Recently finished projects
Breathing Space - the Role of Farming
Breathing space (Ademruimte in Dutch) is a new initiative of the Collectief Natuurinclusief in the Netherlands in which the leisure economy, health, and agriculture domains work together to create more ‘breathing space’: for better prospects for rural entrepreneurs, new opportunities for the health and leisure of people living in cities, and for nature. It is a new and future-proof narrative for the countryside.
Avalon played a pivotal role as 'kwartiermaker' (quarter master) for this project by identifying and connecting potential alliances and additional funding sources in the farming sector and advising on how to approach these and develop and implement the concept further.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: Collectief Natuurinclusief (CI)
Duration: Jul 2024 − Feb 2025
Designing a Short Supply Chain for Organic Food in the Greidhoeke Region
This is the first big follow-up project on Avalon’s Bioregion the Greidhoeke programme. The project aims to strengthen the food transition and short-supply chain for organic food in the Greidhoeke region.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: NL Enterprise Agency (RVO)
Duration: Jan 2024 − Feb 2025
Paving the Road to Bioregion the Greidhoeke
Avalon provides various consultancy services to the Province of Fryslân, facilitating the transition to greener and healthier agriculture in the Greidhoeke − clay meadow region in central western Fryslân (the Netherlands).
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: Province of Fryslân
Duration: Apr 2024 − Jan 2025
CLIMATE RISKS FOR PODRAVKA
Assessment of climate change risks & hazards and guidance on identifying and mitigating agriculture-related climate risks for Podravka Ltd. – a leading Croatian food processor.
Country: Croatia
Commissioned by: Ernst & Young Croatia
Duration: Jan 2024− Mar 2024
BIOECONOMY STRATEGY EVALUATION
Ex-ante evaluation of the Croatian National Bioeconomy Strategy until 2035. Avalon provided the team leader who guided the evaluation team comprising members of the Institute for Development and International Relations and the Ministry of Agriculture.
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Country: Croatia
Commissioned by: Ministry of Agriculture
Duration: Nov 2023− Feb 2024
GUIDING STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF STENDEN
Coaching/guiding students of the NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the Future Design Playground of the Communication & Multimedia Design Program in designing a Bioregion communication & campaigning strategy for the Province of Friesland.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: NHL Stenden University
Duration: Mar 2023 − Jun 2023
THE BIOREGION GREIDHOEKE
An awareness-raising and policy advice project on mapping and analysing human and social capital and power/force fields, aiming at proposing societal processes and pathways for paving the transition roads to large-scale adoption of greener food and farming in the region of Greidhoeke.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: Province of Fryslân
Duration: Oct 2022 − Sep 2023
GUIDING STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN
Coaching/guiding students of the University of Groningen in undertaking a comprehensive survey on the Frisian citizens’ perception of organic food and farming, their food purchasing preferences, obstacles for consuming more organic food, etc.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: University of Groningen
Duration: Dec 2022 − July 2023
EU NITRATES DIRECTIVE - MONITORING AND REPORTING
Technical assistance at an EU-funded project assisting the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture in establishing a monitoring and reporting methodology for implementing Nitrate Action Plans in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in compliance with the EU Nitrates Directive and Water Framework Directive.
Country: Turkey
Commissioned by: European Commission
Duration: Apr 2022 − Apr 2024
RESEARCH ON ORGANIC FARMING PERSPECTIVES
A research project on policy mechanisms supporting the development of Kazakh’s organic food production in compliance with international production and market standards. Preparation of a series of review studies on the performance of organic farming production.
Country: Kazakhstan
Commissioned by: S. Seyful Kazakh Agricultural University
Duration: Sep 2021 − Jul 2023
SERIES OF EX-ANTE VALUATIONS OF EU IPARD 2021-2027 PROGRAMMES
Ex-ante evaluations of four IPARD 2021-2027 programmes in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. IPARD is the EU instrument for pre-accession assistance for rural development, focusing on rural areas and the agri-food sectors of countries in the process of joining the EU.
Country: Albania, Montenegro, North
Macedonia and Serbia
Commissioned by: Ministries of Agriculture of Albania,
Montenegro, North Macedonia,
and Serbia
Duration: May 2021 − Oct 2021
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ORGANIC AND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
The conference gathered over 150 speakers and participants from Europe, Australia, and the USA. It discussed the (i) new greening CAP policy instruments proposed by the European Commission, (ii) organic farming’s contribution to biodiversity, human health, and food productivity/security, and (iii) the role of Bioregions.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food
Quality, Provinces of Fryslân, Groningen
and Drenthe
Duration: May 2021 − Oct 2021
THE ADDED VALUE OF ORGANIC FARMING
The project synthesised scientific evidence on the added value of organic farming for various aspects relevant to the economy, environment, and society in general. The topics examined included organic farming philosophy, contributions to biodiversity, halting/adaptation to climate change, prevention of soil erosion, and contributions to economic development, food quality, animal welfare, and social fabric. The analysis also included several agronomic aspects, such as yields, soil and manure management, and animal husbandry. The screening covered tens of thousands of scientific papers.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: Van Hall University of Applied Sciences
Duration: November 2019 − January 2020
THE ORGANIC FARMER TAKES CENTER STAGE
This project was an EU EIP-AGRI Operational Group. It aimed at strengthening the position and improving the visibility of the Frisian organic farmers. The activities included the provision of practical and scientific findings, organisation of open days, demonstrations, interaction with the public/consumers and conventional farmers, as well as media campaigns. It was implemented in cooperation with the Frisian Association of Organic Farmers, University of Applied Sciences van Hall Larenstein and Bureau Landschapstaal.
Country: The Netherlands
Commissioned by: Netherlands Ministry of
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Duration: July 2017 − Dec 2023
