Developing sustainable agriculture for Europe’s farming future
Palus Demos is a four year Horizon Europe project investigating a new type of agriculture called paludiculture, or wetlands farming. The goal is to turn rewetted bogs into profitable farms and to develop markets for wetlands crops.
Researchers will test crops and collect data at three sites; in Manchester, UK, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and in Offaly, Ireland.
The project team will develop a range of best practices and land uses in these strategic locations in Europe. They will develop long term business plans and their work will be supported by Artificial Intelligence tools to build an evidence-based policy approach to wetlands farming.
There are 26 Palus Demos partners based in Ireland, the UK, The Netherlands and Germany. They range across sectors including:
- Agriculture
- Sustainable farming
- Carbon farming
- Sustainable construction materials
- Sustainable textiles
- Sustainable horticulture
- Peatland management
- Agribusiness
- Smart agriculture research
- Net zero research
Who are the Palus Demos partners?
Ireland
- University of Galway
- University College Dublin
- FH Media Consulting LTD
- Bord na Móna Energy Limited
- The Rivers Trust in Ireland (Abhainn Beo CLG)
- Growing Media Ireland Company
- Forum Connemara Company
- Peatland Finance Ireland
United Kingdom
- The Manchester Metropolitan University
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Natural England
- IUCN UK Peatland Programme
- Beadamoss
- Wright Farm
- Ponda
- The Lancashire Wildlife Trust
- The Andersons Centre
The Netherlands
- Struunhoeve Agri bv
- Eurosite European Land Conservation Network
- Stichting Van Hall Larenstein
- Stichting Hogeschool Utrecht
- University of Amsterdam
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Stichting Wetland Products
Austria
Germany
Why has Horizon Europe chosen to fund Palus Demos?
Palus Demos, along with Paluwise and Paludi4All, is one of three major paludiculture projects currently supported by Horizon Europe. The EU is investing in paludiculture because of its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while offering new and profitable types of agriculture.
Palus Demos researchers will:
- explore new agricultural business models
- develop markets for paludiculture products
- increase employment
- enhance biodiversity and water quality, aligning with the European Green Deal
The project will inspire farmers, landowners and industry by showing how paludiculture can:
- preserve peat soils
- provide economic opportunities
- offer sustainable new products and materials
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Palus Demos will:
- provide policy recommendations to address potential challenges
- use a bottom-up approach
- create sustainable practices at these sites
- stimulate the market
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