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BSAG’s work for sustainable agriculture continues

BSAG’s work towards sustainable agriculture began ten years ago with the JÄRKI project and we are happy to announce that the work will continue in the future. The two main financiers of JÄRKI project, Louise and Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation and Sophie von Julin Foundation have decided to continue the financing over the years 2019–2023. The future work of BSAG’s sustainable agriculture leans on JÄRKI activities and Carbon Action pilot. During the first ten years (2009–2018) of JÄRKI, BSAG and The Nature and Game Management Trust Finland have managed the project together. From 2019 onwards, it will be purely a BSAG project. However, the close cooperation with The Nature and Game Management Trust Finland will continue.

Sustainable agriculture requires the consideration of ecological, economic and social aspects. The aspects are all connected to each other forming a basis for the production of quality food, a clean environment, income and wellbeing. Soil management is the core of BSAG’s work towards sustainable agriculture. Healthy soils provide bigger yields, carbon sequestration from atmosphere to soils, functional water economy and adaption to climate change. In addition, sustainable soil management increases biodiversity both under and above the ground. Finally, healthy soils hold nutrients and soil particles in the field, preventing them from leaching into the waterways and the Baltic Sea.

JÄRKI and Carbon Action projects are based on the cooperation with farmers. Without the cooperation, it would be impossible to find viable solutions and action models for farmers to implement. Carbon Action involves another key element: high-quality scientific research, coordinated by Finnish Meteorological Institute.

Photo Eija Hagelberg
Photo Eija Hagelberg

BSAG has long experience of cooperating with administration, politicians and companies. In the spring 2019 a novel form of cooperation with Valio will be launched: the producers of Valio dairy cooperative will be trained as carbon farmers.  In addition, the cooperation will go on with advisors and other agri-environmental and agricultural projects. Totally new and fresh openings are more than welcome!

During the next five-year period, BSAG’s work for sustainable agriculture will include, for instance, training carbon farmers and widening the network of carbon farmers.  BSAG’s approach to sustainable agriculture is holistic, including not just environmental aspects, but also economic and social ones. New innovations and information will be disseminated to all Finnish farmers.

The agenda of BSAG’s agricultural work, includes influencing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2021–2027. The CAP will affect farmers’ decision making and it’s therefore crucial that the measures in the next agricultural finance program are sustainable in all ways and easy to implement on farms.

In addition to the financing mentioned above, we are happy to announce that Carbon Action has received financing from Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation for the detailed education of the first hundred carbon farmers. In addition, MTK foundation has decided to support the analyzing of soil samples of a hundred carbon farmers, which is also as part of Carbon Action pilot project. The start-up financing of Carbon Action, provided by Sitra, will continue partly in 2019.

 

For more information:

Project Director Eija Hagelberg

Baltic Sea Action Group

Tel. +358 500 609 526

eija.hagelberg@bsag.fi

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