A New Framework to Assess Sustainability of Soil Improving Cropping Systems in Europe

Abdallah Alaoui, Moritz Hallama, Roger Bär, Ioanna Panagea, Felicitas Bachmann, Carola Pekrun, Luuk Fleskens, Ellen Kandeler and Rudi Hessel
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Abdallah Alaoui: Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Moritz Hallama: Soil Biology Department, Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 27, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Roger Bär: Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Ioanna Panagea: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Felicitas Bachmann: Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Carola Pekrun: Agronomy Section, Institute of Applied Agriculture, Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Neckarsteige 6-10, 72622 Nürtingen, Germany
Luuk Fleskens: Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
Ellen Kandeler: Soil Biology Department, Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 27, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Rudi Hessel: Wageningen Environmental Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: Assessing agricultural sustainability is one of the most challenging tasks related to expertise and support methodologies because it entails multidisciplinary aspects and builds on cultural and value-based elements. Thus, agricultural sustainability should be considered a social concept, reliable enough to support decision makers and policy development in a broad context. The aim of this manuscript was to develop a methodology for the assessment of the sustainability of soil improving cropping systems ( SICS ) in Europe. For this purpose, a decision tree based on weights (%) was chosen because it allows more flexibility. The methodology was tested with data from the SoilCare Horizon 2020 study site in Germany for the assessment of the impact of the integration of cover crops into the crop rotation. The effect on the environmental indicators was slightly positive, but most assessed properties did not change over the short course of the experiment. Farmers reported that the increase in workload was outweighed by a reputation gain for using cover crops. The incorporation of cover crops reduced slightly the profitability, due to the costs for seeds and establishment of cover crops. The proposed assessment methodology provides a comprehensive summary to assess the agricultural sustainability of SICS .

Keywords: sustainability framework; overall sustainability; costs and benefits; cover crops (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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