WHO AND WHAT IS NOBL?

NOBL stands for Network for Organic Food and Farming Research. The network brings together relevant stakeholders (researchers, government and farmers’ and consumers’ organisations) and aims to reinforce agricultural research and knowledge circulation in favour of the Organic Food and Farming sector in Flanders.

Major objectives of the network are:

• More support and recognition of research into organic agriculture in Flanders.
• Better understanding of the research needs, tuned to the needs of the organic sector.
• Promotion of co-operation between researchers
• Promotion of interaction between researchers and stakeholders from the agri-food chain
• Expanding international contacts
• Dissemination of research results.

NOBL was established in 2007 by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Flemish Government and is coordinated by the Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries, and Food Research (ILVO).

NOBL is together with CCBT (Coordination Centre for applied research and extension on organic agriculture) and BBN (Organic farmers' networks) united in the Flemish Organic food and farming Research & Knowledge network (FORK-network).

NOBL represents the FORK-network as National Platform in the European technology platform TPOrganics and is involved as a stakeholder in the COREOrganic ERAnet.

Currently following organisation support NOBL:

	Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Flemish government: Division Sustainable Agricultural Development Division Monitoring and Study
	Biobedrijfsnetwerken, organic farmers groups
	BioForum Vlaanderen, umbrella organisation of the organic sector and a membership organisation with a strong network of certified producers, processors, distributors, retailers and relevant organisations
	Boerenbond, the largest professional organisation for the Flemish farmers
	Coördinatiecentrum praktijkgericht onderzoek en voorlichting Biologische Teelt
	Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven
	Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, UGhent
	Department of Life Sciences and Landscape Architecture - University College Ghent
	Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research
	Inagro, Department Organic Production, Research Centre for Organic vegetable and arable production
	Thomas Moore Institute, Geel , University College
	Proefcentrum Fruitteelt vzw, research station for fruit growing
	Provinciaal Proefcentrum voor de Groenteteelt Oost-Vlaanderen vzw, research station for vegetable production
	Proefbedrijf  Pluimveehouderij, provincial experimental farm for poultry
	Flanders' Food, Network organization that promotes co-operation between knowledge institutes and Government
	Agro- and biotechnology, University College Sint-Lieven, Sint-Niklaas
	Vives, University of Applied Sciences