Self-Assessment Tool for farmers to assess their performance with respect to grazing and agroecology

Despite their best intentions, farmers often do not know whether their way of practicing grazing is well balanced to meet the required productive and environmental goals. The EU funded project Grazing4AgroEcology has therefore developed an integrated self-assessment tool (G4AE-SA tool, including clearly identified indicators) that shows the farm performance within five agroecology pillars relevant for grazing-based farming systems: 1. adopting management practices that aim to improve animal welfare; 2. reducing the inputs required for production; 3. reducing pollution by optimising the biogeochemical functioning of farming systems; 4. enhancing diversity within animal production systems to strengthen their resilience; 5. preserving biodiversity in agro-ecosystems by adapting management practices. In 2024, the G4AE-SA tool was used within a network of 120 Partner Farms across eight countries to assess their current performance. The results point out strengths and weaknesses, assisting farmers and other relevant actors, like advisers, to reflect on the farm’s performance and to identify an action plan for further improvement. For the first time, European farmers can objectively assess the overall farm performance on five pillars of agroecology, revealing both the positive impacts of grazing and areas for improvement. This capability will empower farmers to support transition towards sustainable, pasture-based farming systems