breeding programs respond to real-world production requirements.
Policy and Regulation
Organic seed availability is also influenced by legislation.
European organic agriculture operates within regulatory frameworks governing organic production, certification, seed use, and permitted exceptions.
LIVESEED examined the relationship between regulation and the development of organic seed markets.
One important question was how policy could encourage greater use and production of organic seed without creating unnecessary barriers for farmers.
Regulations need to maintain the integrity of organic agriculture while also being practical enough to support farmers during periods when suitable organic seed is unavailable.
LIVESEED’s research therefore had implications beyond farming and breeding. It also contributed to discussions about how European policies could support stronger organic seed systems.
Competitiveness of Organic Seed
The project also focused on the competitiveness of organic seed.
Producing seed organically can involve additional costs, technical challenges, and certification requirements.
At the same time, seed producers need sufficient demand to maintain economically viable businesses.
A stronger organic seed market requires coordination between production and demand.
If farmers increasingly request organic seed, seed companies have greater incentives to expand production. If more suitable varieties become available, farmers have greater incentives to purchase organic seed.
This creates a potential cycle in which supply and demand reinforce one another.
LIVESEED investigated how this cycle could be strengthened.
Climate Change and Organic Seed
The development of resilient crop varieties is becoming increasingly important as agricultural conditions change.
Climate change can influence temperature, rainfall patterns, drought frequency, disease pressure, and other environmental factors.
Organic farmers may benefit from varieties capable of performing under changing and variable conditions without relying heavily on external inputs.
Plant breeding can contribute to this resilience by identifying and combining traits related to drought tolerance, disease resistance, nutrient efficiency, and environmental adaptability.
The work carried out through LIVESEED therefore has relevance to broader discussions about sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.
Knowledge Sharing
A major benefit of a European research project is the ability to bring together information from different countries and disciplines.
LIVESEED created opportunities for researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers to exchange knowledge.
This included research findings, technical information, practical experience, and policy discussions.
Knowledge sharing is particularly important in organic agriculture because farming conditions differ greatly across Europe.
A successful breeding technique or seed-production method developed in one country may provide ideas that can be adapted elsewhere.
The Importance of Organic Seed Systems
LIVESEED highlighted an important principle: organic agriculture depends on more than organic farming practices alone.
Seed is the starting point of crop production.
The genetic characteristics contained within a seed influence how a crop responds to soil, climate, pests, diseases, nutrients, and farming practices.
Developing varieties that are appropriate for organic systems can therefore strengthen organic agriculture from the beginning of the production cycle.
A well-developed organic seed system can provide farmers with greater choice and reduce dependence on exceptions allowing conventional seed to be used.
Legacy of LIVESEED
Although the LIVESEED project ended in September 2021, its research and recommendations remain relevant to the development of organic agriculture in Europe.
The project’s work contributed to a broader understanding of the challenges surrounding organic seed availability and helped bring together stakeholders who are often involved at different stages of the agricultural system.
Its legacy includes research, resources, networks, and policy discussions concerning organic breeding and seed production.
The issues addressed by LIVESEED have not disappeared with the end of the project. Organic agriculture continues to develop, and demand for suitable organic seed remains an important part of the sector’s growth.
Conclusion
LIVESEED was a major European research and innovation project focused on strengthening the organic seed and plant-breeding sector.
Running from June 2017 to September 2021, it addressed the availability, quality, diversity, and competitiveness of organic seed while examining how breeding, seed production, markets, farmer needs, and regulation interact.
The project recognized that a strong organic farming sector requires more than simply converting conventional agricultural practices to organic standards. Farmers also need varieties that are adapted to organic production and a reliable seed system capable of supplying those varieties.
By connecting researchers, breeders, farmers, seed producers, policymakers, and other stakeholders, LIVESEED helped advance discussion and research around the future of organic seed in Europe.
Its central message remains relevant: better organic seed systems can support more resilient, diverse, competitive, and sustainable organic agriculture.