Decision Support System for Sustainable and GHG optimized Milk Production in Key European Areas – MilKey

Dairy production is the sector in agriculture where region-specific concepts are most prominently required. European regions are highly diverse and complex, consisting of different species, farmed within a wide range of different extensive, semi-intensive and intensive production systems using multiple resources to produce a diverse range of animal products and other services. Dairy production strongly depends upon the regional resources and climate and no “one size fits all”-solution is available. Strong region-specific approaches are required that take into account region-specific conditions and can respond to region-specific foci within the three pillars of sustainability.

European milk production faces structural changes threatening the current mix of small, medium-size and large farms. It is essential that key questions are answered to ensure economic, environmental and social sustainability. Which concept for milk production shall be implemented in which European regions? Which function does or should milk production have in the key European regions? Where is production efficiency the most important criterion? Where is the focus on landscape preservation, biodiversity, family farms and employment in rural areas? Are the current political instruments targeted to achieve the desired development? What farming practices improve environmental protection, social inclusion and employment, while guaranteeing economic viability and competitiveness? How can farmers be encouraged to implement sustainable farming practises, and what role plays the social embeddedness of farmers in the farm household and rural community in this respect? Who is going to pay for GHG emission reductions in dairy farming and what are the distributional consequences for producers, consumers and taxpayers of different choices? It is essential that holistic concepts are developed to ensure economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainability (3P) for future dairy production systems.

• Analyse the drivers and the sustainability aspects of DPS across Europe
• Identify key priorities for sustainability in key European regions;
• Assess 3P sustainability on case study farms across Europe
• Assess 3P sustainability interactions and emission mitigation potentials for key European areas
• Identify key GHG mitigation techniques for respective DPS/regions
• Develop and demonstrate an online monitoring tool for barn climate, and emission control
• Develop the MilKey platform for information and communication on key sustainability parameters of DPS.
• Assist dairy farmers in improving the 3P sustainability of their DPS
• Bring national research results into an international context and make them available to a wide audience
• Initiate a long term inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration among scientists, stakeholders, farmers, farm advisors, industry, consumers and policy makers

1. Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), DE – COORDINATOR
2. University of Zielona Góra, Institute of Environmental Engineering (UZG), PL
3. Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), GR
4. Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), BE
5. Agriculture and Food Development Authority (TEAGASC), IE
6. French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAe), FR
7. Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), NO
8. French Livestock Institute (IDELE), FR
9. School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin (UCD), IE
10. Poznan University of Life Sciences (PULS), PL