iscussion on SLM in the field (Simone Verzandvoort)

Regional process, social innovation (Países Baixos)

Gezond Zand aanpak (Dutch)

Descrição

Social innovation for sustained soil organic matter, clean drinking water and sustainable crop production

Aims / objectives: A group of farmers cooperates with the drinking water company and aims for a more healthy soil. The sandy soil is low in organic matter. They expect that increasing the soil organic matter content will retain more nitrates in the soil, leading to a reduction in nitrate leaching and a higher nutrient availability for the crops.
Dairy farms grow grass and corn. Some farmers also produce potatoes and cereals.
Most farms deal with suboptimal moisture conditions. Increasing the soil organic matter content and improving the soil structure is expected to be a key factor in improving soil moisture content, both in dry and wet periods.
For most farmers soil biodiversity is terra incognita. During the project they will learn about the advantages of good soil fauna and how it can add to better crops.
The case study will explore management options to increase and maintain organic matter content in soil via different rotations, specific varieties of grasses and corn, cover crops and additions of organic amendments and fertilizers. Although the case study is about soil management and technology to improve soil quality, social innovation is a key objective: combining knowledge and experience of a group of neighbours and farmers within a small region and developing solutions and opportunities for the whole area.

Methods: lectures, site visits, group sessions with models (computer sessions), kitchen table interviews (interactive advice), providing relevant literature

Stages of implementation: fund raising - building support - knowledge transfer - pilots of measures - applied expert advice - launch of the foundation HOE Duurzaam - implementation of new measures - increase of nr of participants - field excursion - closing event of the project 'gezond Zand'

Role of stakeholders: Pioneer farmers : initiating and leading the project, fouding HOE Duurzaam
Other farmers : participating, implementing measures, sharing experience
VITENS Drinking water company: providing money and urgency
ROM3d : project leader, motivating farmers, intermediate between area and government
ALterra, Wageningen UR: providing knowledge

Other important information: An adjustment in the national regulations for manure application was an important driving factor for the development of the approach. Farmers were authorised to apply more manure per ha if they have 75% of their land under grassland. This criterion changed to 80% during the implementation of the approach.

Localização

Localização: Municipality of Berkelland, Netherlands, Gelderland, Países Baixos

Geo-referência de locais selecionados
  • 6.605, 52.097

Data de início: 2011

Ano de término: 2014

Tipo de abordagem
Discussion on SLM in the field (Simone Verzandvoort)
Farmer pointing at grassland with different management history (Simone Verzandvoort (Alterra, Wageningen UR))

Objetivos de aproximação e ambiente propício

Principais metas / objetivos da abordagem
The Approach focused mainly on SLM with other activities (energy, landscape conservation, recreation, drinking water)

The main aims and objectives of the approach were social innovation and social learning with regard to sustainable management of the land in the area. This implied combining knowledge and experience from scientists, neighbours and other farmers. The final goals are to improve soil quality, soil organic matter status and groundwater quality.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: Decreasing yields, problems with management (water logging, increased irrigation requirements), changed regulation ('manure derogation') that suppressed agricultural production; drinking water production expected problems with nitrate in the groundwater.
Condições que permitem a implementação da Tecnologia(s) aplicada(s) sob a Abordagem
  • Quadro jurídico (posse de terra, direitos de uso da terra e da água): The existing land ownership, land use rights / water rights greatly helped the approach implementation: Ownership made farmers stakeholder, rented land is treated less carefully; renting farmers are less motivated to change their land mmanagement.
Condições que dificultam a implementação da Tecnologia(s) aplicada(s) sob a Abordagem
  • Disponibilidade/acesso a recursos e serviços financeiros: The device to separate manure in thick and thin fractions could not have been purchased by an individual farmer. Treatment through the SLM Approach: The foundation purchased the device.
  • Quadro jurídico (posse de terra, direitos de uso da terra e da água): The exchange of manure between farms in order to comply with manure regulations is not allowed by law. Treatment through the SLM Approach: The approach searches possibilities to consider the project area as a single enterprise unit for complying with the manure regulation.
  • Conhecimento sobre GST, acesso a suporte técnico: Grass undersowing is technically complicated to implement, due to the damage that could be brought to the standing crop. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Skilled agricultural contractors were hired by the farmers jointly; the concern was releived from the individual farmers.

Participação e papel das partes interessadas envolvidas

Partes interessadas envolvidas na abordagem e seus papéis
Que partes interessadas/órgãos de implementação estavam envolvidos na abordagem? Especifique as partes interessadas Descreva o papel das partes interessadas
Usuários de terra/comunidades locais land users and the Foundation HOEduurzaam Land users not member of the Foundation, but interested to learn from the project. Foundation HOEduurzaam; 98% of the land is owned by members of the Foundation. Agricultural enterprises in the area are mainly run by men. Knowledge is exchanged a.o. during hunting activities. Mainly men attended the lectures and interactive sessions. 3 women attended in the three year period.
Especialistas em GST/ consultor agrícola Experts the drinking water company Vitens, the fertiliser companu Triferto, the Louis Bolk research Institute (agronomy) and from Wageningen UR (agronomy, plant production and soil science)
Setor privado Vitens Drinking Water Company
Governo local Municipality of Berkenwoude
Governo nacional (planejadores, responsáveis pelas decisões) Province of Gelderland From the Water board Vechstromen, Municipality Berkelland, Province of Gelderland. Mayor and counseller of the community Berkelland, Deputy of the Province of Gelderland, Ministry of Economic Affairs
the foundation HOEDuurzaam HOEDuurzaam. Drinking water company Vitens, agricultural nature association, cultural landscape heritage association
Agência líder
The approach was designed jointly by national SLM specialists from the consultancy firm ROM3D and Alterra, the land users and the Foundation HOEduurzaam (representing land users, entrepreneurs and citizens in the area). The application for funding at the Province was made by one of the land users on behalf of the land users.
Envolvimento do usuários de terra/comunidades locais nas diferentes fases da abordagem
Nenhum
Passivo
Apoio externo
Participativo
Automobilização
Iniciação/motivação
x
8 land users submitted the application for funding to the Province to implement the measures
Planejamento
x
Due to the interactive nature of the project there was no official planning. There was a sequence of knowledge supplied, testing in pilots, assess outcomes, renewed pilots and implementation of measures proven succesfull.
Implementação
x
Monitoramento/avaliação
x
Research
x
Lectures from external advisors (Peter Kuikman, Coen ter Berg, Jos Groten (Wageningen UR-PPO), Annemieke Smit (Wageningen UR-Alterra), Zwier van der Vechte (Wageningen UR Livestock Research) and calculation sessions with the HLB tool.
Fluxograma

Tomada de decisão sobre a seleção da Tecnologia GST

As decisões foram tomadas por

  • Somente usuários da terra (iniciativa própria)
  • Principalmente usuários da terra, apoiados por especialistas em GST
  • todos os atores relevantes, como parte de uma abordagem participativa
  • Principalmente especialistas em GST, após consulta com usuários da terra
  • Somente especialistas em GST
  • Políticos/líderes

As decisões foram tomadas com base em

  • Avaliação de conhecimento bem documentado de GST (tomada de decisão baseada em evidências)
  • Resultados de pesquisa
  • Experiência pessoal e opiniões (não documentado)

Suporte técnico, reforço das capacidades e gestão do conhecimento

As seguintes atividades ou serviços têm sido parte da abordagem
Reforço das capacidades/formação
Foi fornecido treinamento às seguintes partes interessadas
  • Usuários de terra
  • Equipe de campo/consultores
Tipo de formação
  • Em exercício
  • Agricultor para agricultor
  • Áreas de demonstração
  • Reuniões públicas
  • Cursos
  • advisory sessions between land users and SLM advis
Assuntos abordados

fertilisation, soil fertility, crop management

Serviço de consultoria
Foi prestado um serviço de consultoria
  • nas áreas dos usuários da terra
  • Em centros permanentes
Name of method used for advisory service: 'zitdagen'; advisory sessions between land user and consultant; Key elements: problem analysis: which fields have the largest problems and why? training sessions with the computer tool for selection of measures to improve OM status, meetings for knowledge exchange; There was also a questionnaire to inventory the measures farmers wanted to implement.

Advisory service is quite adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; The Foundation HOEduurzaam will support the continuation of SLM activities in the area.
Fortalecimento institucional
As instituições foram fortalecidas / estabelecidas
  • Não
  • Sim, pouco
  • Sim, moderadamente
  • Sim, significativamente
no seguinte nível
  • Local
  • Regional
  • Nacional
Descreva instituição, papéis e responsabilidades, membros, etc.
Tipo de apoio
  • Financeiro
  • Reforço das capacidades/ formação
  • Equipamento
  • marketing
Mais detalhes
Foundation HOEduurzaam has small financial revenues from their activities. Campsite Veldzicht rented their accommodation several times for venues of the land users and stakeholders, and will benefit from publicity around the approach to attract more visitors.
Monitoramento e avaliação
bio-physical aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: pictures of development of grass undersowing and crops bio-physical aspects were ad hoc monitored by land users, other through measurements; indicators: land users should measure OM every 4 years to get subsidies; constituents of the groundwater used to produce drinking water There were no changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: The approached worked well, so there were no changes until now. There were few changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation: Several technologies were abandoned or could not be implemented: substituting crops in rotations (less potatoes, early germinating maize varieties), use of roadside rsidues as compost (due to legal constraints) Humic acid was implemented at more fields after the first optimistic results. The early harvest of corn was not implemented, but sowing grasss underneath the corn was developed during the project.
Pesquisa
As pesquisas trataram dos seguintes tópicos
  • Sociologia
  • Economia/Marketing
  • Ecologia
  • Tecnologia

economics/marketing: cost-benefit analysis still to be performed - ROM3D and Alterra and Foundation HOEduurzaam
technology: continued search for new methods and measures; mapping the status of soil organic matter and soil organic matter balance calculations with a tool - Alterra, ROM3 and Foundation HOEduurzaam

Research was carried out both on station and on-farm

Financiamento e apoio material externo

Orçamento anual em USD para o componente GST
  • < 2.000
  • 2.000-10.000
  • 10.000-100.000
  • 100.000-1.000.000
  • > 1.000.000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Approach costs were met by the following donors: international (European Fund for Rural Development and the EU FP7 RECARE project): 5.0%; government (Ministry of Economic Affairs ): 40.0%; private sector (Vitens drinking water company): 10.0%; local government (district, county, municipality, village etc) (Province of Gelderland (100-350 €/ha) - subsidy regulation for sustainable soil management): 35.0%; local community / land user(s) (labour, time investment, seeds, materials): 5.0%; other (own contributions research and consultancy firms (Alterra, ROM3D)): 5.0%
Os seguintes serviços ou incentivos foram fornecidos aos usuários de terras
  • Apoio financeiro/material concedido aos usuários da terra
  • Subsídios para insumos específicos
  • Crédito
  • Outros incentivos ou instrumentos
Apoio financeiro/material concedido aos usuários da terra
Parcialmente financiado
Totalmente financiado
Equipamento: Maquinário

Manure separator

x
Agrícola: Sementes

x
Human acids

x

A mão-de-obra dos usuários da terra foi

Análise de impactos e declarações finais

Impactos da abordagem
Não
Sim, pouco
Sim, moderadamente
Sim, significativamente
A abordagem auxiliou os usuários da terra a implementar e manter as tecnologias de GST?

Farmers are more concerned about soil and organic matter, they understand that they have options to improve and make choices in implementation of measures. Some measures need coordination at the aera level (e.g. the use of goat manure and roadside residues), those were not implemented yet, but small scale mearsures are becoming more common.

x
A abordagem concedeu autonomia aos grupos social e economicamente desfavorecidos?

no socially and economically disadvantaged groups in this area

x
A abordagem melhorou as questões de posse de terra/diretos do usuário que inibiam a implementação das tecnologias de GST?

Ownership of the land made it possible for the farmers to decide what management was implemented. Hindering: when fields were rented by farmers outside the area/project, poor management of the soil decreased the soil organic matter content.

x
Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?

x
Principal motivação dos usuários da terra para implementar a GST
Atividades de sustentabilidade de abordagem
Os usuários da terra podem sustentar o que foi implementado através da Abordagem (sem apoio externo)?

The Foundation HOEduurzaam will continue to act in the area. For the next 10 years measures will be part of the subsidy grant.

Conclusões e experiências adquiridas

Pontos fortes: visão do usuário de terra
  • Farmers are positive about the information provision on the measures in the informatoin sessions, by their mutual exchange of information, and through the direct contact with experts. They expect the measures to increase the soil organic matter and yields, also through an improved bearing capacity of the soil. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Continued exchange of information on measures to increase SOM between the farmers themselves, subsidy to finance the measures (either through the regional government or the dairy company).)
Pontos fortes: a visão do/a compilador/a ou de outra pessoa capacitada
  • 1. social innovation by working together and learning from each other
    2. HOEduurzaam (foundation) represents 98% of the land owners and land users in the area, and is an important stakeholder for the local /regional goverment
    3. all training was specifically designed for the group
    4. HOEduurzaam is also active in the Energie-marke, a local renewable energy cooperative (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: continuing the approach, Foundation HOEduurzaam remaining active, follow-up projects to monitor effects of measures to stimulate farmers to continue to implement the measures. )
Pontos fracos/desvantagens/riscos: visão do usuário de terracomo superar
  • No disadvantages to the approach were mentioned by the land users. not applicable
Pontos fracos/desvantagens/riscos: a visão do/a compilador/a ou de outra pessoa capacitadacomo superar
  • 1. support of the measures by consultants was only 2 years, whereas the effects on SOM are only perceptable after 10 years
    2. Foundation HOEduurzaam does not have a soil expert Bring attention to production and water use.

Referências

Compilador/a
  • Simone Verzandvoort
Editores
Revisor
  • Fabian Ottiger
Data da documentação: 18 de Setembro de 2014
Última atualização: 7 de Julho de 2017
Pessoas capacitadas
Descrição completa no banco de dados do WOCAT
Dados GST vinculados
A documentação foi facilitada por
Instituição Projeto
Referências-chave
  • website of the Foundation HOEduurzaamW.A. Rienks en H. Leever, 2014. Gezond Zand – organische stof als sleutel voor een vruchtbare bodem en schoon water.: http://www.hoeduurzaam.nl http://www.hoeduurzaam.nl/images/gallery/nieuws/Brochure/BrochureHoeduurzaam%20Definitief.pdf
  • W.A. Rienks en H. Leever, 2014. Gezond Zand – organische stof als sleutel voor een vruchtbare bodem en schoon water.: http://www.hoeduurzaam.nl/images/gallery/nieuws/Brochure/BrochureHoeduurzaam%20Definitief.pdf
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International