Cooperation through Tech-Based Practices to Struggle Invasive Species and Climate Change for a Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture(AGRICOOP)

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Black Sea Basin

Date of latest update: 2026-05-13

Description

Description (EN):

Invasive alien species-IAS are becoming widespread worldwide and pose a threat to the agricultural sector. Within the project, it is aimed to determine the IAS that are widespread in the project partner(PP) countries and to develop methods of combating these IAS. The lack of awareness of people and institutions interested in agricultural activities in the fight against IAS leads to the inability to effectively combat and to a decrease in productivity in the agricultural sector. With the Climate & Pest Detection Station(CPDS) to be placed in the pilot regions to be determined in each PP country, climate data in the pilot region will be obtained and the IAS that are dense in the region will be determined and the methods of combating these species will be customized.The activities to be carried out will raise awareness among the target audience in partner countries about combating IAS and adaptation to climate change. The outputs obtained at the end of the project will reveal guiding practices as a pilot study against the possible spread of IAS in different countries as well as the PP countries. With the trainings to be given to farmers, raising awareness about IAS will contribute to increasing the yield of agricultural products. The main challenge that the project aims to address is to identify IAS in the region and develop methods to struggle IAS, which pose a significant threat to agricultural production and climate resilience.According to the Global Invasive Species Program, "climate change and IAS pose two of the greatest threats to biodiversity and the provision of valuable ecosystem services. Worldwide, the estimated damage from IAS is more than US$ 1.4 trillion annually - 5% of the global economy - and their impacts span a wide range of sectors including agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, transportation, trade, energy production and recreation." The overall objective is to foster sustainable resilient agriculture, to enhance agricultural product quality and productivity by detecting IAS and developing struggle methods, to develop joint solutions and pilot actions for different types of environmental hazards in affected and exposed regions in the BSB, to facilitate knowledge exchange among stakeholders, to integrate advanced technological systems to the target groups’ use which will also provide awareness and adaptation on climate change The Project will address the lack of transnational collaborations and technology-based agricultural practices to share good practices and know-how on the use of innovative technological advances in the areas of climate change resilience and adaptation, in particular the joint struggling IAS, taking into account ecosystem-based approaches in the context of clean and green zone. In this context, the Project will develop a mobile pest detection application (MAPPEST). The main outputs of the project; a study report on the IAS that currently exist in the region of the PP countries and have the potential/risk of entering the region in the near future and the characteristics of these IAS, a report on the measures that can be taken against IAS jointly created by all PPs, MAPPEST developed for farmers, density and migration map of IAS, applied control methods activities, capacity and awareness raising training modules, seminars and International Forum on the ımpact of climate change on agricultural pests and control methods. The beneficiaries of the project are the PPs, all actors of the agricultural ecosystem, farmers, farmer cooperatives, chambers of agriculture, agriculture and forestry directorates, national/regional/local development agencies, HEIs and research institutions, stock exchanges, chambers etc. Although the way agriculture is practiced in each country is different, climate change and the problems posed by IAS pose a common challenge. Because when IAS infect a region or country, their populations tend to increase when new ecological living conditions are favorable. In the fight against IAS, it is extremely important that all PPs and the target groups act together in the areas where the pest is transmitted and present. More effective results are achieved when neighboring countries with pest problems work together. The fight against the IAS is easier and faster when the pest can be prevented from spreading to new areas. This situation brings the need for countries to integrate technology-based practices into the agricultural sector for sustainable and climate change compatible agricultural policies and to share the results of good practices.Therefore, transnational cooperation is needed to share the results in the form of good practices and to create international impact. Within the AGRICOOP Project, PPs from border neighbouring countries Türkiye, Bulgaria and Georgia came together with the need for transnational cooperation and having common interests in improving product quality and productivity in agriculture by identifying IAS and developing methods to struggle.

Expected Achievements (EN):

The specific objective is to foster sustainable resilient agriculture, to enhance agricultural product quality and productivity by detecting IAS and developing struggle methods, to develop joint solutions and pilot actions for environmental hazards in affected and exposed regions in the BSB, to facilitate knowledge exchange among stakeholders, to integrate advanced technological systems to the target groups’ use which will also provide awareness and adaptation on climate change. To reach these objectives; agricultural products affected by climate change and IAS will be identified in 3 PP countries, at least 3 struggle methods will be developed and implemented in 20 location, 15 climate & pest detection stations will be established in PPs’s pilot regions, a pest detection application and awareness raising tools will be developed including brochures, videos, trainings(300 participant), seminars(6) and an international forum on the impact of climate change will be organized

Project outputs: Development of a Mobile Application for Detecting invasive alien species (IAS) – MAPPEST(EN)
International Forum (EN)
Organisations Cooperating in the Consortium of the BSB Project (EN)

Thematic information

Innovation capacity and awareness-raising Agriculture and fisheries and forestry Climate change and biodiversity

Priority: (VI-B_BSB_P2) Clean and Green Region

Priority specific objective: RSO2.4. Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention and resilience, taking into account eco-system based approaches

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 171 Enhancing cooperation with partners both within and outside the Member State

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: Trabzon Ticaret Borsası

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 909760673

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 8440012173

Department: Project

Address: Pazarkapı Mah. Devlet Sahil Yolu Cad. Ortahisar, 61030 Trabzon, Turkey

Department address: Pazarkapı Mah. Devlet Sahil Yolu Cad. Ortahisar, 61030 Trabzon, Turkey

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.tb.org.tr

Total budget: EUR 233 660.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 210 294.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 23 366.00

Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi

Name: Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi

Department: Ondokuz Mayis University Hemp Research Institute

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 986299784

Partner’s ID if not PIC: E10175946 | Organizational Identification Number (EN)

Address: Kenevir Araştırmaları Enstitüsü, 55200 Atakum/Samsun , Turkey

Department address: Kenevir Araştırmaları Enstitüsü, 55200 Samsun, Turkey

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.omu.edu.tr/en

Total budget: EUR 51 632.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 46 468.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 5 163.20

სსიპ ბათუმის შოთა რუსთველის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტი

Name: სსიპ ბათუმის შოთა რუსთველის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტი

Department: School of Agriculture Faculty of Natural Science and Health Care/Department of Biology

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 966798419

Partner’s ID if not PIC: GE245428158 | E10158404

Address: Ninoshvili/Rustaveli Street, 6010 Batumi, Georgia

Department address: Ninoshvili/Rustaveli Street, 6010 Batumi, Georgia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.bsu.edu.ge

Total budget: EUR 110 628.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 99 565.20

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 11 062.80

Агенция за икономическо развитие - Варна

Name: Агенция за икономическо развитие - Варна

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 935473336

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N/A | BULSTAT/ID No 103155067

Address: Otetc Paisij 11, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria

Department address: Otetc Paisij 11, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.veda-bg.eu

Total budget: EUR 110 628.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 99 565.20

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 11 062.80

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Ondokuz Mayis University

Cooperation through Tech-Based Practices to Struggle Invasive Species and Climate Change for a Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture(AGRICOOP)

Partners and Projects info

LEPL Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University

Cooperation through Tech-Based Practices to Struggle Invasive Species and Climate Change for a Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture(AGRICOOP)

Partners and Projects info

Agencia za ikonomichesko razvitie Varna

Cooperation through Tech-Based Practices to Struggle Invasive Species and Climate Change for a Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture(AGRICOOP)

Partners and Projects info

Trabzon Commodity Exchange

Cooperation through Tech-Based Practices to Struggle Invasive Species and Climate Change for a Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture(AGRICOOP)

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Cooperation through Tech-Based Practices to Struggle Invasive Species and Climate Change for a Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture(AGRICOOP)

Project acronym: AGRICOOP

Project ID: BSB01005

Project start date: 2025-12-24

Project end date: 2027-06-23

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

The Black Sea Synergy(BSB) (EN) | The Black Sea Synergy(BSB) initiative is the key political framework for the European Union’s engagement and enhanced cooperation in the region. It was launched in 2007 for developing deeper regional cooperation involving 10 countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine. BSS develops cooperation within the Black Sea region and between the region and the European Union, based on the common interests. It also intends to enhance synergies with existing regional initiatives linking the region to the EU, such as the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, and with existing international organisations active in the region. The AGRICOOP project in partnership with Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria will contribute to the BSS Cooperation Areas of Environmental protection and climate change through the development of sustainable and resilient agricultural policies through the exchange of good practices and know-how on the use of innovative technological developments in the fields of struggling invasive species and adaptation to climate change, particularly in the context of clean and green zones.
This project has the potential to create synergy with BSB project 1121 (Invasive Alien Species Observatory and Network Development for the Assessment of Climate Change Impacts in Black Sea Deltaic Protected Areas). The reason for this is that the study carried out to detect and monitor invasive species in the natural habitats of the Black Sea basin (lakes and seas) will complement each other with the study to be carried out on harmful invasive species in agricultural areas. The work and activities to be carried out within the scope of the project will set an example and raise awareness, mobilizing wider audiences in the fight against invasive species. (EN), Assembly of European Regions (EN) | The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is a driver of policymaking close to citizens, of a sense of belonging to value-based democratic regional communities, of cohesion among citizens and political actors in wider Europe, and of socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable development. One of the cornerstones of AER is about sustainable development and cohesion, on which AGRICOOP Project focuses through developing tech-based practices in order to provide a sustainable and resilient agriculture. (EN), Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) (EN) | The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) was founded as a unique and promising model of multilateral political and economic initiative with the signing of the Istanbul Summit Declaration and the Bosphorus Statement by the Heads of State and Government of the countries in the region, on 25 June 1992. BSEC aims to foster interaction and harmony among its members, as well as to ensure peace, stability and prosperity, through encouraging friendly and good-neighborly relations in the Black Sea region, with its 12 Member States: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. The AGRICOOP Project in partnership with Turkey, Bulgaria and Georgia will contribute to the development of interaction and cohesion in the Black Sea region by promoting friendship and good neighborly relations. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 506 548.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 455 893.20

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 90.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyDanubeRegion EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR): The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) is a macro-regional strategy adopted by the European Commission involving the area covered from the Black Forest (Germany) to the Black Sea (Romania-Ukraine-Moldova) and is home to 115 million inhabitants. The Danube Region Strategy addresses a wide range of issues, one of which is about BIODIVERSITY AND LANDSCAPES, QUALITY OF AIR AND SOILS. One of the most crucial target of 6th priority is to reduce the introductions and spread of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Danube Region. AGRICOOP Project has one partner from Danube Region which is Bulgaria. Therefore with this joint action, not only the agricultural growth of Black Sea Basin countries are contributed to develop, but also the network relations among Turkey and Bulgaria can be developed.
Other The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. AGRICOOP Project aims to struggle climate change and invasive species, transfer good practices to partner countries and increase the yield and quality of agricultural products. In this context, it will contribute ( Stronger Economy (economic development and market opportunities), Stronger Governance (strengthening institutions and good governance), Stronger Connectivity (connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change) ve Stronger Society (mobility and people-to-people contacts)) to the four main priority areas of the EaP.
Other Finally, in the Joint Paper on Interreg NEXT Strategic Programming 2021-2027, EC-EEAS provide that Policy Objective 2 “A greener low-carbon Europe and its neighbourhood” should enhance greener, carbon-free Europe and partner countries. It should contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and invest in energy transition, clean renewables and the fight against climate change.
The Black Sea remains one of the seas most heavily impacted by human activities in the world. A combination of features renders its ecosystem highly sensitive to pressures from such activities. The area is also marked by the effects of climate change, although this issue has not been sufficiently addressed.The EU strategic long-term vision „A clean Planet for all” is aimed toward a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate-neutral economy by 2050. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, territorial cooperation becomes of paramount importance, as struggling the negative effects of climate change is not only a national level matter, whether EU or neighbourhood.
In line with the European Green Deal launched by the Commission in December 2019, the AGRICOOP project includes a climate change adaptation clause and aims to improve agricultural biodiversity by tackling climate change.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 115 - Public events across borders jointly organised, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Black Sea Basin

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-05

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

82 / 82 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

367 / 372 (98.66%)

Notes on the data

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Cooperation through Tech-Based Practices to Struggle Invasive Species and Climate Change for a Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture(AGRICOOP)

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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