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Water Management
Leader: Romain Reding
In Climate Smart Advisors project, we will address water management for drinking water and water protection zones related to climate change. In the management of drinking water protection zones, three topics play traditionally an important role (1) nitrate, (2) bacteria and (2) plant protection products. All these areas can be affected by climate change and the aim is to raise practical management issues and identify possible solutions.
In the area of nitrate, climate-related new crop rotations and, in the case of extreme heat and the resulting inharmonious growth conditions, the changing plant-related N-depletion will certainly play an important role. In the area of bacteria and plant protection products, it is essential to consider the issue of soil erosion.
All these issues are already being managed in one way or the other in various countries. In the context of the Climate Smart Advisors project, practical knowledge on these topics can be pooled and optimized by various players at international level on an ongoing basis.
In addition, the topics of legal basis of water protection areas, software tools used and related agricultural subsidy programs will play an important role in the context of management. These include:
Soil Health and Biodiversity
Leader: Marco Tonni
Soil is humanity’s most valuable resource. Plants can produce the world’s entire food supply through the soil and its rich biodiversity. Only by changing our point of view we will be able to keep the focus on respect for the soil, which is essential for ensuring the continuity of agricultural production and of humanity itself.
We can do this by increasing knowledge about the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in evaluating soil qualities. We can also raise awareness about the crucial roles of soil and the essential need to act always toward soil respect.
Rewarding Mechanisms
Leader: Jana Roels
In Climate Smart Advisors context, we limit ‘rewarding mechanisms’ to financial incentives that are offered to enterprises for undertaking beneficial climate actions. Rewarding mechanisms should support viable farm income and improved farmers’ position in the value chain.
Rewarding mechanisms support (i) the adaptation and risk reduction of farming practices to climate change, (ii) the mitigation of all GHG emissions including the carbon sequestration in soils and agricultural landscapes to build capacity climate smart advisors and to support a wide use and adoption of rewarding mechanisms as a lever for transformation.
From the perspective of the enterprises that intend to do the mitigation work, the carbon rewards will be viewed as conditional payments for their services rendered.
The source of the reward can arrive from different origins, e.g. public or private sector, funds or insurances.
Manure Storage & Spreading
Leader: Paul Newell Price
Livestock manures are an important source of carbon and nutrients that can contribute to soil health, crop nutrient supply and the overall resilience of farming systems. However, they are also one of the greatest sources of controllable agricultural pollution.
Best practice for manure storage and spreading when integrated with good nutrient management planning can reduce emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide, and losses of ammonium, phosphorus, nitrate and faecal indicator organisms to water. Making best use of manures and accounting for the nutrients they contain can also help farms reduce reliance on manufactured fertilisers, thereby lowering their carbon footprint.
Herd Management
Leader: Leonie de Jongh-Vernooij
Herd management covers a broad spectrum of topics. Understanding which of these areas influence climate-smart farming practices is essential. What questions are still unresolved? And what valuable information exists but is rarely applied in day-to-day agricultural operations?
For example, managing a herd of dairy cows presents many intriguing challenges such as:
Grassland Management
Leader: Siw Fasting
Grazing systems and management for livestock and farmed animals play a crucial role in optimizing the health and productivity of various species. These systems specifically address large ruminants, such as dairy cows and beef cattle, as well as small ruminants like sheep and goats. Additionally, other species may be discussed upon request within the scope of the project.
There is still a need for further identification and definition of topics that are particularly relevant for the Communities of Practice (CoPs). This ongoing process will help refine and clarify the key areas of focus.
In addition, grassland management is an essential aspect of feed conservation, which is covered under the broader thematic area of livestock and farmed animal management.
Forage Production
Leader: Laszlo Gabor Papocsi
Closely connected to two other Climate Smart Advisors themes (Herd Management and Grassland Management), with many potential climate-smart techniques and activities linked to each other, our own goal is to focus primarily on knowledge sharing related to production and use of forage crops. This includes sustainable forage production methods, regenerative farming practices, increasing soil carbon sequestration and bringing other positive effects.
Climate-resilient forage species and varieties are also of interest, as are pest and disease control and weed management. The integration of trees or shrubs with fodder production and livestock (silvopasture) is another topic to be discussed and shared.
Water management and irrigation, harvesting and processing, fodder preservation, silage fermentation techniques, among others, are also on the agenda. Although usually conceived as a horizontal theme, digitalization, precision farming technologies and decision support tools are available and worthy of inclusion in the forage production theme as well.
Energy Management
Leader: Klaus Engelmann
In the energy advisory work, great importance is attached to four points: energy efficiency, energy generation, energy management and energy storage. The first steps should be taken with efficiency. The less energy is required, the easier it is to achieve success in the other points.
Generating your own energy brings independence and security in planning. The right management helps to save costs. The degree of self-sufficiency can be significantly increased through storage.
Crop Management
Leader: Céline Bourlet
Excess rain during winter in Northern countries, extreme drought in the South – climate change has a direct impact on crop production. Therefore, more resilience in managing crops is needed. Crop production also has an impact on carbon emissions, mainly by fertilizers use and can contribute to reduce the impact of farming.
Crop management is a very large topic and includes soil management, sowing techniques, variety choices, fertilizer management and even new crops. We will try to enhance exchanges across countries about climate smart practices on crops. Some will have to face difficulties in the short term and could benefit from the knowledge of others already adapting to more frequent weather events.
Biogas Production
Leader: Thomas Gontier
Biogas production is a very large question, from biomass production or livestock effluents as inputs, biogas process technologies to biogas use as cogeneration or injection. Also, digestate spreading and links to fertilization, soil or quality, local acceptance, reducing carbon emissions from farms and carbon credit rewards cover the topic of biogas production.
All these topics are relevant to the Climate Smart Advisors network and can be addressed depending on the interest shown by the partners. The objective is to find the most relevant themes for partners and stakeholder to support them by providing knowledge exchange events.
Agroforestry and Relation to Landscape
Leaders: Stephen Briggs & Ian Knight
Agroforestry integrates trees and other woody perennial shrubs with crops and livestock systems, enhancing production whilst providing environmental benefits to the farm and the surrounding landscape.
This agroforestry thematic area will provide CSA networks and wider stakeholders with knowledge exchange opportunities covering silvoarable and silvopastoral agroforestry production systems. Webinars, workshops with in-person training demo events will cover the management principles required for advisors to train farmers to adapt their farms to climate change by integrating trees into the farming landscape.
Additives for Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions
Leader: Benoît Rouillé
Enhancing our understanding of methane emissions involves developing accurate measurement techniques, refining predictive models, and identifying effective mitigation strategies. Providing a comprehensive overview of the different strategies available to farmers helps in identifying the most effective and practical solutions for reducing methane emissions. Feed additives are solutions among others. By providing clear guidelines on their effectiveness, safety, and economic feasibility, farmers can make informed decisions on implementing these additives in their feeding strategies.
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