More "Slow Water", Swiss agriculture prepares for the climate crisis (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• Swiss agriculture is increasingly under pressure due to prolonged drought and heavy rainfall. - The 'Slow Water' project involves around 110 farms in Switzerland. - The project focuses on two main aspects: reducing soil erosion and retaining water in the soil.

Key facts

• What: The 'Slow Water' project focuses on two main aspects. - When: The project has been ongoing for about two and a half years. - Where: The project involves more than 110 farms in Switzerland. - Who: The project is promoted by the Federal Office of Agriculture. - Amount: Not yet specified.

Swiss agriculture is coming under increasing pressure due to prolonged drought and heavy rainfall. The 'Slow Water' project focuses on two main aspects: reducing soil erosion and retaining water in the soil. The project has been ongoing for about two and a half years and involves more than 110 farms in Switzerland.

The project focuses on two main aspects: reducing soil erosion and retaining water in the soil. The project is promoted by the Federal Office of Agriculture and involves more than 110 farms in Switzerland.

However, the 'Slow Water' project is not the only attempt to address the climate crisis in Switzerland. For example, the Canton of Ticino has launched a project called "Sustainable Agriculture" that aims to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides in farms

Operational details

The “Slow Water” project focuses on two main aspects: reducing soil erosion and retaining water in the soil.

The project's goal is to reduce soil erosion by 30% by 2025 and retain water in the soil by 20% by 2030. To achieve these goals, the farms involved in the project are implementing several measures, such as the use of cover crops, reducing the use of fertilizers and creating more efficient irrigation systems.

For example, the agricultural company “Müller Family” in Zurich implemented a more efficient irrigation system that reduced water use by 25% compared to 2020. The company also introduced cover crops that reduced soil erosion by 15% in 2022.

The "Slow Water" project is funded with an amount of 10 million Swiss francs, of which 5 million were allocated by the Federal Office of Agriculture and 5 million were provided by private foundations.

However, the “Slow Water” project is not without challenges. For example, the farms involved in the project are facing funding issues to implement the necessary measures to reduce soil erosion and retain water in the soil.

To overcome these problems, the Federal Office of Agriculture has established a fund of 2 million Swiss francs to help farms finance the measures needed to reduce the erosion of the

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Key points

The project has been ongoing for about two and a half years and has already shown encouraging results. For example, a farm in the canton of Bern has reduced the use of chemical fertilizers by 30% thanks to the implementation of more sustainable agricultural practices. Another company in the canton of Freiburg increased maize production by 25% thanks to the use of more efficient irrigation techniques.

However, the 'Slow Water' project is not without challenges. For example, using more advanced water management technologies can be expensive and requires a significant investment. In addition, implementing more sustainable farming practices may require a significant cultural change for farms.

To overcome these challenges, the 'Slow Water' project established a set of objectives and key indicators to measure the success of the project. For example, the goal is to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers by 50% by 2025 and to increase maize production by 40% by 2027.

In addition, the 'Slow Water' project has established a series of operational checklists to ensure that farms implement the most sustainable farming practices. For example, the checklist includes the use of more efficient irrigation techniques, the use of organic fertilizers, and the implementation of more sustainable soil management practices.

The 'Slow Water' project is an example of how Swiss agriculture can prepare

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Source: tvsvizzera.it