STAKEHOLDERS 'AUSCULTATION ON THE NEEDS AND TYPOLOGIES OF AGROBIODIVERSITY DATA THROUGH THE VALUE CHAIN OF THE VINEYARD AND WINE SECTOR IN ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL

Agrobiodiversity encompasses all biotic variability of genes to ecosystems that somehow derives or relates to agricultural activities. Agrobiodiversity data is needed to understand the combined ecological and societal... [ view full abstract ]

Agrobiodiversity encompasses all biotic variability of genes to ecosystems that somehow derives or relates to agricultural activities. Agrobiodiversity data is needed to understand the combined ecological and societal functions of agrobiodiversity, to determine its contribution to ecosystem resources and services and its value to society in general, e.g., responding to the current pressure on sustainable agro-food sector. This work focuses on the typology and interactions of information about agrobiodiversity in the vineyard and wine sector in Alentejo, Portugal. This sector of activity has national socioeconomic significance and can benefit from environmental valorization through the agrobiodiversity. A participatory workshop was conducted to assess how the stakeholders perceive and discuss agrobiodiversity, its management, how the information interactions on biodiversity and agrobiodiversity are drawn in and by this group, and the dilemmas associated to the biodiversity data use made available in databases and other collaborative tools. First, focus groups of stakeholders belonging to three groups of activities (i.e., production chain, governance entities and R & D entities), and secondly, in the form of non-target groups of stakeholders were modeled. The workshop was highly valued by the participants and the focus groups allowed for detailed perceptions about the type, information and interactions related to agrobiodiversity. Differences and resemblances in stakeholder groups’ perspectives are analyzed and discussed. Recommendations to cover stakeholder’s data information needs and actions to promote synergies and foster collaboration between and within stakeholder’s groups are provided. This work is part of a larger project on the use and understanding of biodiversity and agrobiodiversity online information needs, which also includes a quantitative and a training approach.