Unlocking the Potential of Operational Groups in Sustainable Weed Management: The Oper8 Project

The Oper8 project address the urgent necessity of reducing the use of chemical herbicides in Europe by practitioners on both agricultural and forestry sectors. Thus, Oper8 relies on eight existing Operational Groups (OGs) covering seven countries of Europe and moving forward on sustainable non-chemical weed management solutions, building up seven multi-actor National Networks (NNs) developed for co-creating and scaling weed management innovative practices. Oper8 NNs are built to identify best solutions and facilitate the exchange of knowledge among stakeholders, therefore establishing a platform for guiding the co-creation of solutions specifically adapted to local conditions and challenges. A down-top and top-down approach was applied at national and European levels in order to identify 80 best practices for the creation of easily accessible training materials (e-learning module) and knowledge objects. In addition, practical knowledge is spread to end-users through dissemination materials, cross visits, workshops and demonstration events. Best practices were thoroughly evaluated for a range of agricultural systems and countries, demonstrating their advantages for the economy and environment while minimizing implementation obstacles. The outputs generated within the project will strengthen the EU AKIS, leading the way for reducing the reliance on chemical herbicides, contributing to more resilient and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.