Carbonfarm

Carbonfarm is a corporation between the Danish agricultural universities at Aarhus and Copenhagen, The Danish Innovationcentre for Organic farming, Danish low-till farmer association (FRDK), four skilled and innovative farmers and the Danish Agro-industry. Carbonfarm combine research and a practical approach to develop and demonstrate sustainable agricultural systems for the future.

Aim

By bringing together the researchers, advisors and innovative farmers the aim of Carbonfarm is to develop, document and implement sustainable farming systems based on conservation agriculture principals in both organic and conventional farming.

Short baground information

Carbonfarm living lab was started in 2017 by Organic Denmark, the low-till farmers association FRDK and four dedicated farmers, that wanted to implement and develop suitable based on Conservation Agriculture principals. And the four field trials has been run by same farmers at the same sites since.

Funding

Funded by Danish Green Development and Demonstration Programme (GUDP) and Fond for organic agriculture (FØL).

Activities

• Research in Agronomic, climate and environmental effects of CA systems: (Soil structure, weeds, yields and quality, nitrous oxide emissions; nutrient assimilation - and leaching, etc.
• Measure and document effects of CA systems on biodiversity (Bees, beetles, earthworms, soil surface predators, antipodes (collembola), Arbuscular mycorrhiza, etc.
• Research effects and mechanisms of CA for building up the soil carbon content (Measuring and modeling carbon content in soils)
• Develop and implement a sustainable system with Conservation Agriculture elements suitable for Danish conventional and organic farming systems.
• Develop mechanical solutions for Danish CA primarily in organic trials
• Demonstration and dissemination of project results to farmers, researchers and advisory services
• Field days, seminars, webinars, visit from local and international farmers/experts, manuals, videos and articles etc.

Methods, stakeholder engagements and tools

The Carbonfarm living lab is based on established large scale field trials at four Danish farms. Two  conventional and two organic farms. The treatments are areference of a tradition plough system, a reference on a low tillage system without ploughing, and two Conservation agricultural systems with low- og no till systems. Field Plots  are 20 – 24 x 50 meters and the trials are run by/with farmers using their own machinery – with a few exceptions.  

Achievements

• CA is also a robust and sustainable cultivation system under Danish conditions.
• The non-organic experimental fields show that CA can be implemented and yields can be obtained similar to traditional cultivation systems with tillage
• There is great interest among conventional farmers to operate their plan-breeding in whole or in part according to CA principles.
• Weed control is a major challenge when plowing and tillage are reduced in organic crops.
• CA has a significant potential to increase biodiversity both above and below ground in Danish fields, although the positive effects on aphid predators only affected the spiders.