The project has advanced beyond the current state of the art by transitioning legume-cereal intercropping research from theoretical concepts and isolated trials to large-scale, data-driven validation. This has resulted in concrete scientific, technological, and socio-economic impacts:
Scientific and Environmental Impact (Quantified Multifunctionality): The project established a robust evidence base to quantify the ecosystem services of intercropping, moving beyond anecdotal benefits. By deploying a network of seven Research Field Trials and approximately 150 on-farm Living Labs, the consortium generated a massive unified dataset of over 3,350 soil and plant samples and 1,100 microbiome samples. This has provided critical insights into how crop diversification directly enhances soil microbial diversity, nutrient cycling, and enzyme activity. Furthermore, data from 18 specific field trials over three seasons have elucidated the specific mechanisms of natural pest control and disease reduction, confirming the potential of intercropping to significantly reduce reliance on external chemical inputs.
Technological Impact (Digital Decision Support): A major leap beyond the state of the art is the development of the "Digital Core" for intercropping, which lowers technical barriers for adoption. The project successfully built a FAIR-compliant European Intercropping Database integrating 5.9 million data rows, including weather, soil, and yield data. This data powers the newly developed InterCrop model and a functional web-based Decision Support System (DSS) prototype. Unlike generic advisory tools, this system allows farmers to simulate competition and facilitation processes, offering site-specific optimization for yield, nitrogen balance, and Land Equivalent Ratio (LER).
Socio-Economic Impact (Barrier Analysis and Market Valorisation): Through the engagement of over 2,051 farmers and 273 stakeholders, the project applied Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to prove that increasing farmer skills and access to competitive varieties significantly dampens perceived barriers. Additionally, the project moved beyond broad market assumptions by identifying the animal feed market (particularly for monogastrics and cattle) as the most immediate and viable economic driver for intercrops, clarifying the business case for farmers
