
STRATUS
PROJECT SUMMARY
STRATUS – AdviSors neTwork foR OptimAl ferTilisers USe, extending over 60 months, aims to connect advisors across Europe for accelerating knowledge creation and sharing on Integrated Fertilization Management, supporting farmers to bring this knowledge into practice to achieve the ambition of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, thus reducing nutrient losses to the environment while maintaining soil fertility. For this, STRATUS will create an EU-wide advisory network through the creation of three transnational sub-networks (Fertilization Innovation Networks – FIN) on Precision farming, Bio-based fertilizers, and Soil quality (SQ) in which trained advisors will collect a total of 104 Good Practices (GPs) and Research Innovations (RIs) on optimal fertilizer use and will identify at least 48 Best Practices (BPs) as the result of the systemic feasibility assessment of the GPs and RIs. In addition, STRATUS will also ensure the integration of the advisors in the MS AKIS as well as the adaptation of the project work to the local conditions through the creation of 10 Communities of Practices (CoPs), in 10 partner countries, established with local AKIS actors, following the MA approach. Based on these BPs, STRATUS will develop 60 demonstrations and training materials that will facilitate advisors to exchange knowledge, experiences, and key challenges for advisory practice through Cross Visits to all MS and CoPs. All the knowledge generated in the project will become available through an inventory hosted in the digital platform of the STRATUS project. STRATUS will determine the model for the exploitation model of the platform besides the self-sustainability of the EU-wide advisory network. STRATUS will cover all EU27 MS, eleven (11) MS are covered directly by project partners, while the other is covered through being members of EUFRAS and SEASN and the project’s advisory organizations in charge of “mirroring” knowledge exchange.
OBJECTIVES
- Objective 1: To create a sustainable EU-wide advisory network embedded in the MS AKIS to gather, evaluate, and disseminate existing innovative solutions related to effective and novel approaches for optimal fertilizer use taking account of local conditions.
- Objective 2: To create a project’s digital platform providing an inventory of EU-wide identified GP and RI on optimal fertilizer use, also creating guidelines for advisors to draw NMPs
- Objective 3: To identify 48 Best Practices and key success factors for their replicability across the EU as well as the barriers affecting their acceptance and adoption, considering economic, environmental, and social aspects.
- Objective 4: To support advisors in exchanging knowledge, experiences, and key challenges for practice around effective and novel approaches for optimal fertilizer use, also supporting farmers to bring this knowledge into practice through the development of activities and materials covering EU27 MS.
- Objective 5: To deploy a strong communication, dissemination, and exploitation strategy to ensure project activities and results engage with and reach advisors and other AKIS actors across the EU, thus guaranteeing their use and replicability to achieve the project’s expected impacts on the reduction of nutrient losses and the optimal use of fertilizers.
METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH
WP1: Network creation and sustainability
The STRATUS project will connect European advisors to accelerate knowledge sharing on Integrated Farm Management (IFM) by creating an EU-wide advisory network with three Fertilization Innovation Networks (FINs):
- Precision Farming (PF): Optimizing fertilizer use through technology.
- Bio-based Fertilizers (BBF): Replacing mineral fertilizers with sustainable bio-based alternatives.
- Soil Quality (SQ): Implementing techniques to maintain soil fertility and manage nutrients sustainably.
Each FIN will have scientific and advisory leaders to translate knowledge into practice. STRATUS will also establish ten Communities of Practice (CoPs) in various countries to integrate advisors into national Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). These CoPs will facilitate peer-to-peer learning among stakeholders, including policymakers, to ensure relevant policy recommendations. Additionally, STRATUS will explore ways to sustain the network after the project ends.

Figure: STRATUS EU advisory network
WP2: Knowledge gathering and platform for knowledge exchange and sharing
The STRATUS project will provide all generated knowledge through an inventory on its digital platform, featuring training and networking components for advisors. Using agile development and data exchange frameworks, the platform will be interoperable with advisory networks and the EU-FarmBook platform.
Key content will include Good Practices (GPs), effective field-tested solutions, and Research Innovations (RIs), novel approaches for farming practices. These will be collected using methods from the Horizon 2020 Bovine project. FINs will collaborate with CoPs to identify and share GPs, fostering peer-to-peer learning. GPs and RIs will be documented with templates and uploaded to the platform by scientific FIN leaders for detailed analysis.
WP3: Systemic feasibility assessment
In Work Package 3 (WP3) of the STRATUS project, selected Good Practices (GPs) and Research Innovations (RIs) from WP2 will undergo a feasibility quick scan, assessing economic, applicability, value chain, legal, environmental, and social impacts through literature reviews and expert interviews. Data will be compiled into information sheets for discussion.
Task 3.3 will perform detailed economic analyses on promising Best Practices (BPs) using methods like Cost-Benefit Analysis, Partial Budgeting, or feasibility studies, based on their Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Lower TRL practices will need more interview data. The final analysis of 48 BPs will be reported, with continuous methodology improvements discussed in Task 3.1.

Figure: GP & RI to BP and demos funneling process
WP4: Facilitation of Knowledge transfer and exchange
Work Package 4 (WP4) of the STRATUS project centers on peer-to-peer learning through Cross-Visits (CVs) and on-farm demonstrations. Proven effective in past projects, these activities will enhance understanding of innovative approaches and build lasting networks. STRATUS will organize 20 CVs in two rounds (Years 2-3 and Year 4) with guidelines to ensure proper multi-actor involvement, including participants from EU27 member states.
On-farm demonstrations will give farmers hands-on experience with new methods and technologies. Building on the EU SCAR AKIS report and previous projects, STRATUS will support up to 60 demonstration events. The Train the Trainers (TtT) approach will train FIN members in technical, organizational, and interpersonal skills, who will then train other advisors in their CoPs, adapting lessons to local contexts for maximum impact.

Figure: STRATUS knowledge gathering and exchange rounds
INVOLVEMENT OF FARMERS
In STRATUS, farmers are central to the advisory network’s focus. They are actively involved from the project’s inception through various tasks. Initially, ten Communities of Practice (CoPs) will be established in partner countries, integrating farmers alongside policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders. Throughout the project, farmers’ involvement in CoPs remains pivotal, contributing to activities such as Good Practice (GP) collection and demonstrating selected GPs. While direct participation in cross visits (CVs) may vary, farmers will be invited to regional/national CVs, fostering knowledge exchange at different levels. This inclusive approach extends to project communication and dissemination efforts, where farmers are a key target group identified for engagement.
PARTICIPANTS
The STRATUS project aims to cover all 27 EU member states (MS), addressing diverse European pedo-climatic conditions. Eleven MS are directly involved through project partners in various activities, while another twelve MS participate through the EUFRAS and SEASN networks. The remaining four MS (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus, and Malta) are reached via five advisory organizations tasked with “mirroring” knowledge exchange. These organizations, identified by EUFRAS and SEASN, have allocated budgets for activities like training and cross-visits. STRATUS will also collaborate with advisory network projects funded by Horizon Europe 2023-2024 to ensure comprehensive EU27 coverage. Sixteen advisory organizations from EUFRAS and SEASN networks have been pre-selected to ensure smooth interaction with all MS. For the four non-networked countries, partners with existing contacts have been selected to maintain communication. EUFRAS and SEASN manage partner organizations not directly part of STRATUS, ensuring effective coordination and communication throughout the project’s duration.
OUTCOMES
- Outcome 1: Progress towards the most urgent policy objectives linked to Cluster 6, as well as the EU GD, the F2F strategy, the new CAP, sustainable carbon cycles comm (…) increasing the sustainability of farming, helping to raise awareness and tackling societal challenges, including climate change, and helping to reduce nutrient losses and thereby the use of fertilizers.
- Outcome 2: Substitution of mineral fertilisers with sustainable, affordable high-quality bio-based alternatives from different residue and waste streams
- Outcome 3: Support to the CAP cross-cutting objective of modernising the sector by fostering and sharing knowledge, innovation and digitalisation in agriculture and rural areas, and encouraging their uptake
- Outcome 4: Development of interaction with regional policymakers and of a potential EU network to discuss institutional challenges to the reduction of nutrient losses and the use of fertilisers in practice, such as bottlenecks, lock-ins, political inertia, ambiguous regulations, inequality between MS and power imbalances
- Outcome 5: Production of supporting services and materials to facilitate the reduction of nutrient losses and the use of fertilisers, including knowledge networks and peer-to-peer counselling, master classes, advice modules, communication and education materials, effective business models for farm management with less fertilisers, and other risk mitigation tools and measures, etc.
- Outcome 6: Speed up of the introduction, spread and implementation in practice of innovative solutions related to fertiliser use and measures to reduce nutrient losses overall: a. creating added value by better linking research, education, advisors and farming practice and encouraging the wider use of available knowledge across the EU; b. learning from innovation actors and projects, resulting in faster sharing and implementation of ready-to-use innovative solutions, spreading them to practitioners and communicating to the scientific community the bottom- up research needs of practice.
SEASN’s INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT
SEASN’s role in this project is as a beneficiary. We participate in Work Package 1, where we are responsible for maintaining and expanding the STRATUS project network. Additionally, we contribute to Work Package 4 by providing guidelines, materials, and tools for conducting cross-visits, such as brochures.
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