Q: What is a living lab?
A living lab is a collaborative innovation project supported by research. It brings farmers, researchers, governments, and other sector stakeholders together to co-develop, test and evaluate beneficial management practices (BMPs) and innovative technologies in real-world conditions on real working farms. With farmers at the centre of each living lab, their experiences and knowledge sharing will help accelerate the development and adoption of sustainable, environmentally friendly on-farm practices and technologies to tackle climate change.
Q: Who is funding Living Lab – Prince Edward Island (LL-PEI)?
The LL-PEI project is funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) through the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – Living Labs Program (ACS-LL), with additional contributions from partner organizations.
Q: What is the goal of ACS-LL?
This 10-year program works to integrate beneficial management practices (BMPs) into Canadian farms, creating innovative solutions to current agri-environmental challenges. With the impacts of climate change ever more evident on PEI and around the world, the focus of this program centres on increasing carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as providing other environmental co-benefits such as improving soil and water quality while protecting biodiversity. The LL-PEI project has received support for up to five years under the ACS-LL program.
Q: Who is the lead of LL-PEI?
LL-PEI is being led by a collaborative team of experienced producers, researchers, and other agricultural sector experts across PEI and Canada, all committed to a sustainable future for the Island’s agriculture sector. The East Prince Agri-Environment Association (EPAA) is serving as the principal organization with support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Q: What are BMPs?
Beneficial management practices (BMPs) are farming practices that address agricultural environmental impacts with the purpose of promoting better biological and economic sustainability. These practices are often developed through partnerships between scientists, producers, academia, and other industry partners.
Q: Which BMPs is LL-PEI focusing on?
Using a collaborative and innovative approach, LL-PEI focuses on six key areas: livestock feeding strategies, rotational grazing, natural carbon sinks, alternative soil amendments, cover crop management strategies, and refining nitrogen management. In this approach, farmers take part in co-developing, testing and evaluating practices on real working farms with research support, including scientific research and socio-economic analyses. This iterative cycle of enhancing on-farm practices stems from partnerships among user groups in real-life contexts. Farmers continue to remain central to activities and actively participate throughout the project.
Q: What kind of time commitment is there to participate?
Producer time commitments will vary depending on the type and amount of BMPs undertaken; however, our partners play a crucial role in coordinating field efforts. Participants are asked to engage in co-development activities throughout the duration of the project, including active participation in discussions, feedback sessions, and collaborative efforts to implement and improve on the associated BMP successfully.
Q: What’s in it for me or my operation?
Involvement with LL-PEI can help you become more sustainable and make more informed management decisions, improving efficiency, productivity and profitability. Access to knowledge transfer, often direct from other producers, provides a catalogue of locally proven BMPs.
- Collaborate with scientists and other partners to co-develop, test, and evaluate innovative practices on your own operations.
- Opportunity to try something new or adapt an existing practice.
- Personalized support and expertise for implementation.
- Technical data (soil mapping, carbon sequestration, GHGs, etc.).
Q: Who can I contact if I want to get involved or have an idea for a project?
If you are interested in participating or have an idea for a project, please contact eastprinceassociation@gmail.com.