Fostering common farmland birds and mammals for resilient food production systems

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• land managers, farmers, conservation organizations, researchers, policymakers, and agribusinesses are equipped with the knowledge and tools to implement practices that enhance habitats for farmland birds and mammals, thereby improving pest control, supporting pollination, and strengthening agricultural resilience;
• challenges, measures, and needs of land managers, farmers and conservation organizations are known and supported via appropriate incentives to facilitate the wide adoption of bird- and mammal-friendly practices.

Scope:

Maintaining and improving farmland bird populations is crucial for both conservation and the long-term sustainability of food production systems. Farmland birds and mammals provide valuable ecosystem services, such as pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal, which are essential for resilient agriculture. Focusing on birds ensures the preservation of these services, while also contributing to broader biodiversity goals. Additionally, including farmland mammals in the research helps assess potential synergies and trade-offs in pest control, providing a more holistic ecological understanding. As farmland birds and mammals can cause damage by consuming crops, it is important that research seeks the correct equilibrium between the utility of these animals and the damage they can cause. This broader perspective allows for more informed decisions on how to design farming systems that are not only beneficial to bird populations but also support the protection and restoration of healthy ecosystems. Overall, the objective is to foster sustainable agriculture that enhances both productivity and biodiversity, and offers opportunities for nature restoration.

Proposals should:

• synthetize the impact of various farming practices on both farmland bird populations and agricultural productivity, while also considering farmland mammals for a more comprehensive picture. Also, assessing the role and impact of specific bird species in pest control and soil health to better understand their contributions in agricultural landscapes and to the sustainability of farming systems;
• develop participatory research programs that encourage landscape-level collaboration among farmers, land managers, and conservationists. These programs should focus on identifying and testing locally tailored bird-friendly solutions while addressing farmers' perceptions, needs, and challenges in adopting these practices;
• improve existing incentives (also under CAP), or potentially create new targeted ones to promote the adoption of bird- and mammal-friendly solutions. These incentives should be geographically relevant and designed to address farmers' specific challenges, while fostering collaboration among farmers, land managers, and conservationists to ensure effective implementation and long-term sustainability;
• design a comprehensive farmer education program focused on bird-friendly practices and their economic benefits. This should include advisory services with ecologists, field days, and demonstration farms showcasing successful bird-focused measures in profitable farming systems. Also assess effectiveness of peer-to-peer learning networks and highlight the economic co-benefits of these practices (e.g., pest reduction and pollination);
• conduct research to assess the effectiveness of scaling proven biodiversity-friendly farming practices, such as creating and preserving semi-natural habitats of farmland or other farming practices and in consideration of at least maintaining productivity. Focus on successful models, that can be applied to different regions, and evaluate their impact on bird and selected mammal populations.

The projects under this topic are relevant to the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food, the biodiversity strategy for 2030, the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production^[1], the EU Nature Restoration Regulation and Target 10 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach, involving a range of stakeholders, particularly farmers and land managers, to ensure that the knowledge and needs from various sectors are integrated and the results are impactful.

Proposals should, where relevant, build on previous EU and nationally funded projects, including Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and LIFE, and the Agroecology Partnership; and foresee appropriate resources to ensure close cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service.

[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021DC0141R%2801%29