Nature-inclusive Farming Coaches
Published on 01 November 2020
Netherlands
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
In 2020, the province of Fryslan initiated a pilot with the aim to support at least 4 groups of farmers in their desire to include more natural elements and related biodiversity on their farm(s). The starting point are concrete questions related to on-farm and regional biodiversity conservation from farmers, a group of max 10 farmers.
The Coach develops a tailor-made course on the topic. During 4 sessions and 1 field excursion, intensive knowledge exchange is stimulated. The Coach is the trainer for the farmers and can hire additional external expertise, for example specific ecological knowledge.
After the farm level advice, the next step is to connect potential measures from the farm level to the territory where the farms are located. The aim is to define measures that improve the ecological elements – Green Infrastructure - at regional level.
The Coach develops a tailor-made course on the topic. During 4 sessions and 1 field excursion, intensive knowledge exchange is stimulated. The Coach is the trainer for the farmers and can hire additional external expertise, for example specific ecological knowledge.
After the farm level advice, the next step is to connect potential measures from the farm level to the territory where the farms are located. The aim is to define measures that improve the ecological elements – Green Infrastructure - at regional level.
Expert opinion
Finding ways to make agriculture more respectful of nature is one of the biggest challenges outlined by the 2030 EU Biodiversity Strategy and the Farm to Fork Strategy. It is certainly also one of the most crucial issues in the negotiation of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This good practice demonstrate that farmers are actively looking for solutions to improve the environmental performance of their activities and that they can benefit greatly from coaching initiatives targeted at responding to their specific needs. Regional policymakers should consider the introduction of coaches to train conventional farmers with the purpose of reaching better biodiversity protection outcomes in their territories. The interest shown towards this good practice in the context of interregional cooperation suggests it has a clear transferability potential.
Resources needed
Staff costs for Coaches ad coordination Euro 15.000, Direct costs per group (4 meetings, room rent, excursion, and catering costs): Euro 7.500 x 4 groups = Euro 30.000. Total Euro 45.000.
Evidence of success
In Fryslan, there are currently 4 coaches developing plans with dairy farmers and arable farmers; 4 groups of around 10 farmers. Topics: how to increase biodiversity on the farm? How to reduce amount of fertilizers and pesticides? How to increase green manures, herbs, alternatives for soy-bean? How to create circular farm systems fro habitat improvement at regional level, a.o. by cooperation between arable and dairy farmers. Since demand-driven, farmers react positively on the meetings.
Potential for learning or transfer
When this practice was shared during the peer review Flanders-Fryslan (January 2020), the project partner from Flanders expressed interest in the good practice.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Province of Fryslân
Netherlands
Friesland (NL)
Contact
project coordinator