Research project C-GRAS: Climate smart grassland management to increase carbon sequestration
General introduction
In practice, there appears to be a lack of tools for storing carbon (soil organic carbon, SOC) in agricultural soils (e.g., under permanent grassland). This project aims to make more data available in order to accurately assess the impact, quality, costs, and benefits for soil health of various new measures. Consultations with the agricultural sector have revealed a lack of knowledge and user-friendly, accurate tools to support decisions at farm level and to make SOC efforts more visible. For farmers, measures should also be easily integrated into existing business operations. The potential of grassland to store soil carbon has been extensively documented in international research, but this is not being realized in current practice. The majority of SOC stocks in Flemish grasslands appear to be well below their capacity. Farmers are doubly affected by climate change: by the direct impact of extreme weather on their yields, and by increasing pressure from consumers, governments, supermarkets, and dairies to work in a more climate-friendly way. For livestock farming, the carbon (C) that can be stored in grasslands is an important asset in this regard.
Research approach
Initially, the project aims to pool and gather knowledge. We select promising management methods, bring together knowledge from existing measurements and long-term trials, and fill knowledge gaps through demand-driven cultivation research. With this data, we provide parameters for existing C and N models for grassland management. In dialogue with target group companies and organizations, we evaluate cultivation aspects and soil cultivation, yield, feed value, cost price, and effects on soil health. We facilitate the transition to sustainable, climate-smart cultivation methods through user-friendly tools for SOC, N, and soil health. ILVO will mainly be responsible for inventorying the most important tools and models and will provide the input parameters for simulating C storage in Flanders, Belgium, and (North-West) Europe. In addition, ILVO is also responsible for monitoring field trials in which mechanical operations are investigated to maintain or increase the quality and production of turf (i.e., aeration, tillage, and renewal).
Relevance/Valorization
Flanders aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture by 35% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. For cattle farming, feed production is a very important link in this chain. Through the innovations proposed in this project, we want to enable additional carbon storage in grassland soils, improve soil quality and roughage production, and enhance the sector's competitive position and appreciation by society. Through cultivation optimization, we also aim to reduce nitrate and nitrous oxide emissions and increase biodiversity above and below ground.
Financing
VLAIO - Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen
