Project description
Identifying sustainable cropping systems across Europe
To remain competitive, European crop production must reduce its environmental impacts and use soil-improving cropping systems. The EU-funded SOILCARE project aims to identify and evaluate effective soil-improving cropping systems and agronomic techniques that can enhance profitability and sustainability in the European crop production sector. The project will employ a transdisciplinary approach to assess the advantages and disadvantages of a new generation of soil-improving cropping systems, taking into account all relevant biophysical, socioeconomic and political factors. SOILCARE will analyse existing literature, monitoring data, and long-term experiments to develop an inclusive methodology for assessing the performance of cropping systems at various levels. Additionally, it will evaluate promising soil-improving cropping systems across sites with diverse pedo-climatic and socioeconomic conditions located in 16 study sites distributed over Europe.
Objective
European crop production is to remain competitive while reducing environmental impacts, requiring development and uptake of effective soil improving
cropping systems. The overall aim of SOILCARE is to identify and evaluate promising soil-improving cropping systems and agronomic
techniques increasing profitability and sustainability across scales in Europe. A trans-disciplinary approach will be used to evaluate benefits and
drawbacks of a new generation of soil improving cropping systems, incorporating all relevant bio-physical, socio-economic and political aspects.
Existing information from literature and long term experiments will be analysed to develop a comprehensive methodology for assessing
performance of cropping systems at multiple levels. A multi-actor approach will be used to select promising soil-improving cropping systems for
scientific evaluation in 16 study sites across Europe covering different pedo-climatic and socio-economic conditions. Implemented cropping
systems will be monitored with stakeholder involvement, and will be assessed jointly with scientists. Specific attention will be paid to adoption of
soil-improving cropping systems and agronomic techniques within and beyond the study sites. Results from study sites will be up-scaled to the
European level to draw general lessons about applicability potentials of soil-improving cropping systems and related profitability and sustainability
impacts, including assessing barriers for adoption at that scale. An interactive tool will be developed for end-users to identify and prioritize suitable
soil-improving cropping systems anywhere in Europe. Current policies and incentives will be assessed and targeted policy recommendations will
be provided. SOILCARE will take an active dissemination approach to achieve impact from local to European level, addressing multiple audiences,
to enhance crop production in Europe to remain competitive and sustainable through dedicated soil care.
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands
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Participants (32)
NE1 7RU Newcastle Upon Tyne
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3000 Leuven
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GL50 2RH Cheltenham
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70599 Stuttgart
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6211 NC Maastricht
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
731 00 Chania
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1049 Bruxelles / Brussel
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3012 Bern
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Participation ended
TN11 0EE TONBRIDGE
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1430 Aas
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3001 Leuven Heverlee
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8000 Aarhus C
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SP6 1EF Fordingbridge
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
R93 Carlow
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Participation ended
6709 PA Wageningen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
Participation ended
6709 PA Wageningen
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3045-093 Coimbra
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011464 Bucuresti
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35122 Padova
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20290 Lublin
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6708 PB Wageningen
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Participation ended
8200 Veszprem
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750 07 Uppsala
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8200 Aarhus N
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
16106 Praha 6
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04120 Almeria
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61544 CESSON SEVIGNE
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
35515 CESSON SEVIGNE
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1216 AP HILVERSUM
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1060 Bruxelles / Brussel
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Participation ended
2100 Godollo
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2100 GODOLLO
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