Case study: Farming for Soil Health Open Day
Photo acknowledgement: Teagasc
- Vocational
- Outdoor
- Campaign / event, Farm
- Ireland
Farming for Soil Health Open Day
Teagasc is the Agriculture and Food Development Authority in Ireland and provides research, advisory and training services.
Open days are field events organised for farmers, agricultural advisors, industry professionals, scientists, agricultural students and policy makers at which research and advisory staff conduct demonstrations on a particular theme. The Farming for Soil Health Open Day took place on the grounds of the Teagasc research facility at Johnstown Castle in March 2023, and demonstrated the practices and technologies that can be adopted on farms to assess and enhance soil health.
These activities were intended to raise awareness about the impact that care of our soils has on how food is produced and how we manage our environment, and also to promote informed decision-making on sustainable agricultural practices based on management of soil health.
Teagasc staff organized the event and farmers, agricultural advisors, industry professionals, scientists, agricultural students and policy makers were invited to participate.
Objective
To demonstrate, foster awareness and offer a platform to discuss important principles about sustainability and biodiversity of soil to farmers and other stakeholders. The event was designed to address sustainability challenges and opportunities, and provide insights into current technologies and future innovations for farms, soils, and nature conservation.
To reach a wider audience, video clips and infographics summarizing key messages from the Open Day were uploaded to the Teagasc website.
Approach
The methods used were outdoor demonstrations and interactive discussions on soil health themes supported by poster displays summarising key points and images.
One key message was emphasized from each demonstration to ensure that it was clearly communicated and to avoid information overload.
Video clips and the posters / infographics from the event were made available online afterwards.
These resources explain and demonstrate the following topics:
-Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Soil Health
-Soil Biodiversity – The Soil’s Engine
-Plant Diversity Enhances Soil Biology
-Assessing Soil Compaction and Soil Quality
-How to Assess Soil Health in Situ
-Soil management for Tillage Crops
-Straw Incorporation and Cover Crops
-Preventing and Alleviating Physical Soil Damage
-Soil Compaction by Machinery Trafficking
-How to Enhance Soil Nutrient Supply
-Enhancing Soil Nutrient Supply and Soil Health – Bio-Based Fertiliser (BBF) Research
-Enhancing Carbon Sequestration
-Multispecies Swards – Multiple Benefits
It is intended to hold another open day focused on ‘Farming for a Better Future’ in 2024, in which soil health will be a major component.