During the 3rd International Crop Modelling Symposium (iCROPM2026), PollinERA was presented by the project coordinator, Christopher John Topping. The symposium held was held from 2 to 4 February 2026, in Florence, Italy. 

The event aimed to bring together the international research community to discuss recent advancements in crop modelling, fostering collaboration and helping chart the future direction of the field. 

PollinERA project coordinator, Christopher John Topping, presented the project to the international audience of researchers working on crop modelling, agricultural systems and food security. The presentation focused on illustrating a systems-first thinking approach, highlighting that many complex problems are often approached backwards. 

Christopher John Topping at iCROPM2026. 

Using Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) as a cautionary example, the talk explored why optimising precision can sometimes mean answering the wrong question, what changes when system capacity is considered first, and why interoperability should be treated as a design constraint rather than an afterthought. The presentation also discussed how this perspective reframes biodiversity, shifting attention from individual species to overall system capacity.

Find out more about the symposium speakers here. 

Explore the abstract here.