EFNCP participates in the recently awarded HNV-LINK H2020 project
EFNCP’s work on High Nature Value farming is getting an important boost from a prestigious Horizon 2020 project called HNV LINK, which stands for High Nature Value Farming: Learning, Innovation and Knowledge. The Forum and three of its members (STEP, AScA and Entretantos) are among the partners that put together this 13-partner consortium, which grew out of the EIP Focus Group on HNV farming. With an overall budget of 2.2 M€, the project will start in March 2016 and last for three years.
The project network will be focusing on innovations that support HNV farming systems and communities by simultaneously improving their “socio-economic viability” and “environmental efficiency”. A set of “learning areas” will be used to evaluate innovation examples and innovation gaps, not only technical and commercial innovation but also social, institutional and policy innovation. There is also an ambitious dissemination plan for engaging farmers groups, researchers and other actors beyond the 10 learning areas.


Catte farmer from one of the learning areas of the HNV-LINK project (the Burren, Ireland) guiding visitors during the 2015 EFNCP HNV Conference. Photo: Jabier Ruiz
The project will support grassroots activities (such as exchange visits), which are always highly demanded by practitioners on the ground. The project’s website and other communication channels will be established by mid-2016.
Follow the project as a whole on its website and learn more about the Dartmoor Learning Area. For detailed information, you can contact the HNV-LINK communication person – Irina Herzon (herzon@mappi.helsinki.fi) or Guy Beaufoy from the Forum (guy@efncp.org).
HNV-LINK Coordinator:
- Institut Agronomique Mediterrannéen de Montpellier (CIHEAM-IAMM) - France
HNV-LINK Partners:

Spanish sheep farmer in calcareous Mediterranean grasslands. Photo: Rogelio Jiménez
- European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism (EFNCP) - United Kingdom
- University of Evora, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas - Portugal
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj Napoca - Romania
- Society for Territorial and Environmental Prosperity (STEP) - Bulgaria
- County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland - Sweden
- Application des Sciences de l‘Action (AScA) - France
- Sligo Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Science - Ireland
- University of Thessaly, Department of planning and regional development - Greece
- University of Helsinki. Department of Agricultural Sciences - Finland
- Local action group LAG 5 - Croatia
- Conservatoire d’Espaces Naturels Languedoc-Roussillon - France
- Fundación Entretantos - Spain
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