Português
Scope and objectives
The revitalization of rural territories, a priority for the European Commission in its “Long Term Vision for Rural Areas” strategy, must be based on the rational use of their specific assets, which are often undervalued. Carbon farming, particularly in agroforestry systems, offers promising solutions for the climate transition of the European agricultural sector, by combining carbon sequestration with other benefits such as increased biodiversity.
In the Alentejo, a region facing significant revitalization challenges, the Montado is the most valuable yet the most threatened territorial asset. The Montado is a unique agroforestry system in Europe, of High Natural Value, and with the ability of sequestering CO₂, which can offset methane emissions from extensive livestock farming.
The goal of the Montados Net-Zero project is to halt the decline of the Montado and maximize its potential in the climate transition, through:
Innovation in management and regeneration technologies.
Digitalization to accurately monitor captured and stored carbon.
Investment in increasing tree vitality and soil health.
Social innovation to create knowledge co-construction networks, involving young people and women.
The project aims to contribute to this revitalization strategy by integrating different partners, improving management, and establishing a Living Lab (LV). This Lab will serve to co-create and disseminate knowledge on carbon farming in the Montado. The project will research carbon accounting and assess the economic viability of multifunctional management models, with the goal of changing the management paradigm and fostering new networked businesses, thus revitalizing Southern Portugal.
Main activities
To achieve the project goals, the following activities and specific objectives were defined:
Activity 1. Innovation and Creativity Networks: Launch of the Montado Living Laboratory
The creation of a Living Laboratory (LL) for the Montado, composed of a regional network of farms with Montado systems and associated partners, is envisaged. The Montado LL will specifically focus on increasing soil carbon sequestration and storage through practices that improve soil quality and promote biodiversity as the foundation of ecosystem services. It also aims to identify new businesses linked to Montado products and services that can complement producers’ income, create companies, and attract entrepreneurs to the region.
Activity 2. Soil Carbon in Silvo-pastoral Systems: Increasing and Enhancing the Role of the Montado in the Climate Transition
An assessment of the amount of carbon captured from the atmosphere and stored in different soil types under the Montado and in experimental plots testing different regenerative practices, will be performed to provide scientifically valid data to support decision-making by Montado managers.
Activity 3. Digitalization for Innovation: Assessment and Monitoring of Pathways for Sustainability and Multifunctionality
Digital technologies are transformative tools that change the way landowners, production managers, and other value-chain actors learn, work, assess the impact of their choices, and interact. Digitalization is a way of incorporating knowledge and data into the decision-making process, thereby improving performance, minimizing costs, and maximizing benefits. The goal is to promote innovation in the Montado through digitalization by: i) improving the digital skills of those who manage the Montado and/or its associated value chains; ii) systematizing integrated data on the impact of soil management in the Montado on carbon sequestration and storage capacity; and iii) increasing data sharing and dissemination.
Activity 4. Economic Assessment of the Multifunctionality of the Montado
The goal is to provide landowners and managers with an accurate evaluation of the economic viability of different soil-improvement options and multifunctional activities, enabling an informed choice of business model, as well as to offer young entrepreneurs an economic assessment of adaptive-management models for new businesses linked to Montado ecosystem products and services, such as innovation in value chains—for example, acorns for human consumption, aromatic plants, or eco-tourism.