BioMonitor4CAP: Tools to Monitor Agro-Biodiversity and Guide EU Sustainable Agricultural Policies

Posted on - Posted by Farm Europe

Since 2022, Farm Europe has been actively participating in the BioMonitor4CAP project, funded by the Horizon Europe research and innovation program, together with twenty-two partner organisations (ecologists, agronomists, data scientists etc.) from ten European countries and Peru.

Monitoring the status of agro-biodiversity is essential for effective management of agro-ecosystems and for appropriate and effective implementation of strategies and policies to maintain biodiversity in order to avoid unsustainable agricultural practices that are one of the main factors affecting habitat and species diversity in EU agricultural landscapes. 

The BioMonitor4CAP project aims to develop simple and advanced agro-biodiversity monitoring and surveillance systems to support and implement outcome-oriented policies in European agricultural landscapes. 

BIODIVERSITY INDICATORS

Monitoring biodiversity involves four main areas: remote sensing, soils, insects and birds.

FIELD RESEARCH : NEW MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES

Traditionally, biodiversity assessments have relied on field surveys, which can be time-consuming, labour-intensive, and limited in their geographical coverage. In recent years, Remote Sensor-based technologies have emerged as a valuable tool for biodiversity monitoring, offering the ability to collect large-scale data at frequent intervals. The BioMonitor4CAP project will collect biodiversity data in multiple and new complementary ways. The classical in-situ and ex-situ surveys (field observations and measurements) will be combined with new methods: eDNA sampling, optical methods, acoustic sensors, drone-based systems, and satellite earth observation.

FACILITATING THE ADOPTION OF BIODIVERSITY MONITORING AND GOOD FARMING PRACTICES

Identifying stakeholder groups and how they perceive agrobiodiversity is essential for the effective development of agrobiodiversity policy measures that promote positive agrobiodiversity decision-making.

  1. Farmers’ agrobiodiversity perceptions and their motivations to adopt management practices set out by the agricultural policies have been studied. Farmers recognize how their management practices and agri-environmental programs are connected to biodiversity and how biodiversity positively benefits farming. However, conservation activities, farm management, and closely related agricultural policies often conflict with farmers’ management decisions. Preliminary literature review results suggest key considerations for designing agrobiodiversity-enhancing policy measures :
  • Theoretical and practical agrobiodiversity education for farmers: educational activities increase stakeholders’ understanding and motivation towards agrobiodiversity;
  • Rewarding farmers for monitoring and enhancing agrobiodiversity: various measures to improve adoption of the extent and development of novel agrobiodiversity-preserving farming practices; 
  • Supporting cooperation between farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain: encouraging and increasing information flows, shared goals and management practices for improving agrobiodiversity throughout the agricultural value chain;
  1. Consumers’ food preferences indirectly influence farmers’ production decisions. Consumer perceptions and their food choices may have significant influence on agrobiodiversity conservation. Citizens appreciate the intrinsic values of agrobiodiversity, which contrasts with farmers’ perception that emphasises its instrumental values. For citizens, agrobiodiversity is mainly associated with aesthetic values by those who prefer restored and traditional landscapes. Preliminary literature review results suggest key considerations for designing agrobiodiversity-enhancing policy measures:
  • Agrobiodiversity information on food products for consumers: informing about the agrobiodiversity impacts of the products and farmers’ agrobiodiversity-enhancing measures increases awareness;
  • Ensuring far-reaching agrobiodiversity research funding and dissemination activities: increasing awareness of agrobiodiversity among lesser-studied stakeholders such as companies’ representatives, authorities, children and students to emphasise the importance of agrobiodiversity in future food production.