EU Pilot 6
AUTH & kefalas
The AUTH & KEFALAS Pilot is located in Greece, Region of Central Macedonia, Prefecture of Thessaloniki. The area is located in the agricultural territory of Kolchiko. The area is characterized as rural, where arable crops cultivation and cow - sheep farming are the main activities.
PILOT CHALLENGES (CONTEXT)
Kefalas dairy farm (Thessaloniki) is a modern dairy farm SME company. The company has modern cow housing systems where about 300 dairy cows are reared. Kefalas is cultivating about 80 ha of agricultural land to produce highly nutritious feed for livestock. There is a lack of circular economy and general environmental awareness in mixed farm systems such as feed production and dairy farming system.
PILOT OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the AUTH & KEFALAS Pilot are following:
To establish local baseline variability in biological soil quality indicators
To determine if soil degradation has taken place with conventional management
To determine whether adoption of promising management techniques promoting a circular economy model may improve soil quality
To optimize the system for high yields in balance with preserving, restoring or improving soil quality
PILOT INNOVATIONS
Animal wastes management to succeed nutrient recirculation and protection of soil fertility.
table
Pilot location | Greece |
Use Case | KEFALAS GP farm |
Pilot scale | The pilot-scale is covered by the KEFALAS GP farm that includes 80 ha of arable crops and a dairy cow farm with 300 dairy cows. |
Land uses (crop types/livestock species) | Corn (for silage), vetch, cereals, alfa alfa. Dairy farm of 300 milk cows and 200 heifers in personal places stalk. |
Major agricultural and environmental projects |
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Pilot objectives | To establish local baseline variability in biological soil quality indicators, determine if soil degradation has taken place with conventional management and whether adoption of promising management techniques promoting a circular economy model may improve soil quality. In parallel, the pilot aims to optimize the system for high yields in balance with preserving, restoring or improving soil quality. |