Approach

The project combines existing agro-economic data from typical study regions of the participating counries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden) with soil quality and water table observations to identify historical evidence of climate smart soil and water management. At the field scale, experiments with soil and water management will be conducted, testing different techniques of controlled drainage and subirrigation combined with greenhouse gas measurements. These measurements will be complemented with agro-economical analysis focussing on management options that allow the continuation of agricultural production in the context of current and possible future agricultural and environmental policies. Quantity and quality analysis of harvested biomass used for food, feed or energy purposes will be performed. The measured field data will be used for the integration of process-based water dynamic and crop growth models, statistical models of greenhouse gas mitigation and water quality and economic models to synthesise results and to evaluate the adaptation potential under climate change scenarios. Bi-directional involvement of stakeholders and practitioners throughout the entire project to facilitate knowledge exchange across countries is the essential part combining all disciplines.