Finland

Conventional and Organic Cropping

In Finland, the Natural Resources Institute of Finland (Luke) will pilot cold-adapted regenerative practices, including cover cropping, green manures, and compost teas, to enhance the resilience of boreal soils and crops.

The experiments will take place across two experimental farms in southern Finland: Koivumäki (conventional, growing spring wheat and barley) and Tyynelä (organic, growing winter turnip rape, wheat, pea–wheat intercrop, and oats), covering more than 2 hectares. The trial will aim to improve soil health, nutrient cycling, and climate resilience while reducing dependency on nitrogen fertilisers.

Test Site 2a: Conventional Cropping

Test site

Koivumäki Farm

Location

Loviisa, South Finland
(60°43′N, 26°12′E)

Arable Crops

Spring wheat, barley

Test Area

>2 ha
(plots 50 m × 9 m)

Test Site 2b: Organic Cropping

Test site

Tyynelä Farm

Location

Lappeenranta, South-East Finland
(61°12′N, 28°43′E)

Arable Crops

Winter turnip rape, winter wheat, spring pea–wheat intercrop, spring oats

Test Area

>2 ha
(plots 50 m × 9 m)

Site Characteristics

Objectives

Planned Activities

Experimental designs to compare conventional and organic practices.
Yield and biomass measurements for cash crops and cover crops.
Soil sampling to study earthworms, nematodes, microbial diversity, soil structure, and symbiotic activity.
Weather monitoring using field stations.
Soil compaction and aggregate size assessed visually using standard protocols.
Long-term soil recovery studies under varying weather conditions.
Field demonstrations, stakeholder engagement, and dissemination through National Task Forces.

Innovations Being Tested

Diversified under-sown cover crops (with or without minimum tillage).
Use of soil amendments and biostimulants.
Long-term soil recovery experiments considering climatic variability.
Multi-species (>20) green manure grasslands.

Challenge

The Finnish sites address four main challenges:

Soil Degradation/ Compaction: Resulting from cereal monocultures and lack of crop rotation.
Climate Change: Need to strengthen adaptive capacity, reduce emissions, and enhance resilience.
Nitrogen Leaching: Minimise losses and improve nitrogen cycling.
Yield Stagnation: Boost productivity and competitiveness without compromising sustainability.

Expected Results

Improved soil structure, microbiome, and fauna diversity.
Enhanced nutrient cycling and reduced fertiliser dependence.
Better adaptation and resilience to climate variability.
Increased yields and yield stability.
Reduced environmental footprint (lower GHG emissions, improved biodiversity).

News

Gallery

UC 1:
Denmark

Conventional Cropping

Testing cover crops, perennial crops & biological amendments to improve sandy soils, nutrient cycling & resilience in conventional farming.

UC2:
Finland

Conventional and Organic Cropping

Piloting cold-adapted green manures and compost teas to enhance boreal soil health, crop resilience, and reduce nitrogen fertiliser use.

UC3:
France

Organic Cropping

Introducing wheat–prairie strip-cropping on degraded clay soils to boost biodiversity, soil structure & low-input, diversified farming.

UC4:
Hungary

Organic Cropping

Applying minimum tillage, green manures & soil monitoring to develop drought-resilient, low-input organic systems that improve soil health & water retention.

UC5:
Italy

Organic Cropping

Testing composts, biochar-coated seeds & strip tillage to enhance soil fertility, crop resilience & sustainability under organic management.

UC6:
Portugal

Conventional Cropping

Using different methods for cover cropping & biostimulants to improve nitrogen efficiency, reduce fertiliser use & maintain yields in intensive maize systems.