Ensuring food security is an important task not only of the economy, but also of science. In Ukraine, the National University of Life and Environmental Science of Ukraine is a major center of agricultural education and science. Therefore, the Ecotwins project was created to strengthen the research potential of the NUBiP team of scientists and create a network platform for the best practices of agro-ecological intensification to increase scientific excellence and international cooperation.

According to the Ecotwins project, it is planned to conduct field tests of the combined effect of biostimulants and legumes on productivity and provision of ecosystem services. For this purpose, on the basis of NUBiP of Ukraine, under the leadership of Oksana Tonkha, dean of the agrobiology faculty and project coordinator, a project group of specialists from various fields was assembled: agrochemists, plant growers, technologists, agriculturists, methodologists, soil scientists and production workers. Postgraduate students of the faculty are also involved in the project.

One of the meetings of the project group took place in the first decade of March. The basis of conducting experiments and the scheme of their establishment were considered and discussed.

The biggest discussion took place regarding the fertilization of experiment options. They discussed the nutritional needs of plants in specific phases of development, the form and availability of nutrients in fertilizers, methods of applying fertilizers.

In addition to Ukrainian scientists, foreign scientists and professionals are constantly involved in the coordination of plans. This is a positive factor on the way to establishing communication, dissemination and use of the results of the project on agro-ecological intensification by leading scientific institutions of Ukraine and the European Union.

We confidently step into a happy future together with Ecotwins!