Sustainable Silage

Project "Sustainable Nutrient Management In Silage Production - Sustainable Silage".

The farm nutrient runoff is one of the sources of nutrients eventually entering from surface waters to the Baltic Sea. As livestock farming has become more effective and intensive, so has silage production. As today's silage production technologies have not been studied enough from nutrient leakages point of view, then there is a need to map and address the environmental risks. While doing it we need to look at the whole chain from growing silage to storing and using it, as well as waste management of used silage plastic. Farmers need more information and professional expertise about different innovative agri-environmental solutions in silage production, which are most applicable for the project area. Thus, there is a need for pilot and capacity building activities targeted at the animal husbandry sector in Estonia, Latvia and Finland. The environmental risks from silage production need to be addressed in cross border cooperation, as national efforts alone are not sufficient.

The project "Sustainable Silage" is focusing on reducing silage effluents in full silage production cycle at farm level. Planned silage management analysis covers the environmental, economic, and quality aspects. 20-25 farms from pilot areas test different farming practices and solutions in silage production, and the impact to the nutrient leakages will be evaluated and analyzed. Farmers receive well-founded information, practical guidelines and recommendations about the efficiency of different types of technologies and farming practices, which have a real positive impact on the environment. It is the first joint initiative of agricultural producers, farmers' organizations and research institutions in the Central Baltic area focusing on the environmental issues in silage production.

Project is co-financed by INTERREG Central-Baltic Program 2021-2027.

Project partners: the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce, th Center of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge, Estonian University of Life Sciences (Estonia), NGO Latvian Farmers Parliament, Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technologies (Latvia), ProAgria Western Finland and Natural Resources Institute Finland-LUKE (Finland).

Project period: 01.01.2023-31.12.2025.

Total project budget: 2,093,939.88 EUR, incl. ERDF co-financing EUR 1,675,151.90.

Agreement No. CB0100103

Contact: Raimonds Jakovickis, email: raimonds@zemniekusaeima.lv, mobile: 25433033