Research project Climate actions with economic potential on farm

Complete KLIMREK 01/09/2019 → 31/08/2023

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Veerle Van linden

onderzoeker ILVO

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General introduction

Within the Klimrek project (Vlaio-LA, 2019-2023), a first series of Flemish farms and growers have been individually guided to take feasible climate-smart measures. Climate smart measures reduce net greenhouse gas emissions or make the farm more climate resilient. Like other sectors of society, agriculture needs to drastically reduce its overall climate impact. An important starting point of the project was that the diversity between sectors and between individual farms and growers is so great that an individual user-friendly approach was required, and that the measurability and prioritization of efforts would be essential. Future rollout of the elaborated method is now assured.

Research approach

The approach is structured as follows: Each climate trajectory consists of a climate scan and a climate course. Currently, the three largest sectors have a climate trajector (dairy farming, arable farming with potatoes and pig farming). The climate scan shows the current climate status of the farm and points for improvement. The climate course leads the farmer to implement climate-smart measures on the farm. Possible climate measures are weighed on environmental gain, economic and practical feasibility. In addition to individual guidance, the farmers also receive group follow-up in learning networks.
Specifically, an expert (a climate consultant) visits the farm. Using all farm-specific data, he or she makes an on-the-spot screening (climate scan) that reveals where the climate impacts are. The scan method is developed per sector on the basis of a life cycle analysis (LCA). In a second visit, the consultant presents calculated scenarios along with a cost-benefit analysis. The climate 'course' shows the appropriate climate measures that make the company most climate-friendly and/or climate-robust. Climate measures are implemented step by step. There are annual follow-ups and evolution measurements.

Relevance/Valorization

The three KLIMREK partners (ILVO, Boerenbond and VITO) were able to achieve significant improvements in terms of climate approach among dairy farmers, pig farmers, and arable farmers with potatoes in the cropping plan. KLIMREK was immediately followed up in 2023 with the Klimrek-T project (Blue Deal, 2023-2026). Within that new project, ILVO, Boerenbond, PCG and PCFruit develop climate and water pathways for outdoor vegetable and fruit growers. When KLIMREK ended, 40 unique dairy farms were supervised over several years, plus 15 unique arable farms and 10 unique pig farms. This provided uniquely useful insights for the sectors, which can now roll out further. Although the scanned farms performed strongly on average in terms of climate, there is still ample improvement potential in all three sectors. An additional 70 consultants have been trained across the three sectors.

The Flemish government will now include KLIMREK in its subsidized AKIS consultancy and the KLIMREK project will continue as a partnership between the research parties and the sector.