Environmental Studies Centre – CROPS4LIFE European project

CROPS4LIFE logo

Grant agreement 101114329 LIFE 22-GIC-ES-CROPS4LIFE

CROPS4LIFE project aims to reduce the environmental footprint of the agrifood system of Vitoria-Gasteiz, within the framework of the global fight against climate change. The operational objective is to increase the local production of fresh food, under management based on regenerative agriculture, and to ensure that this food is consumed locally, thus reducing the sector's carbon footprint and improving the health of the soil and biodiversity associated with agro-ecosystems.

To this end, a pilot initiative will be set up that combines highly productive regenerative agro-ecological farms, generational change in the sector to incorporate new farmers, and the marketing of local production, together with the analysis and adaptation of the regulatory framework in a way that favours the development of these regenerative agro-ecological models. Therefore, the project is based on four areas of knowledge:

Throughout the project, different production systems with an agro-ecological and regenerative perspective will be tested in order to adapt them to the local climate and achieve economically and socially viable farms. The production systems are regenerative biointensive horticulture, diversified livestock farming (directed rotational grazing), forestry management with livestock management, extensive crops (crop rotation with auxiliary floral bands and plant covers) and a combination of extensive horticulture, fruit growing and diversified livestock farming.
These same farms will act as test farms, i.e. test spaces that offer a tutored learning experience, a necessary step to bridge the current gap between agricultural schools and entrepreneurship, and thus ensure generational renewal in the sector. The apprenticeship consists of two and a half year training periods where the students will get to know and learn how to farm under these models and in a collaborative format before deciding whether to set up their own business.
For the marketing of the production thus obtained, together with that of other farms that wish to join the initiative, a digital sales platform will be created with extended traceability, i.e. information on the footprint of various environmental variables of the entire production and supply chain will be incorporated into the product, as a result of research applied in the field. This information also includes the history of the producer and will be available to consumers through a simplified attribute system, acting as a differential factor that will bring about a desired change in food choices.
The adaptation of the regulations will be based on the shared learning and knowledge of the community of practice created as a governance tool to create the optimum conditions for this type of agriculture to become common in the medium term. This community, which takes the form of an Agri-Food Council to which all the agents involved in the agri-food system of Vitoria-Gasteiz will be invited, will analyse what is working and where the barriers are for this type of alternative models to gain more strength and prominence.

Dates

September 2023 – March 2028

Funding

Funded by the Programme for Environment and Climate Action LIFE 2022, under the grant agreement 101114329 LIFE22-GIC-ES-CROPS4LIFE.

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.