Living Lab 3
Adaptation to Climate Change
Goal: Develop innovations to improve soil health for climate change
Where: Germany
Climate: Warm-summer oceanic climate, Warm-summer humid continental climate
Crops: Cereals, legumes, pulses, oilseeds, root and tuber crops
Soil health challenges: Loss of soil organic matter; soil erosion; soil compaction; biodiversity loss.
No. of experimental sites: 20.
No. of potential Lighthouses: 2 sites to be identified.
Total area: 2500 ha
Who are we working with? Academia, industry, government, and civil society.
Which EU Mission Soil objectives are addressed?
2: Increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks.
5: Prevent erosion.
6: Improve soil structure for soil biota and crops.
8: Increase soil literacy.
Living Lab 3 Coordinators
Leader: Thomas Weyer, South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences
Co-leader: Jana Epperlein, Institute of German Association for Conservation Tillage
Living Lab 3 innovations
We are testing the performance of these innovations in improving soil health for climate change.
Soil management
- Sown cover crops/groundcovers
- Mulching (woody or herbaceous residues)
- Organic amendments
- Planting green
- Minimal soil disturbance/permanent soil cover
- Mechanical control of cover crops/groundcovers
Agronomy management
- Intercropping, mixed cropping
- Enhance diversity of crop rotations
- Adapted plant nutrient strategies (NPK,
micro nutrients, pH)
Weed control
- Alternative weed control techniques
- Adapted plant protection measures
Green infrastructure
- Multifunctional field margins/buffer zones
- Biodiversity structures
- Forest curtains
Livestock and pasture management
- Grazing
IT solutions
- Precision farming (Auto-guidance, VRA)
- Modelling (digital twins, remote sensing)
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