Quaranta, G., & Salvia, R. (2014). Using indicators to inform agricultural decision making. FACCE MACSUR Mid-term Scientific Conference, 3(S) Sassari, Italy.
Abstract: Most farmers carry out several types of activity of their land (different crops or livestock) and use a wide range of agricultural techniques. They often need to address one of the following questions. How would the economic returns from my various activities be affected by using production practices which have different effects on soil conservation or degradation? How would the economic returns from these activities change, if the product price and/or subsidies structure and/or input costs changed? ManPrAs is a tool for Agricultural Management Practices Assessment developed. It is a method, to assess the sustainability of different agricultural practices by combining their soil conservation index (SCI) with their economic results (Gross Margin-GM). It also simulates the impact of alternative crops and management techniques on soil degradation, farm profitability and other socio-economic aspects. ManPrAs is strongly user-orientated and is a powerful simulation tool for farmers and stakeholders involved in land management.
|
Van den Pol-van Dasselaar, A. (2014). Stakeholder consultation on functions of grasslands in Europe. FACCE MACSUR Mid-term Scientific Conference, 3(S) Sassari, Italy.
Abstract: Active participation of stakeholders was one of the key objectives of the FP7-funded project MultiSward (Grant Agreement n° FP7-244983). MultiSward aimed to increase the reliance of farmers on grasslands and on multi-species swards for competitive and sustainable ruminant production systems. Stakeholders were consulted via international and national meetings. Furthermore, an on-line questionnaire on the functions of grasslands was developed in eight languages and almost 2000 valid responses were obtained from European stakeholders. All of the stakeholder groups that were identified as being important in the stakeholder analysis responded to the questionnaire: primary producers, policy makers, researchers, advisors, NGO’s (for nature conservation and for protection of the environment), industry (mainly processing and seed industry) and education. This method of stakeholder consultation will be illustrated using the results on appreciation of the following functions of grasslands: adaptation to climate change, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration.
|
Wilson, A. J., & Gubbins, S. (2014). Modelling interactions between climate and livestock pathogen transmission. FACCE MACSUR Mid-term Scientific Conference, 3(S) Sassari, Italy.
Abstract: Climate affects the transmission of livestock pathogens via multiple direct and indirect pathways. The impact of climate change on livestock pathogens is therefore complex and difficult to predict. Recent improvements in the availability of climatic data, the accumulation of epidemiological data and the development of Bayesian methodologies allow improved inferences to be made about the responses of pathogens to climate change. We discuss recent studies demonstrating these principles and present a proposal for future work using an extensively validated model for the transmission of bluetongue virus to forecast the potential consequences of predicted environmental changes to the expected impact of the disease and efficacy of current control strategies under a range of incursion scenarios.
|
Lehtonen, H. S., Kässi, P., Korhonen, P., Niskanen, O., Rötter, R., Palosuo, T., et al. (2014). Specific problems and solutions in climate change adaptation in North Savo region. FACCE MACSUR Mid-term Scientific Conference, 3(S) Sassari, Italy.
Abstract: Crop production for feed dominates land use in North Savo in eastern Finland. The value of dairy and beef production is appr. 70 % of the total value of agricultural production of the region. In climate change adaptation research we are especially interested in dairy and meat sectors, which are directly dependent on the development of productivity of crop production. Climate change implies changes in cereals and forage crop yields and nutritive quality. There are most likely increasing problems and risks related to overwintering and growing periods. Grass silage is mainly self-produced on farms and most often there is no market for silage. Silage production and use are vulnerable to changes in local climate, because lost yield cannot be easily replaced from market. Risks and costs due to increasing inter-annual yield volatility can be reduced by good management practices, such as crop rotation, plant protection, soil improvements and better crop protection against plant diseases.However the profitability of such measures is dependent on market and policy conditions. Nevertheless new cultivars and species, as well as various options for production and risk management, are most likely needed in future climate. Some adaptations may have multiple benefits which however may realize only in medium or long run. It is important to safeguard the most important and obviously needed adaptations, and identify market and socio-economic conditions which inhibit farmers from necessary adaptations and lead to reduced productivity and increased production costs.
|
Lehtonen, H. S., Kässi, P., Korhonen, P., Niskanen, O., Rötter, R., Palosuo, T., et al. (2014). Problems and opportunities in climate change adaptation in North Savo region. FACCE MACSUR Mid-term Scientific Conference, 3(S) Sassari, Italy.
Abstract: Crop production for feed dominates land use in North Savo in eastern Finland. The value of dairy and beef production is appr. 70 % of the total value of agricultural production of the region. In climate change adaptation research we are especially interested in dairy and meat sectors, which are directly dependent on the development of productivity of crop production. Climate change implies changes in cereals and forage crop yields and nutritive quality. There are most likely increasing problems and risks related to overwintering and growing periods. Grass silage is mainly self-produced on farms and most often there is no market for silage. Silage production and use are vulnerable to changes in local climate, because lost yield cannot be easily replaced from market. Risks and costs due to increasing inter-annual yield volatility can be reduced by good management practices, such as crop rotation, plant protection, soil improvements and better crop protection against plant diseases.However the profitability of such measures is dependent on market and policy conditions. Nevertheless new cultivars and species, as well as various options for production and risk management, are most likely needed in future climate. Some adaptations may have multiple benefits which however may realize only in medium or long run. It is important to safeguard the most important and obviously needed adaptations, and identify market and socio-economic conditions which inhibit farmers from necessary adaptations and lead to reduced productivity and increased production costs.
|
