DRAINAGE FOUNDATION – KNOWLEDGE OF FIELD WATER MANAGEMENT HELPS FARMERS AND THE BALTIC SEA
Baltic Sea Commitment
The Finnish Drainage Foundation promotes the sharing of information on how drainage increases crop yields and reduces nutrient leaching into the Baltic Sea.
Collaboration seeks to share information and increase cooperation with stakeholders
Effective field drainage promotes and maintains good soil health, reduces nutrient runoff and increases crop yields. Good soil health is vital for both sustainable food production and reducing the amount of nutrients that end up in the Baltic Sea.
The Drainage Foundation began collaborating with BSAG in 2015 by making its first Baltic Sea Commitment. The commitment aims to share information about field water management and to increase cooperation between stakeholders working in this area.
Information exchange and broad-ranging discussions at seminars
As part of its commitment, the Drainage Foundation organises national and international seminars for farmers, researchers and authorities. BSAG and the Drainage Foundation have already arranged three joint seminars on soil drainage and associated environmental issues in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
The next seminar will be held in autumn 2022. The Finnish Field Drainage Association and the Land and Water Technology Foundation have also been involved in organising the seminars.
Research databank makes it easier to find information
As part of its Baltic Sea Commitment, the Drainage Foundation maintains and updates a research databank that it created.
The databank is open to everyone, and contains answers to a variety of questions about soil drainage, subsurface drainage and field water management, such as their environmental impacts and the strain they put on water systems.
COLLABORATION OBJECTIVES
A seminar will be organized and the topic will be detailed closer to the event.
A seminar on water management and ways of adapting to climate change and increasing biodiversity. An innovation competition for the sustainable development of drainage.
400 attendees at a seminar on “Land Use and water management in a changing environment”.
Launch of an open research databank.
We’ve received a great deal of positive feedback about our seminars, which enabled different sectors and operators to share information. This information exchange will help us gain an overall understanding of the issues. Constantly updating the research databank has a similar aim – when the latest research data is accessible in a collated format, it’s easier to understand the significance that different perspectives have on your own research.
Seija Virtanen, Executive Director, Finnish Drainage Foundation
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