Promotion of Agro - Biodiversity. Possibilities of alpine-wide initiatives and activities

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1 Promotion of Agro - Biodiversity Possibilities of alpine-wide initiatives and activities Agro Biodiversity Conference in Bozen, 21 May 2008 Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention

2 Structure of the input Information on the Alpine Convention Fields of discussion for alpine-wide promotion of agrobiodiversity Outlook

3 1. Basic information on the Alpine Convention Multilateral international agreement Only legal instrument for sustainable development for the Alpine Space on the international level Instrument of Integrative policy and approach for sustainable development of the Alpine Space as living space The Organs: the conference of Ministers (Alpine Conference), the Permanent Committee, the Compliance Committee, the Permanent Secretariat, the Working Groups and Platforms Protocols: Tourism, Mountain Agriculture, Spatial planning and sustainable development, Mountain Forests, Transport, Soil Protection, Nature Protection and Landscape management, Energy

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5 Fields of discussion on 21 May Promotion of Agro-biodiversity: goal setting for the Alps (Alpine Wide activities or/and program)? Feedback and Analysis (possibilities and limits) of the three models presented (SKEK, GEN-SAVE and Veneto) for an alpine wide application for promotion of agrobiodiversity Analysis of the main elements of a long-term monitoring (strengths, weaknesses, chances and challenges in mapping, watching, alarming, preservation initiatives) Expectations concerning the role of the Alpine Convention in promotion agro biodiversity in the Alps

6 Outlook possibleroleof thealpine Convention in promotion of Agro-Biodiversity - Report on the state of the Alps (RSA): possible RSA on mountain farming and combined with mountain forestry in the Alps - formulate expectations vis-à-vis the EU agricultural policy from the point of view of the alpine region - Action plan for implementation of measures in order to promote the Agro - biodiversity in the Alps - Platform for the exchange of information and experiences among institutions and experts - Support an awareness building program concerning the importance of agrobiodiversity for sustainable developement of the Alps - Install alpine wide long term monitoring for Agro - biodiversity in SOIA - Alpine-wide database on species and breeds (basing on the experiences of the Swiss national database)?

7 Current situation of the Alpine Convention in 2008 Protocols of the Alpine Convention have come into effect in Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention has been established in Elaboration of first Action Plan (Climate) has been agreed at the ministerial conference in Alpbach Task Force of the Permanent Secretariat in Chambery gets affiliated in Branche-office of the Secretariat in Bozen becomes fully operational in Important contribution by the networks Alpine Alliance, Protected areas in the Alps ALPARC, International Scientific Committee Alpine Research ISCAR - Alpine Convention is a base for comprehensive committement and understanding in the Alpine Arc, networks appeal to the Alpine Convention, increase of alpine-wide cooperation, Example for other mountain regions

8 Consequences of current situation of the Alpine Convention Accelerated implementation of the Convention expected Accelerated establishment of the System for the Observation and Information on the Alps (SOIA) Facilitate common projects and initiatives formalization of links with the Alpine Space Program (observer) Cooperation with other mountain regions Developement of Alpine wide concepts in the European context (water, glaciers, artificial snow fall installations) and formulate expectations vis-à-vis the EU agricultural policy from the point of view of the alpine region Exchange experience on integrated sustainable rural development in the Alps (Complete the legal framework in the fields of Population and culture, air, water, waste)

9 The protocol on Mountain Agriculture of the Alpine Convention Signed by all parties and the EU and ratified/approved by all parties and the EU (except Switzerland and Italy) Main Objective: in the interest of the population - preservation and care of the cultural landscape and a locally adapted, environmentally friendly agriculture and its support taking into account the difficult mountain conditions Special objectives with connections to agro-biodiversity: Protection and safeguard of different elements of the cultural landscape (forest lines, hedges, etc.) and their care - Protection of the necessary land, pastures and forestry structures for livestock breeding - Protection of the genetic diversity of domesticated livestock and cultivated plants (Art. 10) - Protection and support of locally adapted mountain agriculture especially the livestock breeding including the typical variety of breeds and typical products - Support of farms which maintain a minimal cultivation in extreme locations - Avoid erosion and compression of soil by careful harvesting methods - Production of typical quality products of mountain agriculture, labelling of such products and marketing on local and international markets

10 System for the Observation and Information of the Alps (SOIA) Data- and information management as process involving key partners. Data base (collection, harmonization and opening access): for example - Alpine perimeter (in excel form and shape files for internal use - data in excel form on community level (about 30 actual data stets according key indicators) - alpine wide maps in form of pdf - meta-database (alpinewide research and existing data in the SOIA system, alpine research on national level, worldwide mountain research, actors in alpine research, etc.) - geodata and Web-GIS as following steps (?) - geodata of Eurogeographics on base of licence for internal use - access to data through indicators possible Report on the State of the Alps (RSA) - Coordination of the data collection in the frame of the developement of RSA to different topics (Transport, water) - Writing parts of the RSA to different topics (harmonization of data etc.) - Organizing the midterm verification and update of the RSA data and conclusions (two years period) - Update database (RSA I and RSA II etc.) - structure of the RSA oriented partly to indicators Building of long-term partnership and network for Alpine Resarch with research projects, institutions and administration Active dissamination of issues concerning Alpine research by - internet tools (webportal, newsletter, vulgarization of research results, etc.) - further products about research results (publications, studies, simulation games, etc.)

11 System for the Observation and Information of the Alps (SOIA) long-term monitoring and indicators Alpine-wide indicator system as a base for long-term monitoring and sustainable development of the Alps identification and assessment of success of implementation and gaps, as well as of alpine wide risks and trends Indicators are linked tight with the objectives of the Convention and it s protocols: mainly measure oriented target formulations and less quality targets and sandards: this means the vision for the environmental and society system quality is not priority but focus on concrete measures conflict of interest among the many-sided objectives and with national objectives tackled in each single case System model for long-term monitoring: driving forces pressures state impact and response Requirements for indicators of the Alpine Convention: alpine specific and differentiated reflection of developement and problems in the Alpine space, reflect the problems and developement direction in the view of the Alpine Convention, coherence with the system model, harmonized data collection possible, coherent developement of indicators, representative selection, hierarchical indicator system (headline indicators and single indicators)

12 SOIA: Mountain Agriculture Indicators for the Observation of the State of the Alps- according report and indicators proposed, 2004 Indicator Number of employees in agriculture Age of employees in agriculture Number of full time farms owned by natural persons Cultivated land, CORINE Landcover Value added of the agricultural sector Number of farms in ecological farming Percentage of surface of ecological farming Farming with environmental ameliarating measures Comments B3-2, key indicator Compiled for RSA 1, B3-3, key indicator Compiled for RSA 1, B3-4, key indicator Compiled for RSA 1, B3-5, identified for RSA 2, substitute Core indicator Substitute Substitute Substitute

13 SOIA: Reference of the developement of mountain agriculture to other themes of the Alpine Convention (indicators) Tourism: developement of additional income in farms Water resource management: increase of water and water abstraction for intensive agricultural use Change of landscape: change in the intensity of farming (intensification, abandonce of farms and cultivated land) Soils: erosion because of intensification, loss of soils, change of structures of soils, extensification or abandonce Settlements: loss of surfaces because of use of land for settlements, transport infrastructure and others Groundwater supply: change in the quantity and/or quality of groundwater because of water abstraction for intensive agriculture Surface water: change in the quantity and/or quality of surface water because of water abstraction or intensive agriculture Biodiversity: change in intensity of agriculture, abandonce of surfaces or loss of biotops and species in intensive cultivated land Use of GMO: release of GMO and commercial cultivation of GMO