MilKey

Decision support system for sustainable and GHG optimised milk production in key European areas

MilKey.png

European dairy production systems (DPS) face many challenges across the three pillars (3P) of sustainability. European regions are highly diverse and complex, and region-specific concepts for DPS are required. MilKey develops a whole system concept for 3P sustainability of DPS targeted to key European regions. GHG mitigation is a core aim accompanied by other environmental impacts, and analysis of economic and social factors. MilKey applies a multi-actor approach throughout the whole project. Finally, a platform for sustainable 3P concepts for DPS in key European regions and an online barn climate and emission control tool will be available. The MilKey platform will be a long-lasting multi-actor knowledge hub to increase understanding and knowledge of sustainable DPS and to intensify the dialogue between science, farmers, stakeholders and policy, also beyond the project lifetime. MilKey integrates a decision support system to assist making knowledgeable decisions on 3P sustainability.

Coordinator 
Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy, ATB, Germany
Barbara Amon

Project partners 
Institute of Environmental Engineering, UZG, Poland
Division of Agricultural Structures and Agricultural Machinery, AUA, Greece 
Environmental Technology, ILVO, Belgium 
TEAGASC - Agriculture and Food Development Authority, TEAGASC, Ireland 
UMR1069, Sol, Agro & hydro syst, INRA, France 
Department for Economics and Society, NIBIO, Norway INSTITUT DE L'ELEVAGE, IDELE, France 
School of Agriculture & Food Science UCD, UCD, Ireland
Poznan University of Life Sciences, PULS, Poland

Total requested funding 
2.097.000 €

Start-end date 
01-01-2020 - 31-12-2022

Project duration
36 months

 

News

The MilKey project kick-off meeting took place on the 20th and 21st of January in Poznań (Poland), cooperatively organized by the Poznań University of Life Sciences and by the University of Zielona Góra. MilKey is aimed at addressing the challenges faced by the European dairy production systems across the three pillars (3P) of sustainability: economic, environmental and social aspects should be encompassed in a single sustainability framework, in order to provide exhaustive and context-specific solutions, given the many and profound differences among agricultural regions in Europe. For this purpose, MilKey scientists from Germany, Norway, Greece, France, Poland and Ireland are currently comparing different farm-level modelling frameworks, in order to obtain a common protocol for 3P-assessment to be evaluated and tested on case studies from farms all over Europe. Advisory Board scientists from Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, Brazil, China are supporting MilKey and providing additional data to achieve a greater global coverage.

https://www.milkey-project.eu/