Module 4 · Chapter 4
Increase knowledge and willingness to adapt and use IPM tehniques
The increased use of pesticides in agricultural production poses a threat to human health and the environment. Integrated Plant Protection (IPM) is proposed as an alternative to conventional pest management practices. Implementation of IPM, however, faces several challenges, especially in developing countries. Challenges in implementing IPM programs and adopting IPM practices are closely related to policy, social and psychological factors, extension methods, and training and knowledge. Government goodwill in terms of policy support for alternative pest management is crucial. Until clear policies are established, it will be impossible to promote the use of IPM. New technologies and practices encounter resistance from stakeholders, especially farmers, and the implementation of IPM practices requires careful consideration of psychological and social barriers. Implementation of IPM also faces limitations in training and knowledge, which are mostly held by farmers and advisors. Challenges in IPM implementation influence extension organizations to increase their role in educating farmers on new practices. However, consulting organizations cannot work alone to address the challenges facing IPM and need the support of other stakeholders.
Transfer of knowledge and innovations
Only effective transfer of knowledge and innovations can enable further successful development of Slovenian agriculture, forestry and food industry. These are skills such as: production and processing technology, services, knowledge in the field of environmental protection, all the way to knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship and the introduction of innovative non-agricultural activities on the farm. At the forefront of the transfer of knowledge and innovations is the user (for example, a farmer or forest owner), who must have the support of institutions (for example, public agricultural advisory services, faculties, etc.) that are able to answer his development questions.
Knowledge transfer and information activities take the form of support for vocational training and skills acquisition activities: support is intended for the implementation of courses, workshops, lectures, practical demonstrations or other knowledge transfer activities. Support for demonstration activities and information measures is support intended for practical training of persons active in the agricultural, forestry and food sectors, based on the demonstration of the use of mechanization, procedures, technologies, machines and practices.
Knowledge transfer and information activities
Support for vocational training and skills acquisition activities
Support is intended for the implementation of courses, workshops, lectures, practical demonstrations or other knowledge transfer activities. It enables the acquisition of additional theoretical and practical knowledge for persons active in the agricultural, forestry and food sectors (e.g. farmers, organic farmers, forest owners). Attendance at trainings is free for participants. Courses, workshops, lectures, practical demonstrations or other similar knowledge transfer activities are carried out by persons who are suitably qualified for this. This measure is intended for training that is required upon entry or during the implementation of the obligations of the Agricultural-Environmental-Climate Payments (KOPOP), Ecological Farming (EK) and Animal Welfare (DŽ) measures. Support is also intended for training in many other areas that are important for the target groups, e.g. marketing, management, safe work in the forest, digital skills, processing... Training can include a theoretical and practical part. A special target group is young farmers.
Support for demonstration activities and information measures
The support is intended for practical training for persons active in the agricultural, forestry and food sectors, based on the demonstration of the use of mechanization, procedures, technologies, machines and practices. It enables the acquisition of additional theoretical and practical knowledge for persons active in the agricultural, forestry and food sectors (e.g. farmers, organic farmers, forest owners). Attendance at trainings is free for participants. Demonstrations are carried out by persons qualified to carry out demonstration projects. The target group is people active in the agricultural, food and forestry sectors. This measure is aimed at practical training based on the demonstration of the use of machinery, procedures, technologies, machines and practices. The contents of these projects, with practical demonstrations, contribute to a higher level of knowledge, especially in the technological, economic and environmental fields.
Advisory services, farm management assistance services and farm replacement services
Support to help you use counseling services
The support is intended for the implementation of consultancy on agricultural holdings. The purpose of this support is to improve the specific knowledge and information of persons who wish to or have already joined the measures of KOPOP, EK and DŽ. Beneficiaries of this support are persons under public or private law who provide consultancy services to agricultural holdings and are suitably qualified for this. Counseling is free for the participant.
The measure "Support for assistance in the use of counseling services" is intended for the implementation of counseling for content that is a condition or requirement for the EC, KOPOP and DŽ measures. Within this framework, individual counseling is supported for: - creation of an animal welfare program, which is one of the conditions necessary for entry into the DŽ measure;
- creation of an activity program, which is one of the conditions necessary for entry into the KOPOP and EK measures;
- creation of an individual plan for the conversion of agricultural holdings from conventional to organic farming, which is mandatory for agricultural holdings that newly enter the EC measure;
- implementation of mandatory individual counseling for beneficiaries included in EC and KOPOP measures, at least once during the duration of the obligation.
Cooperation
The goal of the "cooperation" measure is to speed up the transfer of knowledge and innovations from the research sphere to agricultural practice. The measure is implemented through:
- support for pilot projects and the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies;
- support for horizontal and vertical cooperation between participants in the supply chain for the establishment and development of short supply chains and local markets and for promotional activities at the local level related to the development of short supply chains and local markets;
- support for joint action to mitigate or adapt to climate change and for joint approaches to environmental projects and sustainable environmental practices;
- support for the diversification of agricultural activities into activities related to health care, social inclusion, community-supported agriculture and environmental and food education.
The measure supports various forms of cooperation, which will enable actors in rural areas to more easily overcome the economic, environmental and other limitations they face due to fragmentation and disconnection. The measure will be aimed in particular at promoting cooperation projects, which will aim to achieve higher productivity and, at the same time, greater sustainability in the field of agriculture. Within this framework, special emphasis will be placed on promoting technological development and reducing the negative impacts of agriculture on the environment, especially in the area of biodiversity and the quality of surface and underground water.
Development of new products, practices, processes and technologies
The support is intended to accelerate the transfer of knowledge and innovations from the research sphere to agricultural practice through various forms of cooperation and integration. The aim of the support is to establish cooperation between various actors in the field of agriculture, food industry or forestry in the implementation of projects in the field of technological development and the introduction of innovations in agriculture, forestry or food industry, which will contribute to the achievement of the set goals of rural development.
Support is intended for:
- the development of new or improved products, practices, processes or technologies in the field of agriculture, food or forestry,
- transfer of knowledge into practice and
- dissemination of project results.
As part of this support, pilot projects and EIP projects will be supported, which will result in new achievements and solutions as well as innovative approaches in the field of technological development in agriculture, forestry or food. For the implementation of the pilot project, a partnership of at least 2 members must be established (agricultural holdings, consultants or researchers or an educational institution or a natural person registered in the register of private researchers), other agricultural holdings, legal entities, individual entrepreneurs can also join. or natural persons who are self-employed. For the implementation of the EIP project, a partnership of at least 3 members (agricultural holdings, consultants and researchers) must be established; other agricultural holdings, legal entities, individual entrepreneurs or natural persons who are self-employed can also join.
Environment and climate change
The aim of this support is to establish cooperation between various actors in the field of agriculture, forestry, environmental protection, nature conservation or water protection in the implementation of projects in the field of environment and climate change, which will contribute to the achievement of rural development goals.
Support is intended for:
a) development and search for solutions, regarding:
- reducing the negative impacts of agriculture or forestry on the environment,
- implementation of joint approaches in the field of agriculture or forestry for the protection of biotic diversity,
- implementation of environmentally efficient agricultural production in water protection and other protected areas and
- reducing or mitigating or adapting to climate change in agriculture or forestry;
b) transfer of knowledge into practice and
c) dissemination of project results.
When implementing projects in the field of the environment and climate change, priority will be given to projects that will contribute to the achievement of environmental and nature conservation goals, in particular to training and improving the status of NATURA 2000 species and habitat types, as well as the care and effective management of natural values, as well as projects that will contribute to reducing the negative impacts of agriculture on surface and underground water quality.
For the implementation of the pilot project, a partnership of at least 2 members must be established (agricultural holdings, consultants or researchers or an educational institution or a natural person registered in the register of private researchers), other agricultural holdings, legal entities, individual entrepreneurs can also join. or natural persons who are self-employed.
For the implementation of the EIP project, a partnership of at least 3 members (agricultural holdings, consultants and researchers) must be established; other agricultural holdings, legal entities, individual entrepreneurs or natural persons who are self-employed can also join.
Caring for the environment and adapting to climate change
The biggest challenge for farmers is how to maintain and increase their own productivity on their farm while taking care of the environment (water, soil, air, biodiversity) and successfully adapting to climate change (drought, floods, hail storms, frost, wind, ice).
Support for investments in agricultural holdings is intended, among other things, for investments in private irrigation systems intended for one user and the purchase of irrigation equipment (which can be intended for irrigation systems for one or more users), the purchase and installation of nets against hail, the purchase and installation greenhouses, investments in greater environmental efficiency and increasing resistance to and adaptation to climate change, further regulating permanent plantations from the point of view of introducing more marketable varieties and improving production technology, with the aim of agricultural holdings restoring their permanent plantations that were damaged in natural disasters or exceptional phenomena of the last few years (frost, drought, hail).
Support for investments in infrastructure related to the development, modernization or adaptation of agriculture and forestry is intended for the construction of irrigation systems and the technological modernization of irrigation systems intended for multiple users.
Support for investments for the prevention of wind erosion on agricultural land is intended for the establishment of wind defenses as a measure to prevent and adapt to climate change (reducing the consequences of wind erosion) and as a measure to strengthen biodiversity.
The measure "Agricultural-environmental-climate payments" is a KOPOP measure that encourages above-standard so-natural agricultural practices that are aimed at preserving biodiversity and the landscape, proper water management and soil management, and mitigating and adapting agriculture to climate change.
The measure "Organic farming" supports the implementation of organic farming and the conversion to organic farming.
The measure "Payments to areas with natural or other special limitations" is allocated for the purpose of preserving and continuing agricultural activity in areas with natural or other special limitations (OMD), where the costs of farming and loss of income are higher compared to farming outside the OMD.
The sub-measure "Environment and climate change" pursues the goals of reducing the negative impacts of agriculture or forestry on the environment, implementing joint approaches in the field of agriculture or forestry for the protection of biodiversity, implementing environmentally efficient agricultural production in water conservation and other protected areas, or reducing or mitigating or adapting to climate changes in agriculture or forestry.
Adapting to climate change
Due to global warming, agriculture is facing increasingly frequent occurrences of extreme weather conditions such as hail storms, drought, heat stress and frost. All this is reflected in the quantity and quality of crops and the stability of production. One of the key successes in managing the consequences of climate change is adaptation. The purpose of adaptation is to reduce risks and damage to the environment and human health in a cost-effective manner.
Adaptation to climate change in plant production and livestock breeding is possible by implementing the following measures:
- correct choice of production technologies and varieties;
- appropriate selection of the sowing date, planting of less sensitive crops (e.g. part of the corn silage is replaced with fodder sorghum, planting of appropriate substrates for seedlings of perennial plants);
- modified cultivar;
- introduction of irrigation systems;
- diversification of production;
- proper fertilization.
At the Environmental Agency, we can also monitor the situation in agricultural production as a result of weather conditions. ARSO regularly publishes current data on changes in weather conditions in Slovenia, and data on agrometeorological forecasts and prognostic notifications can also be accessed on the Agrometeorological Portal of Slovenia.
The public agricultural advisory service, which operates within the framework of the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia, helps farmers with:
- preparation of technological instructions;
- advising on how to mitigate the effects of climate change and intense weather events;
- monitoring the condition of agricultural areas;
- preparation of the first rough assessment of the condition of agricultural crops in the field in the event of major adverse weather conditions and preparation of a report on their condition;
- informs the Ministry and the Administration for Protection and Rescue of the situation on the ground, and treats the affected farms individually.
Adaptation measures to climate change
Adaptation measures to climate change are encouraged and co-financed through the Rural Development Program or within other programs, projects or regular works and tasks carried out by public services in the field of agriculture. The most important measures for adapting agricultural production to climate change are:
- co-financing of insurance premiums;
- air defense against hail;
- implementation of measures regarding investments in irrigation and irrigation, investments in anti-flow networks and protected areas, agricultural-environmental-climatic measures such as crop rotation and conservation tillage, production and animal husbandry technologies and raising awareness, training and informing farmers.
Mitigation of the effects of climate change in agriculture
Climate change is already happening, namely rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, melting glaciers and snow, rising sea levels, and as a result there are more and more extreme weather events. Warming is most likely caused by the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which is the result of emissions due to human activities. If we want to mitigate climate change, we need to reduce or even prevent these emissions in the field of agriculture with quick and effective measures. Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture directly contribute to better competitiveness of the industry.
Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture
The most important measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions are:
- agricultural environmental climate payments,
- organic farming,
- knowledge transfer,
- assistance in using counseling services,
- cooperation,
- introduction of husbandry methods that reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
- measures for more efficient nitrogen circulation in agriculture,
- operation of the public agricultural advisory service.