The existence and management of permanent grasslands are key to the delivery of multiple ecosystem services across Europe and internationally. The international H2020 SUPER-G project aimed to co-develop sustainable permanent grassland systems and policies with a range of stakeholders, including farmers, advisers and policy makers.
Permanent grassland maintenance and functions are under threat because of changes in management, such as cultivation in higher output farming systems. Another key influence is farmer decision-making in relation to land abandonment in remote and marginal areas, and land-manager decisions to intensify or extensify livestock stocking rates.
The SUPER-G project consortium produced a range of resources, available through the links below. Also see the Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University's Policy Brief.
About the SUPER-G project:
The overall objective of the SUPER-G project was to co-develop sustainable permanent grassland systems and policies with farmers and policymakers, that will:
The SUPER-G consortium integrated an interdisciplinary team with a strong track record of working with industry, policy makers and other key land-use stakeholder groups, and combined expertise in biodiversity, agronomy, livestock production, grassland management, animal science, soil science, social science, agricultural economics, policy evaluation, water quality, climate regulation, soil erosion and flood control; across six biogeographic regions. All research was contextualised through a Responsible Research and Innovation approach, which addresses knowledge exchange with key stakeholders, including people living in relevant rural communities and citizens.
The perspectives of land managers and citizens have rarely been compared and contrasted, although both influence policies regarding permanent grassland management and the ecosystem services these potentially deliver. In SUPER-G, the way in which people evaluate and express preferences for the different types of ecosystem services (for example, productivist, regulatory, supporting and aesthetic) and the biodiversity these deliver were considered in detail, in the context of specific agricultural systems.
Most of the social science data was collected during the Covid-19 lockdowns, necessitating a rapid transition to online working! We managed to counter other fieldwork problems.
An additional problem relates to 'stakeholder fatigue'. It is important to engage our Communities of Practice in co-developing research and translating this to concrete research outputs. However, at the same time asking too much of the same people reduces both their ability and willingness to contribute to project activities, and raises an ethical issue if the same stakeholders are asked to participate in multiple different research projects. It is important to ensure that:
The SUPER-G consortium will meet virtually on a quarterly basis to consider future opportunities for collaboration. During the course of five years and nine months (project duration), we have established trust and developed working relationships within a community of researchers, advisers, farmers and policy makers. This has created a robust platform for future research and innovation activities to meet the challenges of adapting agri-food systems to a changing world.
The SUPER-G consortium comprised 22 partner organisations covering different biogeographic regions across Europe. Details can be found on the website.
Newcastle University led activities related to 'securing performance', which in particular focuses on the social science and economic aspects of the project.
"SUPER-G has improved our understanding of how permanent grasslands can potentially deliver multiple ecosystem services demanded and required by society. We have a better understanding of farmer and citizen priorities, preferences and behaviours and have provided a framework for communication to help various stakeholders discuss the role of permanent grasslands within agri-food systems, natural ecosystems and landscapes across Europe; and the agricultural and environmental policies that are needed to secure a sustainable future."
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