Duurzame landbouw Sterk platteland
OPROEP voor internationaal uitwisselen:
Recently I completed several sustainable dairy farming projects in the Netherlands and I am keen to make an English write-up about those experiences. I am now looking for an appropriate forum and opportunity to do so.
My main message is that provided you create a stimulating environment, create awareness about the possible financial gains, stimulate learning (= exchange of experiences and farmer knowledge, learn to observe what is going on at the farm related to the cows, manure quality, pasture production and soil quality, to learn about the benefits of optimizing and unlearn the maximizing mantra, learn about the importance of product quality instead of quantity) among farmers in study group setting, input practical knowledge from experts and make the effects (both ecological and economic) of the measures visible (using the nutrient cycle tool), farmers are quit prepared and able to adjust their farming practises in a sustainable way. This made us, while implementing the projects, more active in involving supervisors of advisors, representatives of farmer organisations and invite policy makers to attend farmer meetings.
However scaling up is still hampered by inconsistency in policy and conflicting advises (sometimes even stubbornness) and the search for (short term) financial gains from the advisors who surround them. Also existing farm structures, heavy debts and (too) low milk prices make that not all dairy farmers are keen to leave the beaten track.
The good news however is that the nutrient cycle tool, which we used in all our projects, made them go in a direction which is also favourable for reducing GHG’s. And hence attractive for policy makers who are desperately looking for positive successes. Some provincial policy makers understand this well and are now active promoters of the approach which we developed together with the farmers in our projects.
My questions are:
1 Would you know of relevant publications?
2 Do you know other options where my experiences would fit in?
3 Would it be possible to go for a joint international project to make write-ups of similar cases from different countries, using Climate funds? Actually I would really like to make a connection with other European experiences and initiatives in the field of integrated (dairy) farming.
4 Would you know of a good context to bring these experiences to the internet. I am also keen in submitting these experiences to web based learning activities.
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