In recent years we have witnessed a decline in pastoralism in Europe, which threatens the sustainability of this type of systems. We know that pastoral production systems have enormous potential to produce high-quality food such as milk and meat with high nutritional benefits, however, in the last ten years, the practice of pastoralism has decreased by between 10 and 20%.
To counteract this trend, the project was created. Grazing4Agroecology (G4AE), a project funded by European Union (EU), whose main objective is to support farmers in implementing grazing-based systems as a practice for the environment, animals, and society in order to produce healthier and more sustainable food with less impact on natural resources. G4AE It has also been implemented taking into account the objectives of Green Deal Yes EU Regarding the restoration of biodiversity, the reduction of nutrient losses and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
The project is coordinated by Greenland Center, in Germany, and will last for three and a half years, from September 2022 a February 2026. The consortium includes 18 partners from eight member states of the European Union. European UnionGermany, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Sweden.
All the project results, including practical summaries and videos about the innovations identified at European level, are available on the project website.
The thematic network of the project is based on a multi-actor approach, with farmers and representative farmer groups at its core, working in applied research, advisory/consulting and industry. Each member state has created a network of 15 national farmers, and also groups of young farmers, in order to generate an international network. In Portugal, the project is being implemented by CONSULT and by University of Évora.
After the first 18 months of work, the project presents a wide range of results, including good practices and innovations shared by the European farmers’ network. The work focuses on five agroecological principles applied to animal production systems:
- Reduce the factors of production
- Strengthening diversity and resilience
- Reducing pollution
- Preserving biodiversity
- Promoting animal welfare
Initially, farmers were invited to identify and share the biggest difficulties and innovations needed at the national level regarding livestock farming. After prioritizing the list, seven challenges and seven priority innovations were highlighted.
Main identified challenges
- Balance between economic and environmental sustainability
- Quality of soil and pastures
- Lack of market valuation of extensive production systems
- Difficulty communicating effectively
- Lack of knowledge on the part of consumers
- Unpredictability of the weather
- Imbalanced mounting supports and the reduction of these supports
Main innovations identified
- Greater valorization of extensive grazing
- Greater scrutiny of the sector by the public administration and adjustment of support, including the possibility of an operational program for the meat sector
- New techniques for supporting management
- Greater availability and accessibility to climate data and soil maps
- Construction of a method for calculating forage capacity
- Search for new markets
- Rigorous information and consumer education, with better communication from the sector
These challenges and innovations are very closely aligned with those identified in other European countries, which led the project to create a network for the sharing of innovations in the livestock sector that can be adapted to other contexts and realities.
As innovations in the livestock sector at the European level, some practices stand out, such as rotational grazing, which has several advantages such as improving soil health by allowing its regeneration, increasing forage production through the recovery of pastures, and controlling pests and diseases by interrupting the life cycle of certain parasites and diseases.
Regarding sustainability, various ideas and innovations were shared by the farmers over the last few months. G4AE. The big highlight is the need to create and promote financial support for the maintenance of biodiversity and the ecosystem services that these production systems often provide and that are “forgotten”. In Germany, a farmer can keep his farm entirely in organic and self-sufficient mode in terms of animal feed, through national funds dedicated to supporting sustainable initiatives, thus enriching the biodiversity present in his farm and making his farm more sustainable.
Throughout this first phase, the project enabled a strong exchange of knowledge among the entire network, revealing practices, ideas, and solutions that will be fundamental to the development of pastoralism in Europe. In the coming years, networking sessions will continue to be held to foster this interconnection, as well as all the research work that accompanies the project, always with the ultimate goal of reversing the decline of pastoralism in Europe, which we have witnessed in recent decades.
Extensive pastoralism, especially of ruminant animals on permanent pastures, is essential for preserving ecosystems of high ecological value, bringing benefits such as carbon sequestration, erosion control, preservation and promotion of biodiversity, and more. Moreover, extensive livestock farming plays a crucial role in the rural economy, creating jobs and preserving Portugal’s cultural identity. It is therefore important to invest in research, knowledge transfer and public policies to ensure a sustainable future for extensive livestock farming.