The team, including ENDURE coordinator Pierre Ricci, assistant coordinator Marco Barzman and Emilie Latxague (all from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research) took the opportunity to outline five contrasting scenarios for European crop protection in 2030. These are:

• Simple crop protection reliant on the use of greener pesticides and with producers accountable for their environmental impacts.
• Specialised and knowledge-intensive crop protection based on appropriate technology.
• Integration of crop protection strategies based on exploiting synergies between all available methods. This scenario aims to stabilise pest populations at acceptable levels.
• Energy efficient crop protection, based on either using high-technology or the development of ecological processes.
• Diverse crop protection, depending on the different demands from the local community. Here crop protection contributes to the economic success of a region with an emphasis on protecting the environment.

These scenarios were initially created through a series of workshops with representatives from northern Europe - France, Denmark, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom - and the Greek event presented the ideal opportunity to gather input with a Mediterranean and central or eastern European focus.

The researchers invited to September’s meeting came from Greece, Spain, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Hungary, giving a different perspective on crop protection towards 2030. In particular, they emphasised the characteristics of their regions in terms of crops (maize, olive and durum wheat), types of agriculture (extensive, subsistence and family farms) and the relationship between agriculture and society (perceptions of agriculture, links with consumers and institutions).

In the coming months, ENDURE members will present the foresight study in their respective countries. This will encourage debate on transforming crop protection while Member States begin to develop their action plans in order to comply with the European Framework Directive on the sustainable use of pesticides. The complete foresight study is due to be published at the end of 2009.

For more information on foresight, go to JRC, European Commission.