Agricultural measures to decrease nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea
The agricultural nutrient load to the Baltic Sea must be reduced and innovations within the agricultural sector are needed, both in planning and in implementation of the agricultural measures. The reasonable adaptations in farm management helps to achieve better results in terms of environmental impact. Environmentally friendly agricultural practices are an essential component of the work done in the Baltic Compass Work Package 3 (WP3).Baltic Compass WP3 aims to identify and communicate the best practice utilization examples and innovations in management, business and technology in the Baltic Sea Region. The project will apply a multiple benefit analysis on best available practices and selection of counter-measures to reduce pollution from agriculture. The purpose of the work is to introduce a broader systemic approach in the selection of counter measures, and thus provide strengthened decision support in designing future counter measure action programs and packages.
The major deliverable from Baltic Compass WP3 is an Atlas of measures to reduce runoff that are suitable for different conditions around the Baltic Sea Region. The Atlas will consist of case farms with practical examples of best practice, policy analysis of obstacles in the implementation of measures.
Permanent grasslands and vegetative cover in winter of arable land can reduce nitrogen leaching.
The work began in 2010 when Baltic Compass delivered a list of Best Available Practices (BAP) and Best Available Techniques (BAT). The BAP consists of 12 major headings and altogether lists 25 measures to reduce the nutrient runoff from agriculture. These measures are implemented differently around the Baltic Sea region and Baltic Compass aims to gather country-level reports in order to compare and analyse specific information about how, why and to what extent various measurements are implemented in the different BSR countries.The selected measures aim to produce a positive environmental effect, but they also need to be economically justifiable and practicable. Lessons about economic impact and applicability of the measure on farm level will be collected from a network of case farms. These are both virtual and real farms located around the Baltic Sea Region and having different environmental conditions and covering different production types. To date, the case farms have mostly been selected and the next step is to organise advisory visits to each farm to discuss the selection of measures. The farmers and the advisory team will discuss and list measures already implemented, measures of interest and those not of interest.
To get new dimensions of the Best Available Practices it is very important to get in touch with farmers and information on what motivates them to undertake environmentally friendly measures, since it is farmers’ willingness to adopt the new sustainable measures that will make a difference in the long run. The Case farms and advisory visits will also provide tools and information for future farmers and financiers to assess and implement best practice investments and measures, and furthermore will also bring new dimensions for necessary changes to be made to increase motivation to implement additional measures.
The work done by WP3 will be combined with that of WP 5 and WP 6, to create integrated tasks across the Baltic Compass project. WP6 will state the possibilities and obstacles in the implementation of measures from authorities’ points of view. They will also develop methodologies for the introduction of best practices, and management and innovative solutions in the framework of different policies. WP5 will test and validate the best practices through test cases combining practical measures and modelling exercises in selected Pilot Areas.
Storage and spreading of manure can in many cases be significally improved to prevent nitrogen and phosphorus losses.
