Call: Section 2 – Multitopics 2021

Thematic Area 2-Farming systems:

Topic 2.2.1 (RIA) Up-scaling field practices based on agroecological practices to increase ecosystem
services and biodiversity, to adapt the small farming systems to climate change and to increase farmers incomes

Challenge

Loss of biodiversity in the Mediterranean Region has been increasingly affected by unsustainable agricultural practices (i.e. monoculture and over-tilling) that negatively affect the environment and crop yields, increase soil degradation, water over-exploitation and contamination, leaching and overuse of agriculture inputs (e.g. fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides). These negative impacts over impose the detrimental effects on farming system productivity due to climate change. There is, therefore, an urgent demand to find new practices that are respectful to the environment, enhance the biodiversity in the agro-systems, increase the benefits of the ecosystem services provided by sustainable agriculture and be able to respond to the increasing environmental threats effectively. This calls for improving the resilience of the farming community to better adapt to climate change, increase profitability, and mitigate environmental risks. Several agriculture practices and methodologies have been identified and adopted under the notion of circular agriculture and have shown to have a positive impact on the mitigation of Climate change. For example, regenerative agriculture, and permaculture showed positive applications improving ecosystem services through increasing biodiversity and farmers’ incomes around the Mediterranean.

Scope

The call focuses on introducing sustainable farming practices to increase the resilience of the agro livelihood system based on agroecological principles, such as regenerative agriculture and permaculture, through recommended methodologies amongst farming communities that contribute to the zero-pollution ambition. Proposals must have a systemic approach (not focusing only on a component of the system, such as soil). Proposals must adopt agroecological or permaculture practices. They should encourage the use of functional biodiversity new and environmentally-friendly techniques for pest management and weeds control, no/minimum tillage and land cover management (control of soil erosion, soil quality, soil health, soil microbiological composition and composting increase carbon sequestration). The reintroduction of local varieties/breeds, or old varieties better adapted to climate change and Mediterranean conditions (water shortage, pest attacks, low soil fertility) is strongly encouraged.

Under the notion of agroecology, projects should take care of the reduction of entrants and consider the development of new cropping systems according to the specificity of Mediterranean ecosystem assets and vulnerabilities. The proposed solutions must be adapted to local conditions. They should integrate the zero-pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment and the reduction of greenhouse gases to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 as proposed in the EU Green Deal. In parallel, it is crucial to demonstrate the socio-economic benefits for the farmers (incomes, yields, price of the products, raw or transformed) when using sustainable farming practices. Within this holistic context, short value chain development, valorisation of the local products, certification mechanisms can be considered, as well as new organisational models for resource-sharing among the farmers that lead to a more resilient community. The research and approach should tackle technical and social challenges in the context of small-holder farmers, and identify mechanisms to measure impact assessing a triple bottom line approach on the farmer, i.e. economic, social, and environmental. Activities should be implemented in living labs and demo sites, including a cost‐benefit assessment of the tested models, which addresses the different dimensions of sustainability and promotes inclusive and sustainable rural development, with a specific focus on poverty eradication, women’s empowerment and youth employment.

Expected Impacts

• More sustainable agriculture and food production system with more efficient use of natural resources and better climate change resilience/adaptation and, when possible, mitigation.
• Improved economic and social resilience of Mediterranean smallholder farming systems to climate change
• Contribution to the zero waste farming systems target There is no mention of waste reduction in the text
• Decreasing use of chemical inputs and development of alternative solutions (new bio-based products, new techniques and policies)
• Increasing income of the farmers from biodiversity use, improved farming techniques and improved certification of products
• Engaged youth, empowered women.
• Encouraged consumption of food produced using more sustainable practices, e.g. in schools through EU green public procurement.

Key performance indicators

• Number of innovations in farming systems developed, enabling sustainable and efficient agriculture and food systems.
• Increase in Incomes of smallholders adopting innovations developed in PRIMA projects

Links with EU Policies

The proposal should indicate linkages to relevant EU policies and objectives in the context of the EU Green Deal and relevant Horizon Europe Missions and Partnerships[7]

• Farm to Fork Strategy^[8]
• Farm to Fork Strategy^[9]
• Biodiversity Strategy^[10]
• Horizon Europe Mission on Soil Health and Food^[11]
• European Partnership Water Security for the Planet (Water4All)
• European Partnership accelerating farming systems transition: agroecology living labs and research infrastructures
• European Partnership Agriculture of data
• European Partnership for Safe and Sustainable Food Systems
• European Partnership for rescuing biodiversity to safeguard life on Earth

Links with SDGs

• Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
• Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
• Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse