Review of approaches to establish reference levels to interpret indicators

Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use,

Development of a conceptual framework for integrated analysis and assessment of agricultural systems in SEAMLESS-IF

Production Economics,

The water-land-food-energy-climate nexus for a resource efficient Europe.

Α novel methodology for addressing policy inconsistencies and knowledge gaps that hinder the transition to a greater resource efficiency Europe is proposed. We focus on the integration of all different sectors that interact and influence each other, namely the “water- energy- food- land use- climate nexus” and we develop tools for identifying and quantifying their complex interlinkages under the influence of climate change. In order to achieve this, we employ a series of sophisticated models (referred to as “thematic models”), each of which addresses a different nexus dimension, or a combination of a few, while none addresses all nexus dimensions in an integrative manner. We use dynamic systems modeling and other complexity science techniques in order to “merge” different thematic model outputs in a single coherent result, which is presented to the user in an easyto-comprehend Serious Game environment. This way, the effect of policies that are designed to affect one field (nexus dimension) on others can be quantified and simulated, thus informing policy-makers for the unintended consequences of their policies, reducing uncertainties, covering knowledge gaps and leading to a resource efficient Europe faste

Three years of collaboration in TradeM – Agricultural markets and prices

Some farmers may claim that climate change adaptation is easy compared to the difficulties caused by policiesAction based on weather observations only, is insufficient for farmers to respond to climate change. Researchers need support from farmers in understanding the responses in practice.Policies might be too slow to respond to needs for change in agriculture. Winners and losers seem to be observed everywhere.The impacts of climate change is heterogeneous among farm types and regionsEffects beyond 2050 remain largely unclear, mainly because the effects of extreme events are not consideredVariability of yields is important to farm incomes, but most studies only consider average changesFarmers are ready to design their site-specific adaptation response providing that new knowledge and learning spaces are available. A learning process based on integrated models, assessment of short- and long-term effects, is needed for farmers to adapt to climate change, price fluctuations and policy change.

The Economics of European Agriculture under Conditions of Climate Change (Editorial)

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Never too old to learn - Third age adults experience little (self-)ageism or barriers to learning

Currently, the proportion of older adults in the world population is increasing at a fast rate. An active lifestyle could contribute to healthy ageing. It is therefore urgent and important that ageing policies focus on active ageing, for example through third-age learning. This study explores the experiences of healthy older adults to find out to what extent they perceive (self-)ageism as a barrier to learning new skills. With this knowledge, a first step could be taken in clarifying whether more attention should be paid to a positive self-perception in older adults.To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 third-age learners (aged 65–77, four females), who participated in several courses as part of an overarching study. The interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Thematic groups, themes, and related quotes were compared, leading to the identification of overarching themes that represented the experiences of older adults in their learning processes.The interview data suggest that the participants in our study believed they experienced little to no ageism and self-ageism, that they generally did not feel hindered in learning new skills due to societal or their own views on learning in the third age, and that they did not regard themselves as old. Moreover, no age limit existed for learning, according to the older participants. However, latent forms of (self-)ageism seemed to be present, implying that the older adults in our study were implicitly influenced by ageist stereotypes that exist in society. As positive self-esteem may help to avoid (self-)ageist experiences, ageing policies could focus on stimulating this positive self-image among older generations and encourage a positive view of older adults in younger generations to support healthy ageing

TradeM International Workshop 2014 »Economics of integrated assessment approaches for agriculture and the food sector«

Climate change, food security, and agricultural production interact in complex ways. A major challenge for scientists is to understand and assess the biological, economic, and ecological interdependencies in the context of climate change and food Security. More and better knowledge is necessary to aid politicians, stakeholders and farmers in their decisions.The Knowledge Hub FACCE MACSUR (Modelling European Agriculture with ClimateChange for Food Security) (www.macsur.eu) assembles the excellence of Research in Europe in crop, livestock and economic modelling. MACSUR cooperates with the AgMIP community (www.agmip.org) and particularly welcomes AgMIP contributions.The workshop will bring together researchers with interest in Integrated assessment approaches which are used to analyze agriculture, food security and climate change. The event has four major goals:to critically discuss the state-of-the-art and future perspectives of Integrated assessment approaches to study and assess examples of applied modelling approaches integrating crop, livestock, and economic modelsto foster international collaboration in the research areas of food security, climate change, and agrosystem modellingto plan and identify next steps to achieve TradeM contributions to MACSUR goalsKeynote speakers: John Antle, Oregon State University, and co-leader of the Economics Team of AgMIPJosef Schmidhuber, FAOEric Nævdal, Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research at the University of Osl

TradeM International Workshop 2016 »Assessing climate change adaptation and mitigation options«

Aims and objectiveIt is well established that Europe will face considerable regional differences with regard to climate change. This requires the regional dimension of climate change for a spatially diverse European agriculture to be better understood. Studies of policies that enhance resilience in the food sector and that formulate policy recommendations have to take into account the spatial nature of agriculture and the regional dimension of climate change. The workshop will focus on applications and methodological advancements.The event has three major goals:(i)   to discuss adaptation and mitigation options of agricultural systems under climate change(ii)  to study and assess regional approaches implementing adaptation and mitigation options in agriculture(iii) to advance  policy implications of climate change for agriculture and food securityKeynote speakersPeter WehrheimHead of Unit “Land Use and Finance for Innovation”, European Commission, DG Climate ActionAlan MathewsProf. em. Trinity College, DublinEric NævdalSenior Research Fellow, Frisch Centre at the University of OsloIgnacio Perez DominguezSenior Researcher, Institute for Prospective Technical Studies (IPTS), JRC SevilleResultsTwenty-five people attended. The workshop started with an introduction to Arctic ecology and regional development. Four keynote speakers from policy, science and JRC gave a great mixture of high quality input into the workshop. It fuelled the discussions and was well appreciated by the participants. Fifteen very interesting and engaging presentations throughout the workshop showed that CC mitigation is a very important research undertaking, that LULUCF in crop and animal production play an important role, and that the role of agriculture in the CC policy debate is high on the agenda

MACSUR - Second Phase Report

In order to overcome the rigorous thematic orientation during the first phase of MACSUR with three groups organized according to academic fields, a new structure was developed for MACSUR2. In cross cutting activities topics were identified that required the interaction and collaboration of researchers from a range of different scientific disciplines. During the second phase of MACSUR new groups of researchers came on board. This made it possible to extend the number of regional case studies. In some larger countries like Italy, Poland und UK more than one group were working on different regions. An overview was presented at the workshop for policymakers in Brussels in May 2016. Deliverables and milestonesExcellent joint research in the particular field to respond to questions in the Strategic Research Agenda:Researchers from University of Leeds, Aberystwyth University and Scotland's Rural College have developed a novel method for a spatially explicit estimation of heat stress-related impact of climate change on the milk production of dairy cows in the United Kingdom.Researchers from University of Leeds, Centre for Agricultural Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Colombia) and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany) have developed a novel method to estimating the land use changes for maize and soybean production by 2100 on a global scale.Increase and facilitate transnational cooperation and coordination between excellent researchers and research organisations, building a progressive and long-lasting network:Collaboration with agricultural, meteorological agencies and Escuela Politécnica Nacional from Ecuador to develop a research line on agricultural impacts and adaptation to climate change, with focus on water resourcesAdaptation in Austrian cattle and milk production (ADAPT-CATMILK). Austrian Climate Research Programme research grant. Partners: WIFO, BOKU, University Cranfield, Thünen InstituteCoordination of Spanish participation in the Joint Programming Initiative "Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI)". Phase 1 http://www.chil.org/profile/spanish.macsur/main.Technical efficiency and challenges of the agricultural sector in Austria and New Zealand. Research proposal submitted to the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture.Coordination of a joint proposal in the Joint Programming Initiative "Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI)". Phase 2 http://www.chil.org/profile/spanish.macsur/main (Partners participating: MTT Agrifood Finland, University of Bonn, INRA France, Polytechnical University of Madrid )Submission of two research projects with partners involved in MACSUR and private partners to the call FACCE/ERANET+ Climate Smart AgricultureJPI FACCE - SURPLUS. Coordination of a joint application “Towards sustainably intensified and resilient production systems in European Agriculture. Prospects for integrating dairy and bioenergy production systems (DAIRYENERGY)”, submitted 04.03.2015. MACSUR partners from Norway, Belgium, Italy."H2020 Call: H2020-SFS-2016-2017; (Sustainable Food Security – Resilient and resource-efficient value chains) Topic: SFS-02-2016. Stage II. DIVERSify: Designing InnoVative plant teams for Ecosystem Resilience and agricultural Sustainability"Links created to other EU groups: with the collaboration started with Edwin Haas (Germany) and Stefan Olin (Sweden). There is an Australian link created with Matthew Harrison. In Europe there is also an active contact in Germany (for the Monica model) and in Poland (for Stics).Develop research capacity in the particular field, to join learning/training activities (e.g. mobility) and to share infrastructures.Over the reporting period nearly 40 visiting scientists were hosted in MACSUR labs for joint research/ learning/training activities. In total, 31 PhD theses were awarded over the reporting period.AgMIP, Memorandum of Understanding signed 2014-02-19Global Research Alliance's Animal Health and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity Network and MACSUR's Task on Animal Health and Greenhouse Gas Emissions organising a joint workshop for MACSUR 2H2020 SFS42-2016. PEANUTSSA Stage-1-proposal submitted February 2016. MACSUR partners Thünen Institute, ILVO, SRUC, James Hutton Institute and non-MACSUR members.FACCE ERAGAS 'CEDERS' (2017-2020

The association between multilingual experience factors and cognitive functioning in older adults:A Lifelines study

ObjectivesThe complex life experience of speaking two or more languages has been suggested to preserve cognition in older adulthood. This study aimed to investigate this further by examining the relationship between multilingual experience variables and cognitive functioning in a large cohort of older adults in the diversely multilingual north of the Netherlands.Method11,332 older individuals participating in the Lifelines Cohort Study completed a language experience questionnaire. From this cohort, a subset was selected (n = 3,972, aged 59-86) for whom complete demographic and cognitive data were available and who had learned at least two languages to evaluate the association between multilingual experience variables and cognitive functioning. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Cogstate Brief Battery, which measures processing speed, attention, working memory, and recognition memory.ResultsA linear regression analysis revealed that a higher number of languages learned was related to better performance on all subtasks. In addition, a later onset of acquisition of the second language (L2) was associated with better attention. These effects were independent of demographic variables such as age, education level, income level, and country of birth.DiscussionThe results demonstrate that in our cohort only the experience factors of the number of languages learned and L2 onset of acquisition related to cognitive functioning. Our evidence supports the idea that there is a positive relationship between multilingual experiences and cognitive functioning in older adulthood, but more longitudinal work is needed to establish whether learning multiple languages can potentially promote healthy aging