A database of diversification impacts from European field experiments

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DiverIMPACTS established a network of ten preexisting or planned field experiments located in six participating countries to assess and quantify the benefits of diversified cropping systems. The network is being used to:

  • demonstrate field benefits of different strategies (rotation, intercropping and multiple cropping) with different species under a range of diverse soil and climatic conditions in Europe.
  • test new temporal and spatial arrangements of species and management (low input practices including machinery) to better achieve expected benefits for farmers and value chain requirements.

DiverIMPACTS considers eight categories of Expected Impacts (EI) stemming from diversification and spanning from economic to environmental and climate change effects.

The database of field experiments provides access to impact data and information concerning the multiple benefits of different diversification strategies (in time and space) at the cropping system level. A series of measurements are carried out following common protocols to allow for benchmarking. These measurements include yield (per ha and year, Land-Equivalent Ratio), use of resources (light, water, nutrients), input use (fertilisers, pesticides, energy, water), weed, pest and diseases pressure, soil fertility and biodiversity. For example, to assess the EI on land productivity (EI1), the year's criteria include yield, quality, aboveground biomass, LER, and variability. To assess the EI on the lower environmental impact of diversified cropping systems with reduced use of pesticides, chemical fertilisers, energy and water (EI3), the criteria include water use, pesticide use, energy use, N use, N fertiliser efficiency, N balance, risk of N leaching, and GHG emissions.

Open-access database on field experiments
Definition of impact variables and measurement parameters implemented in field experiments (Handbook)
Relevance for monitoring and evaluation of the CAP

Information on potential impacts of diversification. The database of field experiments offers evaluators information on the possible impacts of diversification and, where possible, quantifies the criteria of expected impacts which can be used for estimating various indicators. For example, the Expected Impact 3 on ‘the lower environmental impact of diversified cropping systems with reduced use of pesticides, chemical fertilisers, energy and water (EI3)’ quantifies the criterion ‘Risk of N leaching’, which is a measurement of the content of soil nitrogen at the time of harvest. The nitrogen content can be used to estimate the impact of a diversification strategy on the PMEF indicator I.15 on ‘Improving water quality’ by controlling the gross nutrient balance on agricultural land.

Relevant for estimating impact indicators. The database of expected impacts from field experiments can support an evaluation in different ways. First, suppose the field experiment is located at the Member State and region of the evaluation. In that case, the quantified impacts can be used directly in estimating the impact indicators. Second, some evaluation studies may not directly use the quantitative estimates of impacts because of different environmental conditions. For example, the exact quantity of nitrogen at the time of harvest found in an experiment may not accurately reflect the quantity of nitrogen in another area with different physical conditions. In this case, the evaluation can benefit from the database regarding which impacts and how to measure them.

Last modification date: 
09/12/2021