Research project CP/28 (Research action CP)
Context
Sustainability is the main principle of the Declaration of Rio and Agenda 21 established in 1992 at the Earth Summit. Sustainable development was defined as an objective for the EU at the Amsterdam Treaty of 1997. In 1999 the Agenda 2000 was adopted, ensuring a continuation of the agricultural reform with a view to stimulating European competitiveness, taking great account into environmental considerations, ensuring fair income for farmers, simplifying legislation and decentralising the application of legislation.
At EU level, it is considered that appropriately developed agri-environmental indicators can be of particular importance to achieve sustainability since they can improve transparency and they can also ensure the success of monitoring, control and evaluation of new policies.
Project description
Objectives
The objective of the project is to develop an analytical framework (SAFE) to evaluate sustainability in agriculture. This framework aims to integrate the multifunctional character of agriculture thereby considering the production, environmental and socio-economical functions of an agricultural system. This tool will enable to measure the increase of environmental quality in the long term, ensuring at the same time the continuity of agriculture not only as a productive activity but also as a provider of environmental goods and services.
Methodology
The SAFE framework, composed of Principles of sustainability, Criteria, Indicators and Norms, will integrate ecological and socio-economic factors influencing and influenced by agriculture.
Indicators of sustainability will be selected, defined, measured, calculated and/or extrapolated in four test sites (2 in Wallonia and 2 in Flanders) representative of contrasting production systems at three scales:
- Field. This scale gives the opportunity to compare different management techniques.
- Farm. This is the socio-economic unit level for practical implementation of different management decisions.
- Ecosystem/landscape. This is the dimension that best reflects both agricultural and ecological multifunctionality. Considerations on biodiversity and landscape conservation will be of special importance at this level.
The sustainability evaluation will be of comparative character, either
- spatial (simultaneous analysis of several parcels within a test site) or
- temporal (analysis of the same system over time).
Three different approaches will be explored to combine measured indicators in order to obtain a global performance of the studied test sites. Those approaches are:
- Qualitative;
- Quantitative;
- Graphic.
Interaction between the different partners
The tasks to be developed within this project are summarised in the following table. Although most tasks are carried out by all partners, a leading team has been selected for each of them. The leading team is responsible for the proper and timely realisation of the specific task.
Link with International Programmes
At international level several initiatives are being developed in the field of sustainability indicators or agri-environmental indicators for the agricultural sector, like the OECD’s initiative.
Expected results and/or Products
A website is already functional at: www.geru.ucl.ac.be/NEW/Recherche/projets/Safe/
The final expected result of the project is an analytical framework, which will include a list of indicators for sustainability assessment in Belgian agricultural systems. Also a General Synthesis document (Task I) will be produced, summarising all the information concerning indicators that was gathered during the project.
It is also expected to produce scientific and technical publications.
Partners
Activities
ECOP: Laboratory of Grassland Ecology (UCL)
The research activities of this laboratory cover diverse themes relating to agriculture, grassland production, agriculture-environment relationship such as: optimisation of the nitrogen cycle in grass and arable land, agri-environmental measures, biodiversity restauration, ...
LBNL: Laboratory of Forest, Nature and Landscape Research (KULeuven).
The research carried out in this laboratory focuses on the spatial and quantitative assessment of biological and man-induced patterns and processes at the landscape and habitat level both in rural, urban and natural settings.
ALME: Agricultural and Environmental Economics Unit (KUL)
The mission of ALME is the identification and economic analysis of operational and strategic management practices that improve the sustainability of agricultural land use, and of policy measures aimed at stimulating these practices.
GERU: Department of Environmental Sciences and Land Use Planning (UCL)
The main research activities of this Department focus on soil and water resources systems such as: water-soil-plant relationships, erosion, surface and subsurface hydrology, irrigation, and monitoring.
Coordinates/Details
ECOP
Prof. Alain PEETERS
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Laboratory of Grassland Ecology
Croix du Sud, 5, bte. 2
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Tel: +32 (0)10 47 37 71; Fax: +32 (0)10 47 24 28
Email: peeters@ecop.ucl.ac.be
Website: http://www.ecop.ucl.ac.be/prairies
LBNL
Prof. Martin HERMY / prof. Bart MUYS
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Laboratory of Forest, Nature and Landscape Research
Vital Decosterstraat 102
B-3000 Leuven
Tel: +32 (0)16 32 97 57 ; Fax: +32 (0)16 32 67 60
Email: martin.hermy@agr.kuleuven.ac.be
bart.muys@agr.kuleuven.ac.be
Website: http://www.agr.kuleuven.ac.be/lbh/lbnl/lbnl_home_en.htm
ALME
Prof. Erik MATHIJS
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Economics
Agricultural and Environmental Economics Unit
Willem de Croylaan 42
B-3001 Leuven
Tel: +32 (0)16 32 14 50 ; Fax: +32 (0)16 32 19 96
Email: erik.mathijs@agr.kuleuven.ac.be
Website: http://www.agr.kuleuven.ac.be/aee/clo/clohomen.htm
GERU
Prof. Marnik VANCLOOSTER / prof. Charles BIELDERS
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Department of Environmental Sciences and Land Use Planning
Croix du Sud, 2, bte.2
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Tel: +32 (0)10 47 37 10; Fax: +32 (0)10 47 38 33
Email: vanclooster@geru.ucl.ac.be
bielders@ geru.ucl.ac.be
Website: http://www.geru.ucl.ac.be/
Users Committee
- Bernard De Cock - Fédération Wallonne de l'Agriculture (FWA) - Gembloux
- Catherine Hallet - Ministère de la Région Wallonne - Direction générale des Ressources Naturelles et de l'Environnement (DGRNE) - Coordination de l'Environnement - Jambes
- Jean-Marie Huybreck - Ministère de la Région Wallonne - Direction générale de l'Agriculture (DGA) - Jambes
- Sabine Laruelle - Féderation Wallonne de l'Agriculture (FWA) - Gembloux
- D. Peusens - Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - Centrum Landbouwkundig Onderzoek - Departement Plantengenetica en -veredeling - Melle
- Dirk Reheul - Steunpunt duurzame landbouw - Gontrode
- Frederic Rouxhet - Conseil wallon de l'environnement pour le développement durable (CWEDD) - Liège
- Marc Thirion - Ministère de la Région Wallonne - Direction générale de l’Agriculture (DGA) - Jambes
- Ignace Van de Walle - Vlaams Agrarisch Centrum - Merelbeke
- Jacques VanOutryve - Boerenbond - Leuven
- Koen Wellemans - Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - Administratie Land- en Tuinbouw (ALT) - Brussel
Framework for assessing sustainability levels in Belgian agricultural systems - SAFE : final report
Sauvenier, X. - Valckx, J. - Van Cauwenbergh, N. ... et al Brussels : Belgian Scientific Policy, 2006 (SP1571)
[To download]
[To order]
SAFE : brochure
Bruxelles : Politique scientifique fédérale, 2006 (SP1615)
[To download]
SAFE : brochure
Brussel : Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid, 2006 (SP1616)
[To download]
SAFE : brochure
Brussels : Belgian Science Policy, 2006 (SP1617)
[To download]
