1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Interactive Soil Quality assessment in Europe and China for Agricultural productivity and Environmental Resilience (EU-iSQAPER)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Agrochesmistry and Environment Department, University Miguel Hernandez (UMH) - Spain

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

05/05/2017

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Reference(s) to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Technologies

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Biodynamic farming is a method of farming that aims to treat the farm as a living system, based on the application of specific organic preparations which stimulate the natural functions of the farm soils and provide the necessary component towards a self-sustaining agro-ecological farm management.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Biodynamic farming is a method of farming that aims to treat the farm as a living system, based on a holistic, ecological and ethical approach. The goal is to create a farm system that is minimally dependent on imported materials. The main objective is to prepare the soil as a self-sustaining agro-ecosystem.
Generally, this approach aims to establish biodynamic agricultural management in flat peaches orchards and keep environmental sustainability in Jumilla, Murcia region (Spain).
Its specific objectives are:
(1) To enhance the agricultural production in the region and worldwide.
(2) To develop the orchard into a self-sustaining agro-ecosystem.
(3) To improve product quality and market opportunities.
Stages of implementation: (1) Changing the agricultural management of an inherited conventional orchard into more sustainable practices (2) Getting eco-labelling to sale organic food products in European markets (3) Constant improvement and maintanence practices to improve soil fertility and productivity (4) Changing to biodynamic agricultural land and obtain the certification to sell the product worldwide (5) Monitoring and evaluation including operation and maintenance.
The land user remarks that the orchard's productivity and the response against the plagues improved after the establishment of this approach, but the lack of funding makes the implement process so difficult.
Role of stakeholders:
Family members:
1. Support in management practices maintenance.
2. Help the land user in pruning, planting and harvesting time.
Demeter (International organization in biodynamics agricultural management)
1. Orchard certification.
2. Provide technical support and assistance in biodynamic agricultural management maintenance.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.4 Videos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• recent local initiative/ innovative

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

To achieve a self-sustaining agro-ecosystem.
To improve the quality of soil.
To improve the soil fertility.
To enhance the product quality.
To increase the global consumer demand for organic food.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	self-mobilization	http://www.frutasvargas.com/ Farmer user and his brothers inhertited a grapevine with conventional agricultural management. Farmer user took the decision to convert the conventional land to sustainable management.
planning	external support	http://www.demeter.es The grapevine land changed to flat peaches trees orchard with the demeter advisors monitoring.
implementation	external support	http://www.demeter.es Demeter gives the certification to sell the product like biodynamic product family in markets.
monitoring/ evaluation	external support	http://www.demeter.es To maintain the biodynamic certification the international organization Demeter makes exhaustive control.

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• field staff/ advisers

Form of training:

• farmer-to-farmer
• demonstration areas

Subjects covered:

University students groups visited the fruit orchard to learn more about the biodynamic agricultural management.

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields

Describe/ comments:

Two times per year Demeter advisors visit the fruit orchard to evaluate the biodynamic agricultural management.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, greatly

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• regional
• national

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

1ª FERIA DE AGRICULTURA BIODINAMICA DE ALBACETE (29 de abril de 2017)

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

Demeter is the responsible of maintain the biodynamic certification annually, monitoring and evaluation of the management from land user and two times per year Demeter advisors is needed to be re-certified every year.

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

No

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Yes

Specify topics:

• economics / marketing
• ecology

Give further details and indicate who did the research:

CEBAS-CSIC is a national research institution that used this biodynamic orchard to irrigation innovatives technologies.
http://www.cebas.csic.es/dep_spain/riego/riego_publi_2017.html

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• 10,000-100,000

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

The budget comes from the sales of production in regional, national and international markets. The annual budget is self-financed, there is no external financing.

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

No

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• none

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• paid in cash

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

Yes

Specify conditions (interest rate, payback, etc.):

Individual bank loan

Specify credit providers:

Bank

Specify credit receivers:

Frutas Vargas

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

No

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

The farmer implements the approach with some economic difficulties: the certification process is very expensive, the land user pays all the expenses of Demeter advisors when they visit the farm two times per year to evaluate the management. Furthermore, in order to save money in buying the costly biodynamic preparations every year, the land user decided to do the biodynamic preparations in his farm by himself.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Improvement in crop production and sales oportunities.
Sustainable farming improves the plant function and response against plagues.
Greater social recognition and money income.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Reduction of soil degradation.
Enhancement of soil fertility.

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
The implementation process requires an excessive investment of money	More production to overcome this costs.
Exhaustive training in biodynamic management to implement this practice	More practice in the biodynamic preparation is needed.
Exhaustive external control to be validated as biodynamic agricultural management	The land user make external links with research institutions in soil quality evolution.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Important reliance on sales production income to cope with all the expenses to maintain the certification yearly.	More production to overcome this costs.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

no

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

Web page

URL:

http://www.frutasvargas.com/