When applying flowering inter-row vegetation, one can choose from existing commercial mixtures or compose a mixture specifically designed for one’s site and needs. If so, selecting the right species is crucial.

Twenty-nine organic mixed crop–livestock farms in Guadeloupe were surveyed to characterise their multiperformance using the STREAM tool, developed by Agroecology-TRANSECT project. These farms were selected to reflect the diversity of agroecological crop–livestock integration practices across the archipelago. Given the length and density of the survey guide, the researchers proposed that the field phase be conducted using a participatory approach.

The lack of monitoring and evaluation of CAP support effects on biodiversity has been identified as a major barrier to effective governance of public funding and a source of demotivation for farmers.

In recent years, several EU countries have introduced result-based payment (RBP) schemes to enhance the environmental services provided by agriculture – promoting biodiversity, improving landscape quality, and supporting better water management.

Despite a growing number of initiatives, these schemes remain relatively rare in Europe and are often implemented only as pilots. RBP approaches are generally considered most suitable where they can support existing farming practices and traditional land-use systems, rather than in areas requiring substantial ecological restoration. For this reason, they are particularly relevant for High Nature Value (HNV) farming systems.

Productive grasslands rely often on low plant diversity with high management intensity and fertiliser input. However, research shows that multi-species mixtures can deliver high forage yield and quality with lower inputs and environmental impact. Benefits include improved nutrient use efficiency, weed suppression, resilience to extreme weather, and enhanced soil fertility and biodiversity. The best example is the positive clover-grass combination that reduces the need for mineral nitrogen fertiliser through natural nitrogen fixation.

Ploughing is often criticized for its impact on soils, particularly for the risk of forming a ‘plough pan’, a compacted, repeatedly smoothed layer typically found at a depth of 25–30 cm.

The study conducted by researchers at INRAE Guadeloupe found that wildflower strips support the recruitment and maintenance of parasitoid wasps in the field. Moreover, wildflower strips provide a favorable environment for parasitoid communities, with a steady increase in the number of parasitoids sampled over time. Wildflower strip promote the recruitment of a high diversity of parasitoid wasps including many species associated with the regulation of the melonworm (Diaphania hyalinata), which is the main cucurbit pest in Guadeloupe due to the defoliation it causes.

A flowering inter-row vegetation can only fulfil its potential in promoting beneficial arthropods when the sown flowering plant species are given the opportunity to bloom and produce ripe seeds. Therefore, maintaining a perennial species-rich inter-row vegetation requires some adjustments to the farmers’ mulching regime.

Marcinelle is a system experiment involving 28 dairy cows and their offspring, implemented since 2020 on 62 hectares of permanent grassland at the INRAE Herbipôle experimental farm in Marcenat (French Massif central, 1,100 m asl). It was co-designed in 2019 in a participatory process, and is driven by a collective of researchers and regional stakeholders, including local farmers and citizens.

The methodology of sowing a cover crop mixture is usually determined by the existing vegetation of the inter-rows, the availability of machinery and the species of the mixture.

Irrigation is one of the agrotechnical measures that can eliminate or at least mitigate the effects of drought in agriculture. On the other hand, where irrigation is introduced, agriculture is the largest consumer of water.

A recent review highlights that diverse forage mixtures on sown grasslands can significantly reduce (or at least stabilise) the negative effects of drought on forage production. By combining the diversity in plant species and genotype composition, grasslands can mitigate drought impacts on sown and permanent grasslands under varying climatic conditions.

Climate change increases the vulnerability of grassland-based production systems given that it affects the annual distribution of forage production and enhances its inter-annual variability.

Today, research and development organisations are urged to collaborate with stakeholders to design and test ‘solutions’ that are considered virtuous and desirable to all involved. This changes the missions and work of those conducting research and development activities.

Stripcropping is a cultivation method in which multiple crops are grown side by side in long, narrow strips. How should farmers determine strip width and length? A factsheet on stripcropping and mechanization summarizes key considerations.

Stripcropping is often regarded as a system that enhances resilience. But does it indeed increase biodiversity, and how does this affect pests and diseases? A factsheet for farmers summarizes recent research.

Stripcropping is a cultivation method where multiple crops are grown side by side in long, narrow strips. Does it affect yields? Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands, researchers summarized results from three Dutch organic farm experiments in a farmer factsheet.

Based on the game of goose, this board game tells the story of Poul Genm (in Guadeloupean Creole) settling on a mixed farming and livestock farm in the Caribbean, highlighting its good initiatives and missteps.

Diversification of grassland-based systems is highly valued in agroecology, organic farming and other forms of regenerative agriculture. For lowlands, mountain and Mediterranean areas, we illustrate that diversification of grassland types, livestock species, products and farm labour allows coping with market, climatic and workforce-related risks. 

Unpredictable climate patterns have become a part of every farmer's life, requiring them to adapt their practices with increasing frequency. This is certainly the case in the highly productive Romanian Plain, where the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves and drought have increased over the past 20 years.