Policy and Action Recommendations on Sustainable Food Systems in the Baltic Sea Region

1. Policy and Action Recommendations on Sustainable Food Systems in the Baltic Sea Region

2. EcoRegion Focus Group on Sustainable Food Systems Laura Delsa (SPro, Germany) Silvia Haneklaus (JKI, Germany) Tim Mahler (GIZ, Germany) Maxi Nachtigall (CBSS, Sweden) Dörte Ratzmann (BMU, Germany) Bjarne Rasmussen (Soro, Denmark) Svend Bahn Sanger (Sjaelland, Denmark) Judith Schick (JKI, Germany)

3. Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. From "Our Common Future", The Brundtland Commission, 1997 Social justice is a key condition for sustainability!

4. (1) Authentic food production

5. "Authenticity will be the buzzword of the 21st century. But what is authentic? Anything that is not devised and structured to make a profit. Anything that is not controlled by corporations. Anything that exists for its own sake, that assumes its own shape" (from "Time Line" by Michael Crichton, 2000) Organic broiler farming Conventional broiler production

6. WHO really cares and pays for quality FOOD ?

7. Conventional foodstuff is regularly contaminated with undesired substances due to the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides. In 2004, more than 35,000 t of pesticides were applied in Germany. Organic farming renounces completely the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides. Detection frequency of pesticide residues in strawberries in 2004/2005 (n=36) (source: URL://http://www.lgl.bayern.de)

8. Concept: (1) Authentic food Aim: fresh local produce (not necessarily produced organically, however, best option is to make organic farming compulsory in EU) high quality food (primary and secondary compounds) no anthropogenic contaminants (e.g. pesticides) transparent management (consumer reliance) Preserving Baltic food culture reduction of transport costs Sustainability gain: reduced energy consumption regional identity is strengthened promotion of rural development increase in biodiversity

9. (2) Food production in the peak oil, peak phosphorous and climate change era World P resources are limited! ...........50 - 100 years left only!

10. Agriculture is the largest consumer and non-point emitter of P

11. The ecological “footprint“ of P in agriculture ... Photo: www.aquatechnology.net

12. ... leaves behind hard evidence The production of each ton of phosphoric acid generates 5 tons of phosphogypsum. About 60% of the total P load to waterbodies in Germany are non-point losses; contribution of agriculture: 90%. High P loads cause excessive algae growth resulting in eutrophication. P fertilization is essential to satisfy the nutrient demand and warrant soil fertility. But excessive P applications enhance the risk of P losses to waterbodies by run-off and erosion. Mineral P fertilizers add significant amounts of U to soils.

13. P-recycling: Sewage sludge Organic xenobiotics impose a serious, incalculable and irreversible threat to soil fertility and human health!

14. Thermochemical treatment of sewage sludge ashes BAM/ASH DEC-Procedure (Adam et al. 2009): Thermochemical treatment at 850 – 1000 °C and addition of Cl-donor increases P-availability in citric acid from 29% in raw ash up to 97.4% in recycled fertilizer product. Heavy metals are released as volatiles by >95% (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn), 50-70% (Mo, Sn) and <30% (As, Cr, Ni).

15. AVE 2009 P-recycling: Rendering EU regulation No. 1774/2002 permits the co-incineration of carcass meal in coal fired plants. Meat meal of category 2 and 3 can be applied as NP fertilizers. Category 2 material may contain non-transmittable diseases and residues of medicinal substances. P in MBM is hardly plant available. Incineration of MBM destroys pathogens and preserves P (Rosyadi 2003)!

16. Concept: (2) Food production in the peak oil, peak phosphorous and climate change era Aim: warranting food security at different scales (regional, national, global scale) Sustainability gain: maintenance of high-quality food production under constraints of limited resources and changing environmental conditions by strengthening low input systems such as organic farming close to urban centres and urban agriculture

17. (3) Local cross-compliance by expanding organic farming HOT Help by Organic against Torrents

18. As a rule of thumb, organic management of soils multplies the infiltration rate by factor2 The HOT model area: catchment of the river Schunter: Total area: 600 km² Sealed land: 14% Agricultural land 362 km² (49% arable, 11% pasture) Average area flooded actually: 101 km² Estimated area flooded after complete change to organic farming: 60 km²

19. Concept: (3) Local cross-compliance by expending organic farming Aim: Reducing negative impacts of conventional farming on infiltration capacity of soils for rainfall Sustainability gain: Direct interaction between consumer and producer by providing sealing compensation to organic farmers in order to reduce impacts of climate change HOT adds value to agricultural production which is not covered by product prices, but which is highly regarded by the society and thus needs to be rewarded by direct money transfers. HOT brings organic farms closer to urban centers/markets. The benefits of HOT are system immanent.

20. (4) Closed regional concepts for food and energy production Food or Fuel? “World hunger is not created by lack of food but by poverty and landlessness, which deny people access to food. Industrial agriculture actually increases hunger by raising the cost of farming, by forcing tens of millions of farmers off the land, and by growing primarily high-profit export and luxury crops" (Kimbrell, 2002) 20% of Egypt`s population are considered as absolute poor 44% live beyond the upper poverty line

21. Concept: (4) Closed regional concepts for food and energy production Aim: Improving global food security and social justice of availability of resources Combined food and energy production must not compromise food and energy production locally and globally Sustainability gain: Closed energy and nutrient cycles

22. (5) Educationprogrammes

23. Concept: (5) Education programmes Aim: Change of consumer behaviour in terms of deliberate selection of non-processed food, preparation of food and housekeeping Improving perception of “good food” Sensibilising for marketing traps: big packs, advantage offers (buy 1, get 1 free) Improving farming methods: legal separation of industrial animal industry from animal housing on farms; implementation of new technologies (e.g. Precision Agriculture) Sustainability gain: Minimising disposal of food Change of dietary habits (fresh instead of processed food) Improved health for instance by reduced obesity

24. Promotion of EcoRegion Sustainability Road along the BSR (cp. Fairy Tale Road, Romantic Roiad etc.); link on websites of tourism offices in BSR Baltic Network of Organic farms (visitor and training centres; cooking courses with emphasis on regional recipes); link on websites of tourism offices in BSR Movies and PC games (e.g. sponsored by Lego)

25. Best of Good Practices

26. Title:F4N - Farmers for Nature Trouble-shooting:The inter-sectorial good practice aims at the preservation of nature, landscape and cultural identity of the countryside and brings together farmers, regional organisations and public. All partners elaborated suitable solutions that combines a healthy agrarian management and the EU's Common Agrarian Policy (CAP). Eco Region good practice: The BSR and other rural areas in Europe are used for agricultural production, recreation and a place to live. Therefore, farmers' involvement in landscape conservation and management is crucial. As the number of farmers has been declining continuously, the risk for loosing  nature and landscape conservationists increases. Thus, reorganisation of existing structures and financial rewards are important to protect the regions’ nativeness and originality and to guarantee the future of valuable natural heritage landscapes for locals and tourists. Regional centre: all BSRs Ecological benefit: Low Medium High ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Practical feasibility: Simple Acceptable Difficult ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Reference: Province of Fryslân, Ettienke Bakker , Postbus 20120, 8900 HM Leeuwarden – Holland

27. Title: “De-sealing market“ Trouble-shooting:The good practice aims at monitoring soil sealing. Registered are inoperable agricultural areas, areas sealed by impermeable covers and abandoned buildings. Concepts for unsealing measure and re-use of these areas are developed. Eco Region good practice: The rural districts Weißeritzkreis and the protected landscape Saxon Switzerland are located in the watershed of rivers and concepts for de-sealing and renaturation measures have been elaborated and tested. It was shown that the compilation of such areas in a “de-sealing market” and subsequent re-use are ideal compensation measures for essential actions such as street building activities without wasting valuable agricultural areas. Regional centre: Estonia, Northern Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland Ecological benefit: Low Medium High ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Practical feasibility: Simple Acceptable Difficult ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Reference: Landschaftspflegeverband Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge e.V., Bernd Hänel, Siedlung 57/2, 01744 Dippoldiswalde

28. Title:Precision agriculture to increase the efficiency of farming and promote its environmental compatibility Trouble-shooting:The good practice aims at developing rules, which enable farmers to adjust cultivation techniques to the spatial variation of soil features in the field. Ecologically sensitive areas are addressed with respect to environmentally compatible cultivation techniques. The management guidelines were tested with respect to their agronomical, ecological and economic efficiency on production fields. Eco Region good practice: The quality of agricultural soils can differ considerably even within a small area. These locally varying site properties are additionally influenced by natural features such as hollows, slopes or ridges and cultivation-related impacts such as compaction or erosion. In current agricultural practice these differences in fields are transferred into variable rate operations. Precision agriculture has the potential to significantly increase economic and ecological benefits. Regional centre: all BSRs Ecological benefit: Low Medium High ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Practical feasibility: Simple Acceptable Difficult ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Reference:Institute for Crop and Soil Science, JKI, , Bundesallee 50, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany, Dir. & Prof. Dr. Silvia Haneklaus,

29. Title:Central Tyre Inflation System (CTIS) for tractors Troubleshooting:The good practice aims at developing a Central Tyre Inflation System,which automatically adapts tyre pressure to changes in soil characteristics on fields and on particular ground. Eco Region good practice: Soil compaction is a major problem on heavy soils and closely related to heavy machinery. Plant growth, soil water regime and gas exchange are affected. An automatic control technology enables the flexible adaptation of the tyre pressure to environmental conditions. The new tyre control technology guarantees driving safety and increases their life span of tyres. On average, the automatic tyre control saves 10 % of fuel. Result is a soil-friendly, energy-efficient and more economical proceeding. Regional centre: all BSRs (clayey soils) Ecological benefit: Low Medium High ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Practical feasibility: Simple Acceptable Difficult ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Reference:Fachhochschule Südwestfalen, Agrarwirtschaft Soest, Prof. Dr. Ludwig VolkLübecker Ring 2, 59494 Soest

30. Title:Sustainable and safe re-use of municipal sewage sludge for nutrient recovery (SUSAN) Troubleshooting:This good practice delivered a P-containing thermo-chemically treated sewage sludge ash that is as efficient as conventional P-fertilisers. Eco Region good practice: P is an essential plant nutrient and cannot be substituted by any other element. Since phosphate rock deposits are a limited non-renewable resource, P-recycling from secondary raw materials is essential to preserve this resource. Municipal sewage sludge contains besides P, but is regularly contaminated with organic and inorganic xenobiotics. Thermo-chemical treatment of sewage sludge is a sustainable way for a safe use of this resource in agriculture rather than dumping it when being incinerated or deposited. Regional centre: all BSRs Ecological benefit: Low Medium High ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Practical feasibility: Simple Acceptable Difficult ⁔ ⁔ ⁔ X Reference:Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division IV.3 Waste Treatment and Remedial Engineering, Dr.-Ing. Ch. Adam, Richard-Willstätter-Straße 11, 12489 Berlin

31. Phosphorus - an immortal value...! Profit ist kein Indikator für Nachhaltigkeit! Phosphorus can not be replaced in living organisms! ... The amount of P bound in 1 human equals that in about 5 bags of wheat...

32. Authentic Food for instance from Organic Production (high quality, no additional contaminants)

33. Fertile and better functioning soils through organic farming conventional organic continuous grassland cropping compacted soil cropping of manifold grasses and legumes friable soil source: ÖKOLOGIE & LANDBAU 2/1999

34. The loophole: P-recycling Potential of P-recycling of P-containing secondary raw materials from industrial processes, sewage sludge and offals in Germany The annual P demand of German agriculture is as high as 560,000 t. Full P recovery from sewage sludge, carcass and meat bone meal could satisfy about 13% of the total P demand.