22.05.2025

BEATLES’ webinar & workshop: “Sustainability Impact of Climate-Smart Agriculture: Balancing Environmental, Economic and Social Pillars

On Wednesday May 21, 2025, more than 60 stakeholders across Europe gathered online for an engaging webinar and interactive workshop exploring the sustainability impacts of climate-smart agriculture. Organised by Q-PLAN International and SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS, the event highlighted cutting-edge research and practical approaches to greener and more efficient farming systems.

The event welcomed 64 attendees, including researchers, consumers, policymakers, and agribusiness representatives, and focused on balancing the environmental, economic, and social pillars of sustainability through innovation in agricultural practices.

Kicking off the event, Alexandra Gkouma, Dissemination Manager of the BEATLES project, emphasized the collaborative efforts behind the session, which combined insights from the BEATLES, OPER8, and ICAERUS projects.

Key Highlights:

  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Non-Chemical Weed Management (OPER8)
    Olga Kriezi (Agricultural University of Athens) and Luciano Pagano (University of Pisa) discussed findings from OPER8, a thematic network exploring non-chemical weed control. Pagano presented a comparative cost-benefit analysis of 20 diverse farming scenarios, revealing that ecological approaches such as cover cropping can reduce operational costs and emissions, though their scalability and socio-economic impact vary widely by region.
  • Socio-Economic and Environmental Assessment of Drone Use (ICAERUS)
    Katerina Kasimati (Agricultural University of Athens) and Bruno Barrionuevo Sarmiento (Geosense) explored the multi-use potential of drones in agriculture. Their research focused on environmental impact (via LCA), cost-effectiveness (via LCC), and public acceptance (via TAM), highlighting both the promise and the challenges in adopting drone-based systems in rural Europe.
  • Sustainability and Behavioural Change in Climate-Smart Agriculture (BEATLES)
    Gina Frakolaki (National Technical University of Athens) shared a robust sustainability assessment of CSA practices across five European agri-food systems. Using LCA, LCC, and social impact indicators, her analysis showed that practices like cover cropping and renewable energy integration can reduce emissions and improve profitability—although the benefits depend heavily on local context and functional metrics.

A Collaborative Dialogue

The second half of the event featured a dynamic interactive workshop moderated by Mariana Fernandez (Sustainable Innovations), where participants contributed to a live poll on sustainability priorities. Respondents showed a nearly balanced concern across environmental, economic, and social dimensions, with global warming, water use, and profitability ranking among the top concerns.

Key takeaways from the discussion included:

  • Acknowledgment of the context-specific nature of sustainable farming practices.
  • Recognition that technology alone cannot combat climate change—adaptation, knowledge transfer, and behavioral change are essential.
  • Importance of policy support and financial incentives to overcome barriers to adoption.

The event underscored the urgent need for integrated approaches to agricultural sustainability and the value of cross-border cooperation in tackling systemic food system challenges.

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