Farm Managers in the Swiss Canton of Solothurn Take Effective Measures to Build up Humus
Photo: Amt für Landwirtschaft
Kanton Solothurn
An eight-year project is helping farmers in the canton of Solothurn to maintain and increase the fertility of their arable land by building up humus.
Humus is essential for soil fertility and stores important plant nutrients. Farmers influence soil humus levels through crop selection, soil cultivation, crop residues, organic fertilisers and intercropping. Specific measures are needed to maintain or improve humus levels in the long term.
The Cantonal Office for Agriculture (ALW), the Office for the Environment (AfU) and the Solothurn Farmers’ Association (SOBV) jointly developed the resource project entitled Humusbewirtschaftung in der Landwirtschaft (humus management in agriculture). Its aim is to safeguard the long-term fertility of arable soils by building up humus. The project involves analyses of soils and surveys of farmers’ responses to the management measures and analysis tools proposed.
Participating farms were offered a variety of measures and received financial compensation for implementing them. They calculated their annual humus balance using the Agroscope Humus Balance Calculator and were assisted through advice and training. The project raises farmers’ awareness of humus management, promotes soil assessment by the farmers themselves and provides tools such as the humus balance calculator.
As it is crucial to identify facilitating and inhibiting factors, the 200 or so participants were surveyed three times by means of online questionnaires.
Measures implemented
The measures implemented most frequently were “green manure” (71%) and “perennial grass leys” (68%). In the third survey, two out of three farmers favoured “year-round soil cover”, with “early green manure” being implemented most often.
Assessment of the humus balance calculator
Satisfaction with the humus balance tool was high from the start and rose significantly in the course of the project. Participants found it increasingly easy to interpret the results in the course of the project.
Determinants of success and obstacles
The commitment and motivation of farmers were key determinants of success. The knowledge gain and exchanges with other farm managers contributed to the project’s success. Despite positive feedback concerning the overall project, only 60% of those surveyed saw noticeable improvement in the soil during the period analysed. The farmers considered it necessary to receive financial compensation for implementation of the measures. Inhibiting factors mainly related to the implementation of certain measures such as crop rotation, year-round soil cover and composting manure, which were perceived as too burdensome.
Conclusions
- The participants were highly committed to soil improvement.
- Although only 60% considered long-term preservation of soil fertility to have been achieved, soil improvement and the preservation of the soil for future generations took centre stage in the farmers’ perceptions.
- Financial compensation was vital in order that the measures were implemented. Most participants plan to continue the measures after the end of the project.
Bibliographical reference
Betriebsleitende im Kanton Solothurn ergreifen wirksame Massnahmen zum Humusaufbau.
