Author Archives: EVENOR - TECH

Bio-Babalscy – organic pasta chain preserving old varieties of cereals

Summary

The initiative of Bio-Babalscy company represents a case of the integrated value chain, and is an example of the very successful integration process resulting in strong organizational and financial synergy effects, while protecting the environmental public goods. Cooperation within the chain is largely based on mutual trust and friendly relations between farmers (grains suppliers) and the processor. Most of the seeds used by contracted farmers are provided by Bio Babalski company, closely co-operating among others with the Gene Bank in Poland. Each year on the plots on Babalski’s farm in Pokrzydowo about 70 varieties of old species of cereals are cultivated. The best species and varieties are promoted (1 hectare of land can be sown after 5-7 years from the reproduction of 100 seeds) and reproduced in order to provide seeds to other farmers. In total over 600 tons of grains are being processed annually, and the annual sales of final products reach about 350 tons. In addition to pasta and flakes also wholemeal flour, bran, and even spelt coffee are produced. All products from Bio-Babalscy company are certified as organic. Wholegrain pasta with Bio Babalscy brand, especially this made of spelt wheat, costs even 50% more than the conventional one. Nevertheless, the number of consumers who believe in quality of Bio Babalscy products is growing, assuring good prospects for the future of the company and the entire integrated supply chain. The organic farm and processing Bio-Babalscy plant are visited by about two thousand persons every year. The visitors are groups of students, farmers and consumers from all over Poland and also from abroad – all who want to see and learn how to successfully run a model eco farm and to protect environment.

Objectives

Preservation, protection and restoration of old varieties of wheat, thus supporting biodiversity and culinary heritage of the region;
Securing economic viability of farms in the Brodnica County;
Protecting environment by organic production;
Maintaining family traditions of organic production.

Public Goods

Problem description

Aleksandra and Mieczysław Babalski belong to the pioneers of organic farming in Poland. At the beginning of the 80’s Babalski decided to cultivate the land on his farm using ecological methods, based on his experience from longer stays and short visits to organic farms in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The family started farming on the area of 9 hectares of agricultural land. After conversion, his farm has been certified by the Agro Bio Test Certification Body (PL EKO 07 90001) as the first certified organic farm in Poland. In 1991 a plant for pasta production was built, which is operating along with the farm. One of the most important products of the company is wholemeal pasta, which is made from traditional, old varieities of grains.
The flour used for making pasta at “Bio Babalscy”, unlike standard flour, contains remnants of shells and peels which provide a healthy fiber. The Babalscy are passionate about ecology and environment protection. They contribute to these by producing and protecting old varieties of cereals (such as spelt, flatfish and samarium), which have unique nutritional and health values, as well as through disseminating organic methods of production. They also cultivate old varieties of fruits (mainly apples) in their orchard. In 2010, Babalski’s farm won the competition for the Best Ecological Farm in Poland in the category “Ecology and Environment”.
Since 2012 the company is a member of the Regional Network called “Culinary Heritage of Kujawy and Pomerania”, and is also engaged in the activities of the Association for Old Varieties and Breeds and Cuiavia and Pomerania Association of Ecological Producers EKOŁAN.

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Farmers in the UK will be paid to take care of the health of their soils.

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To farmers from England will be paid to take care of the floors starting next year, when the first stage of new government support payments begins under the Sustainable Agriculture Incentive (SFI).

And this is because soils are a vital store of carbon (soil carbon storage), but after larges decades of intensive plowing and the use of chemicals, much of Britain’s soils are in really poor condition. For instance, the soil organic matter in the UK is estimated to have decreased by 50% in the last 60 years, according to Future Food Solutions.

However, environmental groups (Wildlife Trusts, RSPB and National Trust) criticized the measures as insignificant and accused ministers of failing to deliver on their promises to use the UK’s exit from the EU to strengthen environmental protections and reduce the damaging impacts caused for agriculture.

Farmers will receive between £ 20 and £ 58 per hectare in England for basic measures to protect and nurture their soil, and almost all farmers are likely to be eligible to apply for the payments (subsidies), which cover bare soils on arable land in winter.

In the first phase, the government is offering £ 22 per hectare for farmers to test the soil, draw up a soil management plan and cover 70% of the soil in the winter.

They will get £ 58 per hectare if they cover 95% of their soil, with 15% herb plantations to nourish the land.

In theory, this policy wants to continue the old CAP, when farmers received between £ 2 and 3 billion a year. However, the subsidies were initially held at £ 2.4bn a year after Brexit, but will be reduced to £ 900m by the end of this parliament.

Some of the measures that farmers will have to take in exchange for payments would remain routine for many farmers, who must ensure that these measures prevent erosion and runoff, ensure that fields are covered with a crop that can return the nutrients to the normalcy.

From the CONSOLE project we want to know your opinion…
Do you think the British government’s measures are enough?

⬇️ Please, leave us your comments so that we can evaluate them ⬇️

Biodiversity monitor for ARABLE farming

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Summary

With the successes with the Biodiversity Monitor dairy farming (started in 2014 – see other Console case study), the arable farming sector has been inspired to create a Biodiversity Monitor specifically for arable farming in the Netherlands (started in 2018).The concept is similar; differences include the stakeholder coalition and KPIs.
The Biodiversity Monitor for arable farming is a result-based methodology, with a primary focus on the public good biodiversity (including strong links with soils, landscape, environment and climate). The aim of the methodology is to make biodiversity enhancing performance per arable farm measurable. In this way it becomes possible to benchmark farms and allow multiple stakeholders to appreciate and reward positive biodiversity performance. These stacked financial rewards should lead to new revenue models for ecosystem-based arable farming. As a consequence, it offers farmers action perspective to improve practices for more sustainable production. The methodology is currently being developed by WWF-NL, Branch Organization Arable Farming, province Groningen and Rabobank, in collaboration with scientists, experts, stakeholders and farmers.
The biodiversity-enhancing performance per arable farm is measured with an integrated set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The set of KPIs is currently (Jan. 2020) still under construction, but will likely include indicators on topics around emissions, inputs, soil management and nature & landscape elements on the farm. These KPIs will be selected based on multiple criteria, including their scientifically proven relation with biodiversity, connection to existing data systems (minimize extra admin), and that performance can be influenced in the short term by taking on farm measures. The KPI research, selection and piloting will be executed in 2020-2022 by scientists from Wageningen University & Research and Louis Bolk Institute, in collaboration with Boerennatuur and farmers. For each KPI, scientists will also determine threshold- and target values based on existing legislation and policies, and the best available scientific knowledge. Good performance on the integrated set of KPIs can be linked with financial rewards from multiple stakeholders. Note that the Biodiversity Monitor provides a scientifically substantiated methodology to measure biodiversity-enhancing performance per farm, while contracting parties who use this data are free to decide how they reward the farmer.
Because the research/development and piloting of KPIs is still ongoing, no contracts using the Biodiversity Monitor systems have been implemented yet. Similar to the dairy sector, the arable sector can use the Biodiversity Monitor KPIs in private-private and private- public contracts, and there is much potential for integrating it in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It is foreseen to involve multiple rewarding parties (e.g. arable produce buyers, cooperatives, banks, land leaseholders, water boards, governments) to use the Biodiversity monitor to reward and stimulate ecosystem-based arable production.

Objectives

The objective of the Biodiversity Monitor is to make biodiversity enhancing performances per arable farm measurable (using an integrated approach). This allows multiple stakeholders to financially reward positive biodiversity impacts based on unambiguous scientifically relevant results. The stacked financial rewards from multiple stakeholders, based on the same KPIs, will stimulate farmer to practice ecosystem-based arable farming. In this way, the Biodiversity Monitor stimulates the transition towards more sustainable production while enhancing biodiversity recovery, additional farmer income, and a future perspective for the arable sector.

Public Goods

Climate regulation - carbon storage — **Climate regulation – carbon storage**

Problem description

The Netherlands are among the European countries with the biggest challenge when it comes to protecting biodiversity (EEA, 2015). Populations of wild animals in the agricultural landscape decreased by 50% since 1990 (WWF-NL, 2020). These massive losses of nature are largely related to increased intensification and scale of agricultural production over the past decades.
With a 29% land share (CBS, 2019), the arable sector is one of the biggest users of agricultural land in the Netherlands and puts significant pressure on biodiversity – both on farmland and on adjacent nature areas. The arable lands are generally intensively managed with short rotations, high input levels of fertilizers, pesticides and soil tillage. This type of management threatens wildlife species such as field birds and insects. Most non-agricultural landscape elements, such as hedges and flowery corners, have disappeared during land consolidation processes for scaling.
This leaves less and less space for birds, butterflies, and other animals to forage, seek shelter and nest. Moreover, the quality of these habitats declines due to environmental pollution caused by agricultural (and other) activities. Especially nitrogen deposition and leaching causes eutrophication of soils and water, leading to losses of plant species and life in freshwater. All these practices together affect the entire wildlife food-web, leading to a massive loss of biodiversity in the agricultural landscape and beyond.
Changes in farming practices are urgently needed to stop and reverse biodiversity losses, but also to ensure the continuation of agricultural production which depends on ecosystem services (e.g. clean water and healthy soils). However, current markets provide small margins on arable produce, resulting in low income for farmers what stimulates intensification even further.
In order to create a future perspective for nature and arable farmers, new business models are required to make ecosystem-based arable farming a sustainable, profitable and attractive practice for farmers. In the light of that challenge, the Biodiversity Monitor for arable farming has been established by a multi-stakeholder coalition consisting of WWF-Netherlands, BO Akkerbouw (branch organization arable farming Netherlands), province Groningen, and Rabobank (largest agricultural financer in the Netherlands).

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EU agricultural statistics 2019

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Agriculture is one of the most important economic activities inall EU countries that receive EU funds through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

These funds support farmers directly through the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and rural areas, climate action and natural resource management through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

To give us an idea of what these funds mean, in 2019, they were spending 38.2 € billion of euros in direct payments to farmers and € 13.8 billion in rural development. Another 2.4 billion euros supported the market for agricultural products.

The CAP expenses are collected and determined by the long-term budget of the EU and aims at the contribution of a healthy and safe diet of the citizens of the member countries (link).

direct payments to farmers

€ 38.2

Billions

rural development

€13.8

Billions

Employment in this sector

The agricultural industry generated 9,476,600 jobs in 2019 and 3,769,850 jobs in food production (in 2018) and represented 1.3% of the EU’s gross domestic product in 2020.

From these data, Romania employed the largest number of people employed in the primary sector (2019), while Denmark led the number of people employed in food production in 2018.

Agricultural production in Europe

Agriculture in the EU is rich and varied in food products (dairy products, oil, cereals, etc.). Since its inception, the EU has legislated with the aim of guaranteeing the production and sale of food; as well as the standard of living of the farmers.

And to achieve this, the EU released in 2020 the Farm to Fork strategy to ensure that agricultural production is more sustainable by 2030, by eliminating pesticides, protecting pollinators, promoting biodiversity, etc.

We must emphasize that the new CAP rules, which will apply from 2023, and will transfer money from intensive agricultural practices to protect nature and reduce 10% of EU greenhouse gases emitted by agriculture.

In line with this, the chief executive of agriculture of the European Commission, Janusz Wojciechowski, commented that the reforms “foster a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector that can support farmers’ livelihoods and provide healthy and sustainable food for society, while generating significantly more in terms of the environment and climate“.

And, you can access the data of the subsidies and the benefits of the CAP in the following window. You will be able to configure both the aid and expenses in all the member countries, as well as by country.

Forest Management

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Summary

The forest management demonstration plots of the Pasaules dabas fonds (associate partner of WWF Latvia) have different owners, but their views on the forest are similar.
Here, forest owners work for the benefit of the present values while retaining the ability to exploit the vast forest values of tomorrow. There are three demonstration areas:
• “Kalna Gavniesi” in Skujene parish, Amata municipality of Vidzeme region;
• “Lejas Kleperi” in Launkalne parish, Smiltene municipality of Vidzeme region;
• “Pūpoli“, the territory forms the farm “Pūpoli” in Kurmene parish, Vecumnieki municipality and the farm “Alksnāji” in Mazzalve parish, Nereta municipality, and the farm “Renderi’ in Jaunjelgava parish, Jaunjelgava municipality of Zemgale region.

The demonstration areas differ in size, forest stand and natural conditions. Through contractual agreements (cooperation) with forest owners on a voluntary basis, seminars and internships are organized for other forest owners, students, etc. to maintain the forest and not to cut down all trees, to manage the forest in an environmentally friendly way and also to achieve economic benefits. There are about 5-10 events per year with a total number of 200-300 participants.

Purpose

To promote responsible and honest management of privately-owned forests in Latvia.

Objectives

To improve the knowledge of forest owners about responsible forest management;
To ensure the distribution of demonstration territory experience and management practice in private-owned forests.

Public Goods

Problem description

Balancing social and economic needs with nature is a challenge. The effects of climate change need to be reconciled with the characteristics of today’s market, the growing demand for wood, the preservation of biodiversity and the necessary green solutions for energy supply. Society’s needs for forests are also growing. These – the challenges of the past decade – must be addressed in a multi purpose forestry program. The education system of the forest owners, the forest workers, shall ensure the acquisition of knowledge about the adaptation of forests as a natural system and economic activity to the processes and characteristics of the natural system. Knowledge of the wide range of forest ecosystem services, public interest and business sector responsibilities. It is from the nature of the natural forest ecosystem and the public interest that the goods and services on which Latvia’s forests are based, and on what value, should be derived. Without denying the role of wood as a renewable natural resource in the economy, it is necessary to find a compromise in forest management – balancing social and economic needs with what is happening innature. It is wrong to regard forests as agricultural crops, thus equating forest management models. The average risk of forest damage is higher in silvicultural forestry than with continuous cover or selective cutting methods in forestry. Types of risk include fungal diseases, malnutrition, strong winds and rodent damage. However, the calculations of the likelihood of risk vary considerably. This is due to the fact that in the clearcut management method, the money invested to create and maintain new stands after clearing will not be recovered until the forest is felled and the timber is sold.

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“Carta del Mulino” – Barilla

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Summary

With the “Carta del Mulino”-program a value chain contract solution has been introduced for the farmers that supply Barilla’s bakery brand Mulino Bianco with soft wheat. Farmers have to respect ten rules, (defined together with WWF, UNITUSCIA and UNIBO) that affect their way of production. These rules are: ISCC PLUS certification to preserve biodiversity, crop rotation, a minimum percentage of area allocated to flowers, specific variety selection, certified seeds, no use of neonicotinoids, no use of glyphosate, segregation and traceability of the lots, lots’ storage separated from other production, added value distributed along the supply-chain. The contracts are signed by the mills, elevators, farmers and any trader if there are, but Barilla is purchasing only such certified products for the specific production lines described above.

Objectives

Increase in animal and plant biodiversity, quality products and support of farming communities

Public Goods

Problem description

Consumer preferences have reoriented toward environmentally friendly products, safety, and traceability. To deal with this change, Barilla has implemented a contract solution that links the delivery of soft wheat for the production of bread and flour confectionery (e.g. biscuits) to the provision of agri- environmental public goods.

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