The agricultural sector is a major contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions. Although Switzerland’s ‘Agriculture and Food Climate Strategy 2050’ defines clear objectives for reducing emissions in the agricultural sector, the implementation of concrete measures involves practical, policy-making and personal challenges – not least because the effectiveness of many measures is heavily dependent on site-specific conditions.
In this context, Agroscope is providing scientific support to the pilot project ‘Carbon-Neutral Agriculture in Graubünden‘. Funded by the Canton of Graubünden, this project is part of the cantonal climate strategy ‘Green Deal Campaign Plan for Graubünden’. The aim of the project is to develop and implement practical solutions for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions together with around 50 pilot farms in the Canton of Graubünden and to demonstrate the impact of the relevant measures in a comprehensive monitoring programme. The pilot farms cover a wide variety of production systems – from livestock production to arable farming all the way to fruit production and viticulture. The measures were developed by the farms themselves, rooted in the respective farm context.
The monitoring programme is coordinated by Agroscope and conducted in cooperation with partner institutions such as the ZHAW, FiBL, HAFL and Ökozentrum. The focus is on quantifying emission reductions and identifying obstacles to the practical implementation of climate-protection measures.
The pilot phase runs until 2025. After this, an expansion phase is planned to implement the acquired knowledge and tried-and-tested measures beyond the pilot farms and throughout the farming sector in Graubünden.
