Periodic Reporting for period 3 - MIXED (Multi-actor and transdisciplinary development of efficient and resilient MIXED farming and agroforestry-systems)
Período documentado: 2023-10-01 hasta 2025-02-28
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 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, and show greater resilience to climate change by considering agronomic, technical, environmental, economic and social advantages and constraints. The project based on a participatory and transdisciplinary process, to 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 are made at the farm, landscape and value chain level. The development of new and improved MiFAS include combined effects on crop and livestock production, livestock health and welfare, soil structure and fertility.
Methods for landscape resilience assessments is developed and life cycle assessment methodologies are adapted to selected value chains and MiFAS. Indicators (economic factors, nutrients, GHG, etc.) important for farmers’ decision-making for transition to or improving efficiency and resilience of MiFAS are integrated in farm-level decision support tools. Assessment of trade-offs and synergies between efficiency and resilience of MiFAS at multiple levels inform discussions between policy makers and the agricultural sector for the support of strategies for larger-scale implementation of MiFAS.
The project facilitated 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. In conclusion, the finalized results and publications from the project evidenced how different types of new mixed farming systems can thereby contribute to goals for the EU Green Deal, also leading to recommendations for a revised Common Agricultural Policy.
Methods for landscape resilience assessments is developed and life cycle assessment methodologies are adapted to selected value chains and MiFAS. Indicators (economic factors, nutrients, GHG, etc.) important for farmers’ decision-making for transition to or improving efficiency and resilience of MiFAS are integrated in farm-level decision support tools. Assessment of trade-offs and synergies between efficiency and resilience of MiFAS at multiple levels inform discussions between policy makers and the agricultural sector for the support of strategies for larger-scale implementation of MiFAS.
The project facilitated 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. In conclusion, the finalized results and publications from the project evidenced how different types of new mixed farming systems can thereby contribute to goals for the EU Green Deal, also leading to recommendations for a revised Common Agricultural Policy.
The transdisciplinary organisation and multi-actor approach of MIXED have ensured the implementation of a genuine co-design process, and this has been evidenced through the successful completion of Field and Reflection Workshops. Thereby, farmer network needs are embedded in the process ensuring relevance and feasibility of the proposed solutions.
The interactions between researchers and practitioners ensured a constant focus on developing solutions and overcoming constraints as they arise, while the geographic distribution of the networks have allowed discussion about future climatic challenges as different networks experience changing conditions.
Via a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis, the ecosystem services by MiFAS are assessed at the farm level, and field-testing strategies with real world examples of how MiFAS can contribute to mitigation and adaptation.
Combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches allowed to assess different types of agricultural landscapes and MIXED systems, based on the comprehensive review of European projects and literature reviewed. The top-down analyses suggest there is only a limited correlation between mixed agricultural landscapes and an overall high provision of ecosystem services, but potentials for further development.
Working at the farm decision level, we assessed, modeled and enabled improved ecosystem services, via MiFAS adoption on individual farms and between farms, to address expected advantages, including from more closed nutrient cycles that avoid the excessive import and polluting effects of the loss of nutrients and a more diverse environment.
The scientific papers and deliverables published, documented benefits of MiFAS with regard to efficiency, resilience and climate change mitigation potentials, and have been produced for different media and audiences (including the active dissemination via newsletters and various forms of social media, practice abstracts, guest lectures, local and EU level policy workshops and policy recommendations, all embedded and available via the www.MIXED-project.eu webpage), and MIXED has collaborated with the parallel AGROMIX and STARGATE EU H2020 projects to achieve the highest levels of outreach and implementation.
In particular, the MIXED project showcased lists of specific farm cases across Europe, with related farm data to document multiple climate, environment and biodiversity effects of MIXED farming systems and their benefits for a more resilient and sustainable biobased production; e.g. combinations of apple trees and hens, agroforestry with bioenergy productions and free range pigs, winter cereals with grazing, more trees and shelterbelts between rotational crops or traditional Montado systems with trees, grazing and seasonal crops, as well as regional scale mixed systems to promote a more resilient agricultural production landscape with more circular nutrient flows and overall efficiency.
The interactions between researchers and practitioners ensured a constant focus on developing solutions and overcoming constraints as they arise, while the geographic distribution of the networks have allowed discussion about future climatic challenges as different networks experience changing conditions.
Via a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis, the ecosystem services by MiFAS are assessed at the farm level, and field-testing strategies with real world examples of how MiFAS can contribute to mitigation and adaptation.
Combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches allowed to assess different types of agricultural landscapes and MIXED systems, based on the comprehensive review of European projects and literature reviewed. The top-down analyses suggest there is only a limited correlation between mixed agricultural landscapes and an overall high provision of ecosystem services, but potentials for further development.
Working at the farm decision level, we assessed, modeled and enabled improved ecosystem services, via MiFAS adoption on individual farms and between farms, to address expected advantages, including from more closed nutrient cycles that avoid the excessive import and polluting effects of the loss of nutrients and a more diverse environment.
The scientific papers and deliverables published, documented benefits of MiFAS with regard to efficiency, resilience and climate change mitigation potentials, and have been produced for different media and audiences (including the active dissemination via newsletters and various forms of social media, practice abstracts, guest lectures, local and EU level policy workshops and policy recommendations, all embedded and available via the www.MIXED-project.eu webpage), and MIXED has collaborated with the parallel AGROMIX and STARGATE EU H2020 projects to achieve the highest levels of outreach and implementation.
In particular, the MIXED project showcased lists of specific farm cases across Europe, with related farm data to document multiple climate, environment and biodiversity effects of MIXED farming systems and their benefits for a more resilient and sustainable biobased production; e.g. combinations of apple trees and hens, agroforestry with bioenergy productions and free range pigs, winter cereals with grazing, more trees and shelterbelts between rotational crops or traditional Montado systems with trees, grazing and seasonal crops, as well as regional scale mixed systems to promote a more resilient agricultural production landscape with more circular nutrient flows and overall efficiency.
The impacts of the MIXED project include the delivery of effective solutions for ensuring the highest level of implementation on the farm and landscape scale regarding climate-smart and resilient systems and provide decision support systems adapted to MiFAS across Europe. Thereby, the MIXED project support an adoption that are financially and socially attractive to farmers and at the same time climate smart and resilient.
The project significantly contributed to unlock and improve viability and replicability of efficient and resilient farming systems in Europe, and propose different transition scenarios leading to the development of modern land use systems, value chains and infrastructures. MIXED focused on the development of MiFAS solutions and transition strategies, to take account of the pedoclimatic and socio-economic differences, and involve multiscale assessments of efficient and resilient mixed farming systems via the integration of results from the farm, landscape, value chain and EU perspective.
To reduce the environmental impact of farming and contribute towards mitigation and adaptation to climate change, on-farm and landscape level studies focused on nutrient recycling and soil management, to provide guidance for the quantification of the potential of the MiFAS, through modelling and inclusion of the information in farm level and policy level decision support.
In conclusion, MIXED support the development of ecosystem services through integrated land management, where a widespread adoption of MiFAS will bring increased diversity on farms and in landscapes, anchoring their relevance and potentials of MIXED systems in existing European farming and research networks. Concrete decision support systems were developed and tested (as for new agroforestry systems and impact assessments of strategies for tree planting in concrete farm settings), together with new educational tools for farmers and mixed farming stakeholders, in form of serious gaming, and facts sheets, promoting the researched best practice cases of sustainable and resilient mixed farming systems.
The project significantly contributed to unlock and improve viability and replicability of efficient and resilient farming systems in Europe, and propose different transition scenarios leading to the development of modern land use systems, value chains and infrastructures. MIXED focused on the development of MiFAS solutions and transition strategies, to take account of the pedoclimatic and socio-economic differences, and involve multiscale assessments of efficient and resilient mixed farming systems via the integration of results from the farm, landscape, value chain and EU perspective.
To reduce the environmental impact of farming and contribute towards mitigation and adaptation to climate change, on-farm and landscape level studies focused on nutrient recycling and soil management, to provide guidance for the quantification of the potential of the MiFAS, through modelling and inclusion of the information in farm level and policy level decision support.
In conclusion, MIXED support the development of ecosystem services through integrated land management, where a widespread adoption of MiFAS will bring increased diversity on farms and in landscapes, anchoring their relevance and potentials of MIXED systems in existing European farming and research networks. Concrete decision support systems were developed and tested (as for new agroforestry systems and impact assessments of strategies for tree planting in concrete farm settings), together with new educational tools for farmers and mixed farming stakeholders, in form of serious gaming, and facts sheets, promoting the researched best practice cases of sustainable and resilient mixed farming systems.