Portuguese farmers sow biodiverse pastures to reverse the degradation of Mediterranean ecosystems

For five years, 1000 Portuguese farmers sowed biodiverse seed mixtures, rich in legumes, across 50 000 hectares. This nature-based technique offers a potential sustainable intensification solution, simultaneously increasing production and environmental services. The sowing of these biodiverse seed mixtures resulted in a higher animal production and higher protein content of the animal feed. It also increased carbon sequestration through organic matter stored in the soil, improved soil fertility, increased water retention capacity of the soils and reduced the risk of erosion. 

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At the beginning of September 2018, the EIP-AGRI Operational Groups database on the EIP-AGRI website included 8 Operational Groups in the EU working on grazing.

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