SENSE

Synergies in integrated systems: Improving resource use efficiency while mitigating GHG emissions through well-informed decisions about circularity

Challenge

Specialization, intensification and spatial separation of crop, livestock and forestry production systems have contributed to climate change and biodiversity loss. Integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems offer multiple opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production systems. Circular systems have been proposed to increase resource use efficiency, particularly of scarce nutrients, in a more sustainable way than conventional systems. Therefore, bringing in circularity contributes to minimizing the environmental footprint of agriculture. A clear picture of potential synergies and trade-offs is required before prioritizing solutions.

Approach

SENSE will develop a matrix of (existing) indicators for effective quantification of the status of circularity within various integrated system case studies in four European countries (Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and UK) and three South American countries (Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay). Contrasting scenarios of carbon, nutrients, water, and biomass flows will be simulated in the case studies through the application of process-based models such as manure-DNDC. This analysis will return the predictions trajectories at farm level to redesign systems towards more complete local circularity within crop-livestock-forestry integrated systems. We will compare the circularity scenarios according to their potential for mitigating greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Further, the resilience of farm systems under climate change will be compared for the scenarios using a probabilistic risk analysis approach. At farm level, we will evaluate their side effects on other societal goals based on multidimensional sustainability assessment tools. SENSE will demonstrate a novel solution for improved land management systems, building knowledge through the linkage between sensors and High-Performance Computing (HPC)-based data analysis, supported by modelling and visualization to meet farmer’s information needs to attain net zero GHG emissions. We will test a novel digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MVR) system developed by James Hutton Institute and its application in quantifying and mitigating GHG emissions. We will compare and discuss our cases including with the participating farmers at different levels of detail, through both circularity and ecological functioning indicators to discover general lessons for enhancing circularity at the farm level.

Coordinator

The James Hutton Institute, UK

Dr Jagadeesh Yeluripati

Project Partners

Stichting Wageningen Research, The Netherlands

University of Hohenheim, Germany

Demeter e.V., Germany

Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agrarian, Italy

Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Brazil

National Institute of Agropecuarian Technology, Argentina

Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, Uruguay

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology -

University of Bristol, UK

Project Duration

1 March 2022- 28 February 2025