The farming sector is suffering from the impacts of climate change, but it is also contributing to it, being a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The LIFE+ AgriClimateChange sought to identify the farming practices that best contribute to mitigating climate change at farm level. In addition, it aimed to demonstrate that agriculture can tackle climate change effectively and that these climate friendly actions are not necessarily a constraint, but they can be an economic opportunity for the farmers.



Through the assessment of over 120 farms in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, the project designed and implemented a set of measures to reduce the energy consumption and GHG emissions by between 10 to 40%.



For crop and grasslands there are six key proposals, many of them focussing on reducing the Nitrogen (N) emissions. The first measure is to have a realistic assessment of the yields, and to adjust the amount and type of mineral fertiliser applied accordingly. Then, several measures related to conservation agriculture are advised, noting that their effect is much better when they are applied together. These measures include reducing soil tillage and direct seeding, which both contribute to lowering the fuel consumption by between 20 and 40%, compared to ploughing. The project also advises to introduce leguminous plants both in grass and croplands, as they fix atmospheric N and enhance soil fertility, and to use cover crops which, amongst other benefits, help to recycle Nitrogen surplus. Finally, the reduction of seeding density is also promoted, reducing the N needs and lowering the sensitivity to fungus.



All these measures can be applied in the short/medium term, requiring only technical advice and no extra costs (the only exception could be the direct seeding).



For the last recommendation: optimising the irrigation systems to save water and energy, the investment costs may be substantial, depending on the farm.