Farmers are obliged to gather all sorts of information about fields, such as fertility, fertiliser use, farming methods, and yield. Some of this information is reported to authorities, some is not. As a result, there is no common digital database on the quality and use of fields.
However, the pursuit by European regulators of a circular economy and good status of waters requires that measures to cut nutrient runoff from fields, for example, are increasingly tailored to meet the specific local conditions. This is hardly possible without a solid knowledge of the historical and current management of fields; thus, there is an urgent need for a digital, up-to-date “nutrient database”.
WP1 explores the current quality, applicability, and accessibility of field-parcel specific data. It also studies the conditions of establishing a common nutrient database. It is obvious that such a database ─ particularly if made available to law enforcement authorities ─ will be met with reservations, not least by farmers. Therefore, securing sound administrative practices and the legal rights of farmers is important for the function of the database.
WP1 also contains case studies: In the region of Lake Pyhäjärvi, SW Finland, we collect and analyse various sets of nutrient-related, spatial data. Our aim is to quantify the phosphorus flows in the area and assess how such data could be used to target the environmental protection measures in the most efficient way in this area.
By interviewing farmers and experts, and by performing a legal analysis, WP1 analyses the fundamental preconditions for establishing and using a nutrient database. Finally, our main objective is to produce a draft of the technical structure of the database, an estimate of its costs, and the legislative measures needed to secure the function of the database.
Leaders of the work package
Jussi Kauppila
Senior Research Scientist
The Finnish Environment Institute
firstname.lastname@syke.fi
+358 295 251270.
Jani Salminen
Senior Research Scientist
The Finnish Environment Institute
firstname.lastname@syke.fi
+358 295 251608
The work package is divided into two separate tasks.
Task 1A: The legal and practical requirements for a unified nutrient data system
The evaluation of the load imposed by agriculture and the targeting of water protection measures would be made easier by a digital data system in which significant, field parcel specific information on the condition of soil would be available. In addition to challenges concerning technical feasibility, there are issues on the legal boundaries and social acceptability of such data system.
Participating in the study:
Kauko Koikkalainen
Research Scientist
Natural Resources Institute Finland
firstname.lastname@luke.fi
+358 295 326 257
Antti Miettinen
Research Scientist
Natural Resources Institute Finland
firstname.lastname@luke.fi
+358 295 326 365
Helena Valve
Senior Research Scientist
The Finnish Environment Institute
firstname.lastname@syke.fi
+358 295 251723.
Arja Mustonen
Research Scientist
Natural Resources Institute Finland
firstname.lastname@luke.fi
+358 295 322 267
Kaisa Riiko
kaisa@riikontila.fi
+358 400 414 212
Task 1B: Evaluating and optimising agri-environmental measures with the help of field-plot-specific data
What kind of data specific to individual fields are already available and what does it reveal? This is studied by analyzing existing national-scale data. Furthermore, in a case study carried out in the Pyhäjärvi region (SW Finland) we employ various datasets on phosphorus and its flows to provide a quantitative analysis on the efficiency and targeting of environmental protection measures by agriculture.
Participating in the study:
Juha Riihimäki
Senior Researcher:
The Finnish Environment Institute
firstname.lastname@syke.fi
+358 295 251559
Riitta Lemola
Research Scientist
Natural Resources Institute Finland
firstname.lastname@luke.fi
+358 295 326 325
Anne-Mari Ventelä
Research Manager
Pyhäjärvi Institute
firstname.lastname@pji.fi
+358 50 370 2919
Päivi Laine
Specialist
Pyhäjärvi Institute
firstname.lastname@pji.fi
+358 044 034 4067
Pekka Maijala
Specialist
Pyhäjärvi Institute
firstname.lastname@pji.fi
+358 44 034 4059
Sauli Jaakkola
Specialist
Pyhäjärvi Institute
firstname.lastname@pji.fi
+358 44 045 6423