ENDURE is a major source of information and provides a platform for knowledge exchange regarding all aspects of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). It is building on the experience and knowledge amassed within the European Commission-funded ENDURE Network of Excellence (2007-2010).

ENDURE supports scientists, farm advisers and policy advisers by providing research tools, a freely available online information centre and a Network of Experts.

ENDURE is driven by scientists and advisers from partner organisations across a wide range of European countries.

The ENDURE Network of Excellence was launched in 2007 with four-year funding under the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme. Over the subsequent four years, the Network brought together more than 300 researchers from 18 different institutions committed to an ambitious and wide-ranging programme of activities. These activities were designed to create the Network of Excellence, tackle a multi-disciplinary research programme and ensure the results of this research reached all interested stakeholders.

The success of the Network of Excellence can be judged by the commitment of all its research and advisory partners to the current ENDURE which continues to maintain the tools and services created and offer a range of support and tools to farm advisers, the research community and policy advisers involved in the implementation of Europe’s new ‘pesticides package’.

ENDURE’s mission is to provide support to extension, policy and research across Europe to ensure the development of sustainable crop protection. To achieve this, four types of activities are being pursued:

1. Strategic:

Helping to coordinate research applied to crop protection within Europe.

• Acting as a launching pad for European and international collaborative projects that will contribute funding for ENDURE and ENDURE-related activities.
• Coordinating national actions relevant to the ENDURE research agenda including research initiatives in support of National Action Plans.
• Functioning as a forum with stakeholders and other associated groups such as the IOBC for the identification of research, extension and policy initiatives using the Foresight study as a tool to fuel debates on future needs around issues of relevance to both continental European and tropical agriculture.
• Sharing international experience through networking with partners outside Europe.
• Considering new partners for increased added value when needed and relevant.

2. Research

Developing and connecting ENDURE research resources and making them accessible to the international research community through the ENDURE Resource Centre.

• Maintaining, using and updating existing ENDURE tools.
• Developing new common research tools.
• Strengthening our multi-disciplinary approach.
• Improving our sharing of research capacities (for example, networked experimental set-ups).
• Increasing our competencies through mobility and training.
• Contributing to higher education on sustainable crop protection and IPM.

3. Scientific support to policy

Supporting the development and implementation of policies relevant to crop protection.

• Facilitating cross-European exchanges between National Action Plans and their associated national research programmes.
• Through the ENDURE Network of Experts producing expert studies upon request from the policy making sphere and other stakeholders.
• Sharing knowledge and experiences with countries (including tropical countries) exporting their products to Europe.

4. Extension

Supporting extension services on IPM.

• Establishing the ENDURE Information Centre as a major demand-driven source of practical information on IPM for advisers in several languages across Europe.
• Developing the ENDURE Network of Advisers as a forum for knowledge-sharing and collective reflection on the new challenges in crop protection.
• Producing training material, such as the ENDURE IPM Training Guide to support the transition towards IPM and establishing links with vocational agricultural schools.

Download the ENDURE 2011 brochure: