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Soil-Improving Cropping Systems for Sustainable and Profitable Farming in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Rudi Hessel

    (Wageningen Environmental Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Guido Wyseure

    (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Ioanna S. Panagea

    (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Abdallah Alaoui

    (Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012 Bern, Switzerland)

  • Mark S. Reed

    (Centre for Rural Economy, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
    Thriving Natural Capital Challenge Centre, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), King’s Buildings, W Mains Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK)

  • Hedwig van Delden

    (Research Institute for Knowledge Systems (RIKS), Hertogsingel 11A, 6211 NC Maastricht, The Netherlands)

  • Melanie Muro

    (Milieu Consulting SRL, Chau. de Charleroi 112, 1060 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Jane Mills

    (Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 4AZ, UK)

  • Oene Oenema

    (Wageningen Environmental Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Francisco Areal

    (Centre for Rural Economy, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK)

  • Erik van den Elsen

    (Wageningen Environmental Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Simone Verzandvoort

    (Wageningen Environmental Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Falentijn Assinck

    (Wageningen Environmental Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Annemie Elsen

    (Bodemkundige Dienst van België, Willem de Croylaan 48, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium)

  • Jerzy Lipiec

    (Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland)

  • Aristeidis Koutroulis

    (School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Akrotiri Campus, Chania 731 00, Crete, Greece)

  • Lilian O’Sullivan

    (Teagasc, Environment, Crops, Environment & Land Use Programme, Johnstown Castle, Co., Y35 TC97 Wexford, Ireland)

  • Martin A. Bolinder

    (Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7044, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Luuk Fleskens

    (Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Ellen Kandeler

    (Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Biology Department, University of Hohenheim, Emil Wolff Str. 27, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany)

  • Luca Montanarella

    (Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Via E. Fermi, 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy)

  • Marius Heinen

    (Wageningen Environmental Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Zoltan Toth

    (Georgikon Campus Keszthely, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary)

  • Moritz Hallama

    (Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Biology Department, University of Hohenheim, Emil Wolff Str. 27, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany)

  • Julián Cuevas

    (Agronomy Department, CeiA3, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain)

  • Jantiene E. M. Baartman

    (Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Ilaria Piccoli

    (Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy)

  • Tommy Dalgaard

    (Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark)

  • Jannes Stolte

    (Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås, Norway)

  • Jasmine E. Black

    (Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 4AZ, UK)

  • Charlotte-Anne Chivers

    (Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 4AZ, UK)

Abstract

Soils form the basis for agricultural production and other ecosystem services, and soil management should aim at improving their quality and resilience. Within the SoilCare project, the concept of soil-improving cropping systems (SICS) was developed as a holistic approach to facilitate the adoption of soil management that is sustainable and profitable. SICS selected with stakeholders were monitored and evaluated for environmental, sociocultural, and economic effects to determine profitability and sustainability. Monitoring results were upscaled to European level using modelling and Europe-wide data, and a mapping tool was developed to assist in selection of appropriate SICS across Europe. Furthermore, biophysical, sociocultural, economic, and policy reasons for (non)adoption were studied. Results at the plot/farm scale showed a small positive impact of SICS on environment and soil, no effect on sustainability, and small negative impacts on economic and sociocultural dimensions. Modelling showed that different SICS had different impacts across Europe—indicating the importance of understanding local dynamics in Europe-wide assessments. Work on adoption of SICS confirmed the role economic considerations play in the uptake of SICS, but also highlighted social factors such as trust. The project’s results underlined the need for policies that support and enable a transition to more sustainable agricultural practices in a coherent way.

Suggested Citation

  • Rudi Hessel & Guido Wyseure & Ioanna S. Panagea & Abdallah Alaoui & Mark S. Reed & Hedwig van Delden & Melanie Muro & Jane Mills & Oene Oenema & Francisco Areal & Erik van den Elsen & Simone Verzandvo, 2022. "Soil-Improving Cropping Systems for Sustainable and Profitable Farming in Europe," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-27, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:6:p:780-:d:823687
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohamed Moncef Serbaji & Moncef Bouaziz & Okba Weslati, 2023. "Soil Water Erosion Modeling in Tunisia Using RUSLE and GIS Integrated Approaches and Geospatial Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Jantiene E. M. Baartman & Joao Pedro Nunes & Hedwig van Delden & Roel Vanhout & Luuk Fleskens, 2022. "The Effects of Soil Improving Cropping Systems (SICS) on Soil Erosion and Soil Organic Carbon Stocks across Europe: A Simulation Study," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-28, June.
    3. Abdallah Alaoui & Moritz Hallama & Roger Bär & Ioanna Panagea & Felicitas Bachmann & Carola Pekrun & Luuk Fleskens & Ellen Kandeler & Rudi Hessel, 2022. "A New Framework to Assess Sustainability of Soil Improving Cropping Systems in Europe," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-15, May.

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