Research project SD/RI/03A (Research action SD)
Context
Devastating weather-related events have captured the interest of the general public in Belgium. Extreme weather events such as droughts, heat stress, rain storms and floods are projected to increase both in frequency and magnitude with climate change. Since more than half of the Belgian territory is managed by the agricultural sector, extreme events have significant impacts on agro-ecosystem services and pose severe limitations to sustainable agricultural land management. The perspective of rising risk-exposure is exacerbated further by more limits to aid received for agricultural damage and an overall reduction of direct income support to farmers. Current knowledge gaps related to the occurrence of extreme events and the response of agro-ecosystems need to be addressed in conjunction with their vulnerability, resilience and adaptive capacities.
Project description
Objectives
The research hypothesis is that meteorological risks act as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management. The major objectives of the MERINOVA project are to characterise extreme meteorological events, assess the impact on Belgian agro-ecosystems, characterise their vulnerability and resilience to these events, and explore innovative adaptation options to agricultural risk management.
Methodology
The proposed project ‘MERINOVA’ deals with risks associated with extreme weather phenomena and with risks of biological origin such as pests and diseases. The project comprises of five major parts that reflect the chain of risks:
(i) Hazard: Assessing the likely frequency and magnitude of extreme meteorological events by means of probability density functions;
(ii) Impact: Analysing the potential bio-physical and socio-economic impact of extreme weather events on agro-ecosystems in Belgium using process-based modelling techniques commensurate with the regional scale;
(iii) Vulnerability: Identifying the most vulnerable agro-ecosystems using fuzzy multi-criteria and spatial analysis;
(iv) Risk Management: Uncovering innovative risk management and adaptation options using actor-network theory and fuzzy cognitive mapping techniques; and,
(v) Communication: Communicating to research, policy and practitioner communities using web-based techniques.
Interaction between the different partners
The different tasks of the MERINOVA project require expertise in several scientific disciplines: meteorology, statistics, spatial database management, agronomy, bio-physical impact modelling, socio-economic modelling, actor-network theory, fuzzy cognitive mapping techniques. These expertises are shared by the four scientific partners who each lead one work package.
Expected results and/or Products
The MERINOVA project will concentrate on promoting a robust and flexible framework by demonstrating its performance across Belgian agro-ecosystems, and by ensuring its relevance to policy makers and practitioners. Impacts developed from physically based models will not only provide information on the state of the damage at any given time, but also assist in understanding the links between different factors causing damage and determining bio-physical vulnerability. Socio-economic impacts will enlarge the basis for vulnerability mapping, risk management and adaptation options. A strong expert and end-user network will be established to help disseminating and exploiting project results to meet user needs.
Partners
Activities
VITO assumes the role of coordinator of the MERINOVA project.
• RMI is in charge of characterising extreme weather events and their spatio-temporal distribution across Belgium (WP1).
• VITO is responsible for modelling the impact of extreme weather events on agro-ecosystems and their services (WP2).
• CRA-w is responsible for spatially assessing the vulnerability of agro-ecosystems in Belgium (WP3).
• UGent leads all activities related to risk management (WP4).
All partners are responsible for dissemination activities (WP5).
Contact Information
Dr.ir. Anne GOBIN
Environmental Modelling Unit
VITO NV
Boeretang 200, 2400 MOL, Belgium
Tel + 32 14 33 67 75
Fax +32 14 33 67 99
anne.gobin@vito.be
www.vito.be
Dr.ir. Robert OGER
Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques
Agriculture et Milieu naturel
Systèmes agraires, Territoire et Technologies de l'Information
Rue de Liroux 9
5030 GEMBLOUX, Belgium
tel +32 (0)81 626 578
fax + 32 (0)81 626 559
oger@cra.wallonie.be
www.cra.wallonie.be
Dr. Hans Van de Vyver
Koninklijk Meteorologisch Instituut van België (KMI) /
Institut Royal Météorologique de Belgique (IRM)
Ringlaan 3 - Avenue Circulaire 3
1180 BRUSSEL - 1180 BRUXELLES, Belgium
hvyver@oma.be
www.meteo.be/
Prof.Dr.ir. Guido Van Huylenbroeck
Vakgroep Landbouweconomie
Faculteit Toegepaste Biologische Wetenschappen
Universiteit Gent (UGent)
Coupure Links 653
9000 GENT, Belgium
Tel: + 32 (0) 9 264.5926
GSM: 0497068930
E-mail: Guido.vanhuylenbroeck@ugent.be
www.ugent.be/bw/agricultural-economics
Follow-up Committee
The Follow-up Committee consists of 8 members representing stakeholders or potential ‘next users’ to the outcome of the project. They include people from professional institutions (e.g. farmers’ union), government bodies (e.g. ministries at federal and regional level), private companies (e.g. insurances), research institutes and universities.
• Ir. Marielle Foguenne – Federal Public Service Economy, SMEs, Independent Professions and Energy – Disaster Fund
• Dr. Pierre Stassart - Ulg Département des Sciences et Gestion de l’Environnement de l’Université de Liège Unité SEED (Socio Economie Environnement et Developpement)
• Dirk Van Gijseghem - Ministry of the Flemish Community, Administration of Agriculture and Fisheries, Department of Monitoring and Studies
• Luc Nijs - KBC & Assuralia, Belgian representative to CEA (European Insurers)
• Peter Van Bossuyt - Belgian Farmers Union
• Bernard De Cock - Fédération Wallonne de l’Agriculture
• José Renard - Ministry of the Walloon Region, Directorate General of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (DGARNE) Direction de la Coordination et de la Concertation
• Adri Buishand - Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : final report
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2697)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 1
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2698)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 2
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2699)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 3
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2700)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 4
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2701)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 6
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2702)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 7
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2703)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 8
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2704)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 9
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2705)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 10
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2706)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 11
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2707)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 12
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2708)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 13
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2709)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 14
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2710)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 15
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2711)
[To download]
Meteorological risks as drivers of environmental innovation in agro-ecosystem management (MERINOVA) : annex 16
Gobin, Anne - Van De Vyver, Hans - Vanwindekens, F. ... et al. Brussels : Belgian scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2712)
[To download]
