The German Agricultural Society e.V. (DLG) is in search for partners to work on HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-01-1

In line with the objectives of the farm to fork strategy for a transition to fair, healthy and environmentally friendly livestock production systems, and of the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, including the conservation status of certain habitats and species, the successful proposal will help policy makers and other actors to monitor and improve the management of farming and terrestrial wildlife relationships, thus contributing to sustainable agriculture and ecosystem services.

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

• Innovative and sustainable practices and tools at landscape level to prevent and control negative consequences of interactions between livestock and wild animals to protect wildlife and pastoral/outdoor production systems.
• Recommendations/policy advice on optimal management at EU level of wildlife and agro-pastoral systems.
• Decision-making process on wildlife management and land planning participated by relevant stakeholders.
• Improved coordination across Europe in terms of wildlife management, surveillance and data collection systems.

Agro-pastoral/outdoor livestock farming systems, which include a large number traditional activities in Europe such as grazing systems, mountain livestock farming, transhumance, silvo-pastoral and agroforestry systems, offer beneficial effects not only to animal production, e.g., in case of scarce fodder resources, or to animal welfare, but also to habitat maintenance, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation and soil protection.

The increased demand for natural resources by human population with the consequent fragmentation of wildlife habitat, together with the increased population of wild animals and the change in land use have often resulted in human-wildlife conflicts. The interactions between livestock farmers and wildlife are more frequent and cause damages to both sides with conflicts in the management of farming systems and natural resources.

Wildlife population, which is worth protecting, occupies wide geographic area and extend across administrative borders, and public administrations face difficulties with regards to the reduction of the impact of wildlife on livestock farming. The implementation of a common and integrated approach at EU level is required to optimize the management of the co-existence of terrestrial wildlife (large carnivores, ungulates) and agro-pastoral/outdoor livestock systems at landscape level.

Please, visit the following page to get more information regarding this call.