Eco-efficiency expresses the relationship between the environmental impact/resource consumption and the economic value of a product in a production process. Eco-efficiency thus stands for both ecological and economic efficiency.
The overarching goal of the "Scientific Foundations" sub-area is the interdisciplinary scientific analysis of agricultural production processes. This involves developing the foundations for farm-specific life cycle assessments and economic analyses for the following applications:
- Development of evaluation systems for practical application
- Presentation of eco-efficiency and derived measures for agricultural production
- Ecological modernization of agricultural operations
- Eco-design and eco-assessment for agricultural businesses
Basic publications
- Herndl, M., Baumgartner, DU, Guggenberger, T., Bystricky, M., Gaillard, G., Lansche, J., Fasching, C., Steinwidder, A., Nemecek, T., 2016:
Individual farm life cycle assessment of agricultural holdings in Austria. Final report, BMLFUW. - Herndl M., Marton SMRR, Baumgartner DU, Guggenberger T., Steinwidder A., Gaillard G., 2016:
The environmental performance of grassland and arable-based dairy farms – a case study from Austria. Grassland Science in Europe, 21, 59-61. - Herndl M., Baumgartner DU, Guggenberger T., Bystricky M., 2016:
Environmental impacts of selected arable farms in Austria: Contribution analysis and improvement options. 71st ALVA Conference, Bildungshaus Schloss Krastowitz, 30-31 May 2016, pp. 155-157. - Guggenberger T., Baumgartner DU, Herndl M., Bystricky M., 2016:
Utilization of scientific findings from life cycle assessment through the provision of information systems. 71st ALVA Conference, Bildungshaus Schloss Krastowitz, 30-31 May 2016, 164-166. - Herndl, M., Baumgartner, DU, Bystricky, M., Guggenberger, T., Marton, SMRR, 2015:
Final conference of the FarmLife project. Final report Part 2, BMLFUW
Current projects - see the links to the projects on the side!
Development of an assessment system for animal welfare for implementation in the farm management tool FarmLife
The issue of animal welfare is gaining increasing importance in agriculture and in societal discussions, both nationally and internationally. Sustainable farm development considers various management levels within the system boundaries.
The aim of the project is to develop suitable parameters and methods for assessing the animal welfare of husbandry systems using cattle farming as an example and to integrate them into the existing farm management tool FarmLife.
Practical application of the farm management tool "FarmLife" in the model region of the Liezen district
Dairy farms facing volatile product prices and uncertain future prospects require long-term decision-making. Well-prepared farm performance indicators promote stable and sustainable farm development. To test the tool developed within the "Farmlife" project to support management decisions on farms in practice, dairy farms in the model region of Liezen were selected.
The following objectives are being pursued on both a practical and scientific level:
Practice:
- Introduction and preparation of stakeholders in the operations management tool
- Acquisition of dairy farms in the Liezen district
- Workshops on data entry and operational feedback/consulting
- Embedding the results in concepts for business development
Scientific:
- Impact of farm management on the environmental impacts of dairy farms
- Development of recommendations for action to reduce environmental impacts
Completed projects
Farmlife - Individual life cycle assessment of agricultural holdings in Austria
Farmers are increasingly confronted with questions of resource consumption and the environmental impacts of their production systems. Both aspects are closely linked to economic considerations. The combination of societal demands and the challenges of change and scarcity expected in the future (climate change, energy) requires every farmer to assess their strengths and weaknesses. The goal of this assessment must be to achieve the most favorable balance possible between economic viability, ecological sustainability, and resource dependence.
Further information about the Farmlife project and the download of the final report for the Farmlife project Part 1 and report Farmlife Part 2
Agricultural Atlas
The spatial and material structure of Austrian agriculture was examined for the agricultural atlas. Comprehensive datasets from the national administration and external project partners from 2010 are integrated into the model's development. These data form the basis for a further assessment of material flows and an analysis of the environmental compatibility and resource efficiency of farms.
Further information on the agricultural atlas, including downloads, can be found at: http://www.raumberg-gumpenstein.at/ggs.html
Eco-efficiency toolbox for agricultural consulting and education practice
A safe and sustainable introduction of life cycle assessment for agricultural operations, which not only demonstrates their economic viability but also their environmental impacts, requires a comprehensive tool that is applicable in both educational and advisory institutions.
In cooperation with the University of Agricultural and Environmental Education Vienna, a comprehensive package of teaching and learning materials was developed and made available online to all teachers at agricultural schools in Austria in the form of a Moodle course. The farm management tool www.farmlife.at, , allows the use of the corresponding teaching/learning materials alongside the interactive processing of anonymized project farms on farmlife.at.
The development steps for real-world operation can be worked out directly in the FarmLife tool. The links provided there lead to further reading.
To the Moodle course: https://www.eduacademy.at/phagrarumwelt/course/index.php?categoryid=710
Integration of the eco-efficiency tool FarmLife into the agricultural education landscape of Austria
The application of FarmLife should be firmly established in agricultural practice to promote the sustainable use of resources and site-appropriate, performance-oriented farm management. The dissemination of FarmLife must be driven by key influencers; therefore, the application of the farm management tool, including the comprehensive training package developed for it, should be integrated into the education of the next generation.
