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Field visit on sustainable land management in agriculture at Walloon Center for Research in Agriculture (CRA-W), Gembloux

Field visit on sustainable land management in agriculture at Walloon Center for Research in Agriculture (CRA-W), Gembloux

Field visit

2024-11-13 | 01:00 PM - 05:30 PM | Rue de Liroux, 9 B, 5030 Gembloux

Session details

The site visit to the Walloon Center for Research in Agriculture (CRA-W), in Gembloux, a town in the province of Namur, in the Wallonia region of Belgium, will focus on agricultural land use. Specifically, the Soil, water, and integrated production Unit is at the forefront of agricultural research, focusing on understanding the impacts of farming practices on soil heath. Our visit will include a tour of the experimental plots and trials of the SYCI project (from French “SYstèmes de Cultures Innovants”, Innovative Cropping Systems) which aims to design, install, and compare three innovative farming systems in response of distinct challenges faced in food production. The three cropping systems identified are the following:

1. SOIL system: conserves soil health capital (physical, chemical, and biological) by minimising harmful agronomic practices and enhancing eco-services with legume-rich rotations, direct seeding, and resistant varieties.

2. GHG system: reduces greenhouse gas emissions by minimising high-emission inputs (synthetic fertilizers, mechanisation) and maximising biomass outputs for biomethanisation.

3. ZEROPHYTO system: aims to eliminate plant protection products (PPPs) by using mechanical weeding, crop associations, and resistant varieties.

A fourth conventional system is also included for comparison. Beyond studying the cropping systems themselves, with SYCI, CRA-W aims to offer the scientific community a permanent tool where new projects and studies can be integrated to explore new fields of investigation.

Agenda

13:00 – Departure by bus from the conference venue, Bluepoint (Blvd Auguste Reyers 80, 1030 Brussels)

14:00 – Arrival at venue and welcome of the participants (Léon Lacroix Building)

14:15 – Presentations of the Soil, water, and integrated production Unit & different projects regarding impacts of farming practices on soil heath

  • Introduction (Bruno Huyghebaert): Presentation of the CRA-W and the Soil, water and integrated production Unit from the Sustainability, systems and prospectives Department
  • The QuantiSlakeTest (Frédéric Vanwindekens): an original and simple method to measure soil structural stability
  • TRANSAE and DiverIMPACTS projects (Aline Fockedey): research to support the agroecological transition
  • Presentation of the experimental plot SYCI (Morgan Abras): an innovative cropping systems trial in the loamy region of Gembloux

16:10 – Visit of experimental plot SYCI (visit and Q&A)

17:00 – End of the visit: return by bus to Brussels-Midi railway station

18:00 – Arrival at Brussels-Midi railway station

Speakers