EIP-AGRI Focus Group on Water & Agriculture 1st meeting

Farmers, foresters, advisers, researchers, agribusinesses, NGOs, register to the EIP-AGRI website and become a member of the EIP-AGRI network.

As a registered member you will be able to get the most out of the website- sharing and searching for innovative ideas, practices and research projects. This networking tool means you can search, exchange and gather information with co-workers from across Europe. It may even be the start of a new partnership, project, or business.

As more and more people join the EIP-AGRI network, the EIP-AGRI website will gradually become a one-stop-shop for agricultural innovation in Europe.

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What farm level adaptation strategies exist or can be developed to deal with water scarcity?

This Focus Group is ongoing.

Tasks:

• Make an inventory of competitive farming management practices and strategies which are currently available and/or adopted to tackle water scarcity at farm/local level in the EU. How will they cushion against feed and food insecurity and rural vulnerability? What working examples can be found in the EU?
• List promising alternative and cost effective, competitive (novel) crops and/or cropping/livestock/agricultural systems that are able to deal with water scarcity.
• Assess the potential for soil and landscape management to improve water holding capacity.
• Identify the success (or the fail) factors (financial, environmental, societal…) concerning the transferability of adaptive strategies beyond the farm/local boundaries as well as to farms in different European regions.
• Identify needs from practice and possible gaps in knowledge on particular issues concerning adaptation(s) to water scarcity which may be solved by further research.
• Identify the main challenges farmers have to face when changing "business as usual" to counter the effects of water scarcity due to changing rainfall regimes.
• Discuss the following questions: Are the local Agricultural and Innovation Systems sufficiently equipped to discuss adaptation strategies with farmers? What active role for extension services, training systems, information campaigns? Who shall initiate an "adaptation strategy"? What role for the (innovative) farmer? Can advisers play a role? How/when can they provide support?
• Propose potential innovative actions to stimulate the knowledge and use of adaptation measures/strategies to water scarcity and to multiply positive effects within the agricultural sector.