Baltic Deal gathers farmers and farmers’ advisory organisations around the Baltic Sea in a unique effort to raise the competence concerning agri-environmental practises and measures. The aim is to support farmers to reduce nutrient losses from farms, with maintained production and competiveness. The national advisory services play an important role in developing a more sustainable agriculture in the Baltic Sea region. Baltic Deal provides advisory organisations with improved, cost efficient methods and tools of how to support farmers to reduce nutrient losses from farms. Knowledge exchange Baltic Deal aims to increase the knowledge ex-change of sustainable agri-environmental practices in the Baltic Sea region. The project establishes a network for farmers and advisory services to exchange knowledge about good practises and learn from each other. Baltic Deal also makes study trips for farmers and advisors both within the country and to other countries in the Baltic Sea region. Pilot activities Good practises for improved water management is tested in everyday farming and adjusted to farming conditions in each country. In pilot areas, such as at the B7 islands, the seven largest islands in the Baltic Sea, farmers test how to apply good agri-environmental practises. Tested measures are for example using plant cover outside growing season, improved fertilization methods, manure management and treatment of run-off waters. Demonstration farms The project establishes and maintains a network of 100 demonstration farms around the Baltic Sea. The farms demonstrate suitable agri-environmental investments, practises and measures from a farm business per-spective.Joint effort to reduce nutrient lossesThe eutrophication status of the Baltic Sea is still un-satisfactory, despite decreased nutrient loads in recent decades. The problem of farm nutrient run-off eventually entering the Baltic Sea is recognised by the farmer’s fe-derations in all the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. Baltic Deal is a joint effort to improve the Baltic Sea environmental status by using cost efficient and com-petitive measures to reduce the nutrient losses from agriculture. Baltic Deal has seven project partners in seven countries. Two of them are farmers’ federations and five are advisory services. Partners Baltic Deal has seven project partners in seven countries. Two of them are farmers’ federations and five are advisory services. - Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LRATC), Latvia
- The Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF International), Sweden
- Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), Finland
- Rural Development Foundation (MES), Estonia
- Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service (LAAS), Lithuania
- Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinow Branch Office in Radom (CDR), Poland
- The Knowledge Centre for Agriculture (VFL), Denmark
The project also has over 30 associated partners in all the nine countries around the Baltic Sea, including Russia. The associated partners are farmers’ associations, advisory services, ministries and other agricultural institutes and organisations. Baltic Deal is a flagship project of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. It is funded by the Baltic Sea Regional Programme 2007-2013 and by the NEFCO/NIB Baltic Sea Action Plan Trust Fund. The total budget is around 4 million Euros. The project period is 2010 to 2013. www.facebook.com/balticdeal |