Activities of the project

The project Life LiveAdapt is based on a serie of technical actions with the aim of developing practical solutions to adapt extensive livestock farming to adapt to the climate change. These actions are the following:

Identification of problems and needs of extensive livestock sector in relation with climate change, and definition of extensive livestock systems within the project (preliminary actions A1 and A2)

At the beginning of the project, in October 2018, two working tables were held in Cordoba. They gathered livestock farmers and experts from different disciplines related to livestock and climate change issues. These tables, organised and moderated by the University of Cordoba and Entretantos Fo undation, were aimed to identify in an open and participatory way the main problems and needs of the sector, in relation to the effects climate change is generating for extensive farms, as well as to define criteria for the definition of extensive livestock systems within project framework.

Pilots of innovative systems for climate change adaptation (action C1)

Within the project framework, Innogestiona Ambiental is coordinating the field testing of several systems for climate change adaptation:

WaterAdapt: intelligent subterranean cistern-trough, able to harvest and store rainwater, and to supply it to domestic animals during periods of drought, in an automated and autonomous way, minimising the interaction of livestock with wild animals around the ponds

PondAdapt: a cork plate-based system to preserve and reduce water evaporation from ponds

LiveSmart: a low-cost ICT solution to ease and optimize the day-to-day management of farms and to support decision.

The objective is to develop solutions for climate change adaptation that meet the needs of farmers: efficiency, practicality and low cost.

Improvement of pastures quality and biodiversity (C2)

In this action, the University of Cordoba coordinates:

The study of the consequences of climate change on the cycles and populations of parasites affecting livestock, and on the biodiversity and quality of pastures
Assessment of the impact of undifferentiated anthelmintic treatments on biodiversity, especially on coprophages and worms’ densities.
Monitoring of a series of environmental factors and parasite populations, in order to develop risk models to support livestock management and parasites control.
The testing of alternative parasites control strategies
Implementation of a pilot to improve the quality and biodiversity of pastures (populations of dung beetles and worms).

Identification, adaptation and transfer of good practices (C3)

In this action, IDELE coordinates the identification of good practices for the adaptation of livestock extensive systems to climatic alterations, at national, European and international levels, covering as comprehensively as possible all the facets of the problem (water management, pasture improvement, livestock management, energy efficiency, etc.). These good practices will be presented to farmers in practical cards, adapting their contents to the territorial, environmental and socioeconomic reality of the area covered by the project, and will be validated in participatory workshops in Spain, Portugal and France.

Definition of adapted business models, and marketing campaign of extensive products (C4)

The University of Cordoba leads this action, which tackles the problem of the low economic performance of the extensive farms, and the lack of differentiation, on the market, of its products.
This task combines two lines of action:

Identification, adaptation and transfer of innovative business models, detecting the variables that affect business models, as well as business and logistics opportunities for farms, and adapting existing tools. The result will be a guide for the design of adapted business models.
Marketing and awareness raising campaign for extensive products, which promotes the multiple advantages of traditional products from extensive farms, highlighting their importance in the social and economic sustainability of rural areas, and the added value of these products in relation to the environment, biodiversity and conservation of indigenous races, human health and animal welfare, etc.

Training (C5)

Knowledge transfer and specific training of extensive livestock farmers is key for the professionalisation and empowerment of the actors of the sector. This action, coordinated by the Entretantos Foundation, focuses on the elaboration of specific training materials taking into consideration all project outputs and results, in order to be taught and transferred to farmers through the implementation of an open course, based on short explanatory videos, available to all people, to be uploaded in a MOOC platform, the project platform and youtube.

Entretantos Foundation designed a flexible training plan consisting of several modules, that allows extensive livestock stakeholders to compose their own training program, according to their concerns and level. The training offer will cover the following topics:

Effects of climate change on extensive livestock farms
Technologies for the adaptation of extensive farms to climate change
Good practices for adaptation.
Extensive management of pastures against climate change.
Extensive livestock health problems in a context of global change.
Business models, performance and financial information
Marketing of extensive livestock products
Regulatory framework and initiatives towards the adaptation to climate change.
Characterization and types of extensive livestock farms.
Diversity as a tool against climate change.

Social participation and policy (C6)

The objective of this action, coordinated by IDELE, is to involve key actors and the society in the elaboration of a set of recommendations, intended to competent authorities, for the implementation of action plans to promote the adaptation of extensive livestock farms to climate change. Moreover, this action will design and implement a plan for the replicability and transfer of project results to other EU countries and sectors.
A participatory process is implemented, involving representatives of all stakeholders (farmers, authorities, NGOs, experts, consumers, etc..) and agents related to extensive farming, in order to detect the key issues to be taken into account in the elaboration and implementation of policies towards the adaptation and preservation of well managed extensive livestock farms.

This process will be implemented by IDELE in France, QUERCUS in Portugal and by Entretantos Foundation in Spain. From a methodological point of view, it is based on complementary tools:

Online forum
Participation events in Spain, Portugal and France
Questionnaires

Evaluation of environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the project, and monitoring of its exploitation potential and replicability (block D)

The University of Cordoba and Innogestiona Ambiental are carrying out the monitoring the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the project through an ad hoc methodology, based on a series of indicators and on project KPI’s. The exploitation potential, economic viability and replicability of the innovations developed by the project are also being monitored.

Communication, dissemination and networking (block E)

FEDEHESA ensures the good communication and dissemination of the project through the website and social networks (follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). We are regularly organizing activities all kinds and for all audiences: technical workshops for farmers, authorities and experts, events for the general public, informative talks, open days, networking activities, etc. Have a look at our calendar for more information!