STRATUS

In the vast fields of European agriculture, sustaining soil fertility while mitigating nutrient losses is a challenge. As farmers grapple with the complexities of integrated fertilisation management, a critical need emerges for a unified approach. In this context, the EU-funded STRATUS project aims to connect advisors across the continent. Specifically, STRATUS aims to accelerate knowledge creation and sharing, guiding farmers in implementing sustainable practices aligned with the ambitious Farm-to-Fork and biodiversity strategies. By identifying 48 best practices, the project supports farmers and fosters local adaptation through 10 Communities of Practice, ensuring integration into the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems of Member States.

STRATUS, extending over 60 months, aims to connect advisors across Europe for accelerating knowledge creation and sharing on Integrated Fertilisation Management, supporting farmers to bring this knowledge into practice to achieve the ambition of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, thus reducing nutrient losses to the environment while maintaining soil fertility.

For this, STRATUS will create an EU-wide advisory network through the creation of three transnational sub-networks (Fertilisation Innovation Networks - FIN) on Precision farming, Bio-based fertilisers and Soil quality (SQ) in which trained advisors will collect a total of 104 Good Practices (GPs) and Research Innovations (RIs) on optimal fertiliser use and will identify at least 48 Best Practices (BPs) as the result of the systemic feasibility assessment of the GPs and RIs . In addition, STRATUS will also ensure the integration of the advisors in the MS AKIS as well as the adaptation of the project work to the local conditions through the creation of 10 Communities of Practices (CoPs), in 10 partners countries, established with local AKIS actors, following the MA approach. Based on these BPs, STRATUS will develop 60 demonstrations and training material that will facilitate advisors to exchange knowledge, experiences and key challenges for advisory practice through Cross Visits in all MS and CoPs. All the knowledge generated in the project will become available through an inventory hosted in the digital platform of the STRATUS project. STRATUS will determine the model for the exploitation model of the platform besides the self-sustainability of the EU-wide advisory network .

STRATUS will cover all EU27 MS, eleven (11) MS are covered directly by project partners, while the other are covered through being members of EUFRAS and SEASN and projects advisory organisations in charge of mirroring knowledge exchange.