The Climate Crops Centre of Excellence hosted the HelEx Annual Meeting, bringing together project partners from across Europe for three days of scientific exchange, discussion, and planning of future activities.
The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to review the progress achieved within the different work packages, discuss ongoing research activities, and exchange ideas on the next steps towards developing more sustainable and climate-resilient sunflower production systems.
There was also the opportunity to connect research with perspectives from the field and from stakeholders. Participants had the chance to hear an engaging presentation from a beekeeper’s perspective by Ivan Pihler, who shared his experiences and insights into the importance of biodiversity, pollinators, and the interactions between agricultural production and the wider environment.
As part of the meeting, project partners also visited the experimental fields of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops. The visit included an introduction to field experiments carried out within HelEx and a demonstration of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling activities aimed at monitoring biodiversity in sunflower production systems. These activities form an important part of the project’s work to better understand the environmental impact of sunflower cultivation and the relationship between crop production and biodiversity.
The scientific programme was complemented by several opportunities for partners to explore Novi Sad and the surrounding area. A guided city tour, an excursion, and shared dinners provided an opportunity for colleagues to continue discussions outside the meeting room, exchange experiences, and strengthen connections within the HelEx consortium.
These social and networking activities proved to be an important part of the meeting. Many of the most interesting discussions continued over dinner, during the excursion, or while exploring Novi Sad, creating an open and friendly atmosphere that encouraged the exchange of ideas and strengthened collaboration among partners.
Hosting the HelEx Annual Meeting in Novi Sad was therefore much more than an opportunity to present project results. It was a chance to bring together researchers, stakeholders, and partners working towards a common goal: understanding how sunflower production can become more resilient while maintaining and enhancing the biodiversity and ecosystem services associated with agricultural landscapes.
The successful meeting demonstrated the strength of the HelEx partnership and the value of combining expertise from different disciplines and countries. We thank all partners for their active participation, constructive discussions, and enthusiasm throughout the meeting, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration and translating the knowledge generated through HelEx into practical solutions for more resilient agricultural systems.