Baltic Ecological Recycling Agriculture and Society

Programme 2000 - 2006 Baltic Sea Region

Date of latest update: 2021-04-06

Description

Description (EN):

The goal of the project was the evaluation and demonstration of the potential of ecological recycling-based agriculture, combined with priority for local and regional processing, distribution and consumption, in order to reduce consumption of limited resources, emissions of greenhouse gases and nitrogen and phosphorus pollution to the Baltic Sea area by half or more, according to politically decided environmental goals for the region. The goal was to base the knowledge of ecological recycling-based agriculture on practical case studies, primarily in one or two selected rural areas, complemented by selected reference farms in each country, where practical initiatives have been taken to bring about lifestyle changes through the whole of the food chain – from primary agricultural production, via processing, distribution and storage to final consumption – based on ecological production (agriculture and processing), recycling and a minimisation of transport systems which contribute to the greenhouse effect. Results, recommendations and evaluated examples should be published in an Agenda for Baltic Ecological Recycling-based Agriculture and Society. The long-term aim of the project was to develop a knowledge base network of ecological recycling-based farms, able to influence the policy makers regarding possible means of significantly decreasing consumption of non-renewable energy and other limited resources, and of reducing the negative environmental impacts of production, distribution, processing and consumption of food.

Achievements (EN):

By encouraging exchanges of experience, learning and cooperation among actors involved in similar initiatives, and through exchange and dissemination of experience gained in the different countries of the Baltic Sea region, the project enhanced the knowledge on organic farming, expertise and motivation of the actors concerned and improve the prospects of achieving environmental policy goals and dissemination of sustainable spatial food production and consumption systems. The project has shown very clearly that an alternative in the food chain exists that has the potential to reduce leakage of plant nutrients to the Baltic Sea by 50% and at the same time reduce output of greenhouse gases, strengthen biodiversity, strengthen local culture and local economy. It has also shown in the other scenario that continuing on the current path will lead to 50% increase of plant nutrient leakage from agriculture sources. This is a difference in the proportion 1:3! The project has produced six published and printed scientific reports, an executive summary and a 12 point list of the most important scientific conclusions – with links on where to find the detailed report. These 12 points are a common ground in communications to decision makers, consumers and stakeholders and at the same time give the public direct access to research. Communication with national level decision makers, HELCOM and EU has been strengthened. It is important that all countries around the Baltic Sea have been involved in this project. A network across scientific disciplines, across national borders and across the lines between science workers, farmers, food chain entrepreneurs, consumers and political workers has been built and strengthened. The project has had a great impact on other European regions. The Interreg IIIC project LOF with partners in Estonia, Sweden and England has started as a continuation and widening of the BERAS network. BERAS Com project with partners in Poland, Estonia, Sweden and an inter-European foundation was formed and made an application to FP6 Science in Society call 19. Also a DG Env project Life Kyyvesi was formed with partners in Finland, Poland and Italy. BERAS has also stimulated a similar development – Agriculture et Proximité – in the Mediterranean region with a basis in Provence, France and has raised the question and created an interest for cooperation between the Baltic Sea region and Cheasapeake Bay on the USA East coast, which shares the problem of threatening eutrophication caused by intensive animal husbandry. BERAS has become an internationally known concept for international cooperation.

Thematic information

Waste and pollution Agriculture and fisheries and forestry Knowledge and technology transfer

Partners (20)

Lead Partner: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala

Address: Department of Ecology & Crop Production Sci., P.O. Box 7043, 7507 Uppsala, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Estonian Biodynamic Organisation

Name: Estonian Biodynamic Organisation

Address: Pahkla Camphilli Kula, 79202 Prillim, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Association of Organic Agriculture Organisations in Latvia

Name: Association of Organic Agriculture Organisations in Latvia

Address: Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, 2 Liela Street, 3001 Jelgava, Latvia

Legal status: n/a

Latvian University of Agriculture, Department of Fielmanagement

Name: Latvian University of Agriculture, Department of Fielmanagement

Address: Liela leia 2, 3001 Jelgava, Latvia

Legal status: n/a

Polish Ecological Club

Name: Polish Ecological Club

Address: Kaszubska 2,P.O. Box 489, 44100 Gliwice, Poland

Legal status: n/a

Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy

Name: Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy

Address: Osada Palacowa, 24100 Pulawy, Poland

Legal status: public

University of Helsinki, Mikkeli Institute for Rural Research and Training

Name: University of Helsinki, Mikkeli Institute for Rural Research and Training

Address: Lönnrotinkatu 3-5, 50100 Mikkeli, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Juva

Name: Municipality of Juva

Address: PL 28, 51901 Juva, Finland

Legal status: n/a

MTT Agrofood Research Finland / Ecological Production, Partala

Name: MTT Agrofood Research Finland / Ecological Production, Partala

Address: Huttulantie 1, 51900 Juva, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Applied Ecology

Name: Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Applied Ecology

Address: Studentu g. 11, 4324 Akademija, Lithuania

Legal status: n/a

Klapeida University, Faculty of Social Sciences

Name: Klapeida University, Faculty of Social Sciences

Address: Minijos st. 153, 5804 Klapeida, Lithuania

Legal status: n/a

South Savo Regional Environment Centre

Name: South Savo Regional Environment Centre

Address: Jääkärinkatu 14, 50100 Mikkeli, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Södertälje kommun

Name: Södertälje kommun

Address: Järnagatan 12, 15189 Södertälje, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

County of Kalmar

Name: County of Kalmar

Address: Malbrogatan 6, 39186 Kalmar, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Danish Rsearch Centre for Organic Farming

Name: Danish Rsearch Centre for Organic Farming

Address: Research Centre Foulum, 8830 Tjele, Denmark

Legal status: n/a

Fyn County, Nature Management and Water Environment Division

Name: Fyn County, Nature Management and Water Environment Division

Address: Örbaeckvej 4, 5220 Odense, Denmark

Legal status: n/a

The Biodynamic Research Institute Foundation, Rudolf Steiner University College

Name: The Biodynamic Research Institute Foundation, Rudolf Steiner University College

Address: Skilleby, 15391 Södertälje, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

ZALF, Centre for Agricultural Landscape and Land Use Research

Name: ZALF, Centre for Agricultural Landscape and Land Use Research

Address: Eberwalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Center for Ecological Engineering Tartu

Name: Center for Ecological Engineering Tartu

Address: J.V. Jannseni 4, 51005 Tartu, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Department of Landscape Planning, Ultuna, Swedish University of Agric. Sciences

Name: Department of Landscape Planning, Ultuna, Swedish University of Agric. Sciences

Address: P.O. Box 7012, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Baltic Ecological Recycling Agriculture and Society

Project acronym: BERAS

Project start date: 2003-03-01

Project end date: 2006-03-31

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 156 050.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 367 525.00

Co-financing sources:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2000 - 2006 Baltic Sea Region

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2019-07-08

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

136 / 136 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

3 143 / 3 143 (100%)

Notes on the data

Languages

Contact Form

Baltic Ecological Recycling Agriculture and Society

Description

Thematic information

Partners (20)

Partners map

Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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