Description

A code of good agricultural practice aimed at protecting quality and quantity of surface water and groundwater. This not only provides tips on cultivating the soil but also on farming in general, including livestock farming, water-conserving fertilisation methods, crop protection and the design of irrigation and drainage systems, etc., while taking national and regional soil and climate conditions into account. Good agricultural practice forms the basis for education and training for the current and the next generation of farmers. It is a description of the current level of knowledge and farmers’ experiences in water management and should constantly be developed in line with new scientific findings and legal frameworks in a broad process of negotiation. It is not of a legally binding nature.

Requirements

• Close cooperation and knowledge sharing with farmers' organisations
• Close cooperation and knowledge sharing with local advisory services
• Close cooperation and knowledge sharing with research institutions
• Participation of all stakeholders involved, e. g. science / research, agricultural advisory services, civil society, public and private sector (incl. farmers and their interest groups)

Possible Negative Effects

• The code could be given a law-like status, lose its guideline function and therefore fail to be accepted by farmers