Ressource efficiency

Compared to high input systems of agriculture organic farming has lower area productivity. Whereas its positive effects on biodiversity and its lower energy use per area are obvious. In many production steps resource efficiency in energy use and in environmental issues are not clear and options for possible improvements by management are not analysed.

Ongoing projects

Nememerge

The EU joint project NEM-EMERGE is concerned with the spread of plant-damaging nematodes and its suppression in soils. Resistance in crops is endangered by further rising temperatures. In one of the work packages of the project, The Julius Kühn-Institute and the Thünen-Institute are working with field and vessel experiments to determine whether the soil microbiome can be influenced by biological processes in such a way that it is effective against the nematodes.

OrganicYieldsUp

The joint project OrganicYieldsUp focusses on the yield gap between organic and conventional arable farming. The participating European reseach and advisory intitutions collect data from trials and from organic farms to describe the current yield level and the effect of different measures on the yields in different soil-climate regions. On organic lighthouse farms in all participating countries we discuss future yield increasing strategies with a broad range of stakeholders.

Establishment of a silvoarable agroforestry system for the production of high value timber

This project focuses on the investigation of a newly established agroforestry system for the production of valuable timber on arable land. Agroforestry systems offer great potential to promote climate, biodiversity and water protection on agricultural land. In the new trial, we want to investigate yield formation and the aforementioned ecological synergies in the long term. In the establishment phase, we are focusing on the development of the various tree species, the control of accompanying flora and protection against wildlife and voles.

RindforNet

In the joint project "Research Network on Cattle in Schleswig-Holstein" questions of digitalisation in dairy cattle husbandry, in pasture management, in monitoring udder health and in the use of climate assessment tools are highlighted. The five research and advisory organisations with dairy cattle testing stations (two organic, three conventional) based in Schleswig-Holstein are pooling their know-how and capacities here.

CatchHedge - Carbon sequestration of hedgerows and field copses

Hedgerows contribute to mitigating climate change - new plantings of hedgerows on arable land have great potential to contribute to climate protection. Hedgerows store nearly as much carbon per hectare as forests.

LandLessFood_blue - Concept for a sustainable global food system in 2100

For a world without hunger and the protection of our environment, new concepts for the global food system are necessary. In the project "LandLessFood_blue", among other things, the potential of bioreactors as components of a sustainable agricultural system will be investigated.

Finished projects

Small robots for smart organic farming

The joint project aims at innovations through robot support in the management of organic farms, e.g. in the protection of poultry from birds of prey, in grassland management and in weed control.

Soils as Carbon Sink - Business Models for Climate Goals

Agricultural soils have high potential to bind additional carbon and can contribute to climate protection. Preserving and enrichment of humus will protect or build up soil fertility. How farmers can adapt their cropland management and how they might be might be paid for this eco-service is analysed in the INTERREG project ‘Carbon Farming’ with participation of the Thünen Institute of Organic Farming.

Green house gas impact of Norwegian milk

Due to site and climate conditions milk production in North Scandinavia is special. In the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal organic and conventional dairy farming is based on grassland. Concentrates are generally imported in the farms. Grazing is not only done on the cultivated farm area and pastures, but often also semi natural grassland and rangelands in the mountains. The Norwegian research project ENVIROMILK is addressing the sustainability of 20 organic and conventional dairy farms in this region by analysing and modelling nutrient flows, energy use, economy and climate gasses.

Grassland and phosphorous flows - mobilisation by growth

Phosphorous is a finite resource. Soil reserves must be used more efficient. Due to its high biological activity grassland is particularly important for the phosphorous cycle of farms.

The animal as driver for changes in farm management

In the German network of organic and conventional pilot farms we analyse animal welfare and the use of veterinary drugs in dairying. These are important aspects of sustainability which we combine with parameters of environmental performance and resource efficiency.

Optimized sustainable pasture utilisation of the semi-arid savanna in the Kalahari

Grazing is still the most important utilisation of the vast semi-arid savannas of Afrika. This areas are endagered due to climate change and not sustainable herd management (degradation and desertification). With measures of organic farming and holostic management we try to increase the natural biomass production and therefore the production of meat in kg per hectare and year. This will result in better profitability and performance of grassland farming.

LandLessFood-concept

To guarantee food security until the year 2100 and protect the environment, new concepts for the global food system are necessary. In this project the potential of bioreactors as components of circular, sustainable agricultural systems is investigated.

Climate change impacts and sustainability of farming systems

Agricultural activities of farms and the activities’ contributions to climate change are highly complex. Organic and conventional farms are different in methods, input and yield level. It is unknown if and how environmental effects and sustainability of farms differ systematically with respect to farming system and region. Climate [change] impacts of agricultural production in 80 organic and conventional dairy farms and cash crop farms in Germany are analyzed and modelled.

How you measure emissions from open stable systems

Open stable systems with open yards are used in organic cattle farming. Until now, emission factors for open yards of cattle barns respectively dairy barns do not exist in Germany. For an objective evaluation of the emissions, which is necessary for proceedings on the granting of building permission, these data are strongly needed.

Grassland conversion to arable land and greenhouse gas emissions

Conversion of grassland to arable land induces enhanced emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. What is the magnitude of these enhanced emissions and can they be counteracted by avoiding soil tillage during conversion? These questions are tackled in two field studies in North-Rhine Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein.