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)

Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through Land Care (EU-RECARE )

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

University of Padova (UNIPD) - Italy

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

05/05/2015

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

Managing land, water, plants and animals to meet the landscape restoration, climate change and food security.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Aims / objectives: Carbon farming seeks to reduce emissions in its production processes, while increasing production and sequestering carbon in the landscape. Carbon farming in the Veneto region has never been applied yet, although it might be proposed as an integrated approach to manage agricultural lands.

Methods: Several strategies can be included in the carbon farming approach, e.g. conservation agriculture, cover cropping, manure application, precision agriculture etc. All these methods have the aim to improve the rate of CO2 removed from the atmosphere and converted to soil organic matter and plant materials. As a result, the final goal is the adoption of land management practices in which carbon gains exceed carbon losses.

Stages of implementation: Carbon farming initiative has never been adopted in Italy and in the Veneto region, although it has been proposed worldwide (e.g. Australia, US). Neverthless, it might be a new way to implement low-impact agricultural activities.

Role of stakeholders: Stakeholders may be involved in the evaluation of the best practices to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere as well to increase/maintain crop productivity.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

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

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The Approach focused on SLM only

Reduce emissions in the production processes while increasing production and sequestering carbon in the landscape

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: The main problem to be addressed by this approach is the loss of soil organic matter and generally the loss of soil quality. Moreover, by adopting low-impact agricultural practices in the context of the Carbon Farming approach would favour a reduction in CO2 emissions.

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	interactive
planning	external support
implementation	external support
monitoring/ evaluation	external support
Research	interactive

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 SLM specialists, following consultation with land users

Explain:

This approach is not yet applied in Italy, but some experiences are from other countries (e.g. USA, Australia)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users
• field staff/ advisers

Subjects covered:

Climate change, sustainable land management strategies, administrative aspects, project planning and implementation.

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:

Name of method used for advisory service: Authorised advisory services, public and private; Key elements: Objectives , Project design, Administrative support

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

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

• local

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

bio-physical aspects were ad hoc monitored by land users through observations

bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements

technical aspects were regular monitored by land users through observations

socio-cultural aspects were regular monitored by government through measurements

economic / production aspects were regular monitored by land users through observations

economic / production aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through measurements

no. of land users involved aspects were regular monitored by government through observations

management of Approach aspects were regular monitored by government through observations

There were several changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: The approach should be continuously updated after continuous monitoring

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Yes

Specify topics:

• economics / marketing
• ecology
• technology

Give further details and indicate who did the research:

Research institutes, government

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• 100,000-1,000,000

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

Approach costs were met by the following donors: local government (district, county, municipality, village etc): 100.0%

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

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

Yes

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• equipment

• agricultural

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

• paid in cash

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Improvement of soil fertility (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Subsidies)

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Reducing agricultural impacts on CO2 emissions as well as increasing the SOC content (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Technical support )

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

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
SOC content in the short-term is difficult to quantify, thus restricting the abuility to demonstrate the positive impacts

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

The integration of biodiversity and climate change: A contextual assessment of the carbon farming initiative, Van Oosterzee P., 2012Carbon farming Iniitiative, Australian government - Dept. of Environment

Available from where? Costs?

climatechange.gov.au

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Carbon farming Iniitiative, Australian government - Dept. of Environment

Available from where? Costs?

climatechange.gov.au