Project description
Mixing it up for effective and resilient agriculture
Agriculture is a big source of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. The EU is committed to methods that increase efficiency and resilience to climate change and reduce emissions. European Mixed Farming and Agroforestry Systems (MiFAS) optimise productivity and resource use. The EU-funded MIXED project will take a participatory and transdisciplinary approach to advance and apply efficient and resilient MiFAS. Specifically, this approach will engage organic and conventional networks of farmers, researchers and other stakeholders to ensure the highest levels of implementation of MiFAS in terms of climate change and ecosystems services. It will also address the potential effects on the environment and crop and livestock production as well as on animal welfare.
Objective
MIXED is a multi-actor project to drive the development of European Mixed Farming and Agroforestry Systems (MiFAS) that optimize efficiency and resource use, reduce GHG emissions, and show greater resilience to climate change by considering agronomic, technical, environmental, economic and social advantages and constraints. The project will, through a participatory and transdisciplinary process, develop, improve and implement efficient and resilient MiFAS in collaboration between organic and conventional networks of farmers, advisors, researchers and other stakeholders. Assessment of potential impacts on environment and mitigation and adaptation to climate change will be made at the farm, landscape and value chain level. The development of new and improved MiFAS will include combined effects on crop and livestock production, livestock health and welfare, soil structure and fertility. Methods for landscape resilience assessments will be developed and life cycle assessment methodologies adapted to selected value chains and MiFAS including modelling of carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Indicators (economic factors, nutrients, GHG, etc.) and socio-economic factors important for farmers’ decision-making for transition to or improving efficiency and resilience of MiFAS will be integrated in farm-level decision support tools. Assessment of trade-offs and synergies between efficiency and resilience of MiFAS at multiple levels will inform discussions between policy makers and the agricultural sector for the support of strategies for larger-scale implementation of MiFAS. The project will facilitate dialogue and dissemination of MiFAS to farmers as well as to decision makers at regional and EU level to ensure the highest levels of implementation of MiFAS at farm and landscape scale for efficient and resilient production and performance in terms of climate change and eco-systems services.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologylandscape ecology
- social sciencessociologydemographyfertility
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- agricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandry
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
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Participants (19)
5070 Frick
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SY23 3BF Aberystwyth
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6708 PB Wageningen
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EH9 3JG Edinburgh
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75007 Paris
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1180 Wien
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24 100 Pulawy
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050711 Bucharest
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Participation ended
8230 Abyhoj
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
30140 Anduze
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
7800-502 Beja
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1349 017 Lisboa
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EH28 8NZ Newbridge Midlothian
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60486 Frankfurt Am Main
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
78 446 Silnowo
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89340 Leipheim
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4053 Basel
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117370 Domnesti
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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.