On 17 January 2025, the CREDIT Vibes project organized a focused, one-day seminar titled “From conventional to organic: Cultivation technologies for high performance, climate smart and nutrient dense crops”. Hosted by the Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje (MRI), the four-hour training brought together around fifteen participants, including small- and large-scale farmers, agricultural cooperatives, and agribusiness stakeholders.
The seminar aimed to raise awareness and encourage the adoption of sustainable cultivation practices promoted within the CREDIT Vibes project. Through interactive discussions, participants explored how conventional and organic production systems can be integrated to improve crop performance, resilience to climate stress, and nutritional quality. Particular attention was given to practical solutions that can be readily applied by farmers and value-chain actors.
The program covered a range of key topics, including:
- Sustainable crop production systems, with emphasis on soil health, crop rotation, and climate challenges in maize and soybean production
- Climate-resilient cultivation technologies, focusing on stress tolerance to drought and heat and improved field management practices
- Nutritional quality and nutribreeding, highlighting biofortification and the nutritional potential of advanced maize and soybean varieties
- Integration of conventional and organic farming, showcasing the performance of ZP maize hybrids in different production systems and case studies from MRI field trials
The seminar concluded with an open discussion on future perspectives for ZP hybrids and their role in climate-smart and sustainable agriculture. By connecting research insights with on-farm realities, the event reinforced CREDIT Vibes commitment to supporting farmers and agribusiness stakeholders in the transition toward more resilient, nutrient-dense, and environmentally sustainable crop production systems.
