Use of Nature-based Solutions in Agricultural Innovations

ESSRG recruited an expert panel of industry leaders and scholars to delve into key facets of the implementation and effectiveness of nature-based solutions in agricultural innovations. In this article, we present the results of the first round of the eDelphi process, which aims to understand the concept of nature-based solutions and agricultural innovations through best practices.

On our understanding of NBS:

In our eDelphi survey, nature-based solutions (NBS) encompass a spectrum of agricultural practices geared towards reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment losses, and greenhouse gas emissions on a landscape and catchment scale. These practices are particularly pertinent to agricultural, agronomic, dairy, poultry, and cattle production. Aligned with the European Commission's definition, NBS are solutions inspired and nurtured by nature, offering cost-effective strategies that yield environmental, social, and economic benefits while fortifying resilience.

In our eDelphi, we asked participants to rate five agricultural innovations and eight farming methods on a scale of 1 to 10 across six dimensions: technological novelty, environmental novelty, social novelty, economic novelty, their effect on sustainability and the role of NBS.

Innovations & NBS use:

• Most innovations scored above 7 in all novelty aspects, except for integrated farming practices in terms of technological novelty.
• Hydroponic systems innovations (e.g., Struvite, fertigation recycling, and Cascade hydroponics) had lower NBS role scores, while Integrated farming and Microbial composting were seen as more sustainable and aligned with NBS.
• As a holistic approach, integrated farming was considered more sustainable than specific innovations.

On the chart showing the overview of the rating of the innovations, we can see that their rating is over 7 in all novelty aspects in all the cases (except for the integrated farming practice innovation in the technological novelty aspect). There is also a distinction between the innovations connected to hydroponic systems and the two others. In the case of Struvite, Recycling of Fertigation Effluents and Cascade Hydroponics, the role of NBS received the lowest scores. On the other hand, the role of NBS got the second highest score in the case of Integrated farming practice and Microbial composting. Integrated farming practice, not a specific innovation but a holistic approach to agricultural practices, was perceived as more sustainable than any single innovation.?

Agricultural practices & NBS use:

• Like the innovations, farming methods, excluding conventional farming, were rated highly sustainable.
• Most farming practices were highly valued for NBS, with precision and conventional farming receiving lower scores. This reassures us of the effectiveness of NBS in most practices, instilling confidence in their potential to address agricultural challenges.
• Precision farming was the only practice highly rated for technological novelty, while others were considered more nature-aligned.

Participants most frequently emphasised the effectiveness of water-related NBS and closed hydroponic systems in reducing pollution. They highlighted soil protection techniques like cover cropping, no-tillage, and agroforestry. Nutrient management practices, including precision farming, composting, and organic farming, were noted for their effectiveness in improving water quality and reducing agricultural pollution.

The rating of the innovations in the case of sustainability: Except for conventional farming, all the farming methods were deemed highly sustainable. Contrary to the innovations, the role of NBS received high scores in the rating of the farming methods, except for precision farming and conventional farming (see more detailed in the figure below). On the other hand, technological novelty was only valued with a high score in the case of precision farming, as all the other farming practices are more aligned with nature-based methods and a nature restoration approach.

Impact of NBS use on reducing agricultural pollution:

At the end, participants were asked about the impact of NBS measures on reducing agricultural pollution and the effectiveness of NBS nutrient management and water quality improvement. The results show that the most common answers were water-related nature-based solutions, including multiple dimensions, such as water-protection measures (e.g., constructed wetlands) and water-using technologies (e.g., closed hydroponic systems).?

Among the possible solutions are different soil protection measures (cover cropping, no-tillage, soil protection) and other biodiversity-enhancing actions, such as agroforestry, grassland promotion, crop rotation, and other integrated agricultural practices. Nutrient management was also emphasised in a technology-focused, precision farming context or composting and organic farming practices.

We are starting the second round of Delphi on existing and desired policies, challenges, and enabling and hindering factors. HERE IS THE LINK to Round 2.

Round 3 will be on the knowledge gaps & policy recommendations.

In the 1st round, we collected the answers between June 2024 and November 2024. We received valid answers from 48 respondents; 14 out of the 48 respondents have either a BA or an MA as their highest level of formal education, whilst the majority, 34, have a PhD (or equivalent or higher degree). Respondents come from diverse backgrounds from all over the world: they live in 26 different countries: Italy, Greece, Portugal, Norway, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Austria, China, Belgium, Cameroon, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Moldova, Oklahoma (USA), Poland, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. Respondents come from different professional backgrounds, with 0-40 years of experience in the agricultural innovation sector (mean: 15.2 years; mode: 10 years; median: 11.5 years).??

ECONUTRI is a European Union Horizon Europe innovation project aiming to produce innovative concepts and technologies for ecologically sustainable nutrient management in agriculture to prevent, mitigate, and eliminate pollution in soils, water, and air. The general objective of Econutri-Project is to optimise, validate, and demonstrate novel NBS adapted into a holistic concept.?