Connecting knowledge, practice, and decision-making
Grass-based livestock systems are facing growing pressures, from agricultural intensification in some regions and land abandonment in others to the impacts of climate change. GrassConnect aims to address these challenges by bringing scientific knowledge closer to the needs and experience of farmers and other grassland actors.
Coordinated by INRAE, France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, GrassConnect brings together a broad, multidisciplinary consortium spanning universities and research institutes, agricultural and livestock organisations, environmental and policy organisations, technology and industry actors, and specialists in stakeholder engagement and communication.
Central to this approach will be 13 Multi-Actor Grassland Hubs (MAGHubs) across 11 countries. The Hubs will connect farmers, technical advisers, researchers, industry representatives, environmental and regulatory actors, NGOs, and citizens in real-world environments reflecting different grassland systems and climatic conditions.
GrassConnect will also explore how the ecosystem services they provide can be better recognised and incentivised. The project’s results will support private actors in recognising the value of these services and provide policymakers with evidence and tools for more targeted support and payments for ecosystem services.
From European collaboration to action on the ground
Just two weeks after the project officially began, the GrassConnect consortium met in Clermont-Ferrand, France, from 15 to 17 September 2026 for its Kick-off Meeting, bringing the partnership together and laying the foundations for the work ahead.
Getting to know the MAGHubs and setting the foundations for collaboration
During the Kick-off Meeting, each MAGHub was presented through a dedicated exhibition-style session. Partners had the opportunity to move around the different presentations, meet the teams behind each MAGHub and gain a better understanding of their local context, priorities and activities. The session also created space for smaller discussions, with MAGHub facilitators providing further explanations and exchanging insights directly with all partners of the meeting.
Building on this first exchange, partners took part in a workshop on data and models for monitoring and decision-making. The workshop provided an initial space to discuss the types of data, monitoring approaches and modelling needs that will support the MAGHubs and the wider work of GrassConnect.
Preparing for the work ahead
The second day placed a strong emphasis on capacity building for project partners and MAGHub facilitators. INRAE facilitated a series of interactive workshops to explore the capacities and experience already available within the consortium and establish a common basis for future participatory activities. Participants reflected on how workshops can be designed and facilitated across different local contexts while applying a multi-actor approach, laying the groundwork for future knowledge exchange, stakeholder engagement and co-creation activities within the MAGHubs.
From discussion to the field
The meeting also included a visit to INRAE’s experimental fields, where the coordination team guided participants through the facilities and provided insights into the experimental work carried out on site. The visit connected discussions from the meeting with practical research activities in the field, while also creating space for informal exchange among partners.
The final day included a WP5 workshop on ADEMTools, inviting participants to explore the tools from the perspective of farmers, advisors, land managers and policymakers. Through interactive group activities, partners discussed the questions these tools should help answer, the information needed for their use, and how locally applied tools could be adapted to a wider European context.
With the Kick-off Meeting concluded, GrassConnect is now moving into implementation. By connecting actors across disciplines, sectors and countries, the project will work to turn knowledge and collaboration into practical tools and solutions that support the future of Europe’s grasslands and grass-based livestock systems.
