Work package leader: Donal Murphy-Bokern, Kroge-Ehrendorf, Germany
The purpose of this work package is to coordinate activities that raise the impact of the research, particularly communications with key users. It supports the Scientific Steering Committee and a Strategic Stakeholder Forum. The common activity is active knowledge and technology management and the communication of the project’s results to users, and the active engagement of stakeholders using appropriate media, including the Internet.
A strategic approach to communications, delivery and publication
The work will started with development of the Consortium Agreement providing the legal framework for knowledge and technology management and publication. This will be followed by the development of a Communications and Delivery Strategy (including a Publications Strategy). This frames and prioritises communication activities.
Quality assurance
Drawing on input from the Scientific Steering Committee, this task will provide an independent assessment of the risks to data quality, and develop cross-project measures to reduce these risks. This will be provided on an on-going basis.
The project knowledge base
An over-view of the knowledge and research strengths within the consortium will be provided early in the research. A Website will be established to provide a wide range of knowledge resources, bulletins and public access to the research.
Knowledge review
A review of knowledge on the development of legume-supported cropping systems in Europe will provide a common foundation for subsequent publications, particularly the Legume Futures Book. Resources identified in this review (e.g. The Grain Legumes Technology Platform) will be examined for their potential to act as the primary route to publication of our research data and other outputs.
Research publication
Given the public-good nature of our work, we expect that all our research results and outputs will be published by default. The project website will make the research results available in the public domain. Our research will be published in the scientific press so as to quality assure the research as a whole.
The work will also build on the knowledge review to deliver a full, widely read and lasting account of the research in book or monograph form against the background of the wider knowledge base (The LEGUME FUTURES Book) supported by web-based knowledge products.
We will also bring together and present our research to at least 1 major international scientific congress. It is our intention to make our work a major feature of the European Society for Agronomy International Conference in 2012.
Interaction with key stakeholders
The project will make a special effort to reach lead users of the research. Local initiatives, particularly around experimental sites in WP1 will access local users, particularly in the private sector. In addition, this WP will dedicate time to interaction with key users in the European agri-business and the public policy communities – the EC, Member State governments and NGOs. This will be guided using input from the Strategic Stakeholder Forum who will help identify means of accessing and delivering to these user groups effectively. In particularly, the work will facilitate iterative interaction between key policy makers and research users across the EU.
Scope an open access web based repository of information related to legume-based cropping systems
This task work will scope out and assess the potential for using ‘Wiki-pedia’ or similar approaches to deliver a ‘living’ knowledge resource. Depending on the outcome of this assessment, the task will inform the promotion and delivery of this to users and will also guide the development of a European Legume Resources Centre.
All partners are involved in this work package.
