On July 18-19, 2024, the annual meeting of the Ecotwins project took place at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH). Notably, despite the challenging times due to military actions in Ukraine, our university delegation, including Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Prof. Oksana Tonkha, Dean of the Faculty of Agronomy, Prof. Vitaliy Kovalenko, and Associate Professor of the Department of Analytical and Bioinorganic Chemistry and Water Quality, Assoc. Prof. Olha Kravchenko, managed to attend the meeting.

The official part of the event began with a welcome speech from the hosts – the UCPH team, particularly Bhim Bahadur Ghaley, Professor of the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. After introducing the participants, project coordinator Prof. Oksana Tonkha delivered a report on the results and achievements of the current year.

The discussion then focused on the completed tasks from each Ecotwins project package. Interesting presentations and lively discussions addressed the first task package: joint planning of field research. UCPH PhD student Saad Mir presented an improved field research scheme in Denmark. Assoc. Prof. Olha Kravchenko reported on a workshop on academic writing and preparations for an upcoming seminar on statistical methods in agronomy and ecology, planned to be conducted jointly with colleagues from the University of Reading (UK). Scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), led by Jean Yong, introduced participants to joint publications soon to be published in top-cited agroecology journals.

Most of the working time was dedicated to work package 2 – conducting joint field experiments to intensify crop production. UCPH PhD students Saad Mir and Vaibhav Pradip Chaudhary provided research protocols and analysis of results obtained during the project. An exceptionally interesting presentation was given online by Assoc. Prof. Bohdan Mazurenko from the Department of Plant Science, who presented the scheme and results of research implemented at the Agronomic Research Station. Sahar Azarkamand, a representative from the International School of Business (ESCI, Spain), highlighted the main achievements regarding the assessment mechanisms of crop cultivation technology and the use of biostimulants via Life Cycle Costing (LCC). Following this, NUBiP of Ukraine representatives reported on the valorization of joint cultivation of cereal-legume crops.

After the lunch break, partners focused on tasks related to work packages 3 and 4. Professor Jean Yong briefed attendees on the short-term visits of NUBiP students and scientists, which took place despite the difficult situation in Ukraine. Project coordinator Prof. Oksana Tonkha discussed the submitted applications for the Horizon program and introduced further collaboration opportunities.

An online report by Ilija Sazdovski (ESCI) on the target indicators to be achieved by the project's end and joint progress sparked lively discussions. Plans for organizing the next Summer School for our university's scientists and PhD students were also discussed.

Significant attention was devoted to completing tasks for package 4. Prof. Oksana Tonkha presented the updated version of the project website (https://ecotwins.eu/) and the dissemination of project information on social media platforms, including X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube. The first working day concluded with a discussion on achieved results involving stakeholders, led by Tatiana Maievska, a representative of the National Scientific Center “FOREL” (Ukraine) and a graduate of our university.

The second day of the annual meeting was equally productive. Initially, partners visited a mushroom farm to learn about eco-friendly mushroom cultivation technology. The next stop was the Urban Farm in central Copenhagen, a site that served as a shipbuilding company canteen until 2014. Farm manager Livia Urban Haaland introduced attendees to the implementation of organic practices for growing vegetables and flowers in an urban environment.

The Consortium participants also visited the University of Copenhagen’s research station. Scientists observed firsthand the innovative projects undertaken by UCPH students and PhD candidates and inspected the Ecotwins project research fields.

The fascinating field trip concluded with a visit to local farmers who implement organic farming practices in their operations.

In summary, we believe the second year of the project was highly successful and hope the next meeting will be held in a peaceful Ukraine. We invite you to follow the project’s social media pages:

X: https://x.com/Ecotwins22?t=b2o0gcknuLsInbX412-8lw&s=09
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ecotwinshorizon?si=QyjsDUTGU_JmZfS8
Website: ecotwins.eu