PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Over the past few decades, the Netherlands have become warmer and wetter, with more extreme rainfall events. Climate scenarios indicate that these trends will continue, although the extent of such effects remains uncertain. In June 2016, large areas of agricultural land in the south of the Netherlands and in Flanders, Belgium, were flooded due to intense rainfall causing great damage to crops and resulting in failed harvests. Furthermore, the Netherlands, and the province of Noord-Brabant in particular, has also seen a gradual but steady impoverishment of the landscape and decreasing biodiversity that is expected to continue as a result of climate change. The need to improve the resilience of the agricultural sector is evident and crucial, and this requires drastic changes in agricultural practices and policies. Effective climate-adaptation policies should be based on creating synergies between agriculture, biodiversity and water management.
OBJECTIVES
The project FARM LIFE aims to contribute to climate change adaptation and to a lesser extent to climate change mitigation and climate governance as well as agricultural knowledge. It will demonstrate innovative adaption technologies, approaches and methods for land use in combination with water management and soil conservation, acknowledging that these considerations need to be addressed simultaneously when dealing with global climate threats, particularly in delta areas. Specifically, the project aims to:
Demonstrate innovative adaptation technologies in three sites in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant, contributing to improved climate resilience, socio-economic development and benefits for the environment and biodiversity; and Promote and replicate technical and methodological results, in particular with regards to the demonstration sites as well as learning tools and methodologies connecting farmers with each other and with their societal partners in resilient rural networks. The project will contribute towards the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, the 2030 climate and energy framework, the Common Agricultural Policy, the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the European Water Framework Directive.
Expected results:
Established agroforestry on 32 hectares in the province of Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands; Adaptive Farm Plans developed for three demonstration sites and for at least 100 additional hectares and five farmers on replication sites; Two Life Cycle Analyses carried out for agroforestry products comparing animal-based protein with plant-based protein; Improved biodiversity, including a 30% habitat increase for indicator species of flora, fungi, soil life, birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and mammals as well as a 30% increase of nectar producing plants for pollinator species; Improved socio-economic benefits with increased Land Equivalent Ratio by at least 30%, measured by, for example, income, nutritional value, calorie output and public interest; Net carbon removal of 1 tonne CO2-equivalent per hectare; A validated transition toolkit for farmers and societal partners; Completed transition workshop in Spain and Romania with farmers and their societal partners (governments, NGOs and businesses) with results well documented and shared on the project website and in national and international fora; Farmer partnerships established for collective purchase, sales and business growth strategies; Food concepts and agroforestry branding developed taking into account benefits for the climate, biodiversity, food quality and socio-economic aspects; Fully trained group manager for PEFC certification of agroforestry products; Synergies with EU, national and regional governments created with regards to policy development for climate-adaptive agriculture and water management; and Networks for dissemination, national conference, online community, media reports and dissemination material.
