Baltic Compass is a project where the 22 partners from all the 9 riparian countries share their practical and scientific knowledge about agriculture and the environment. Baltic Compass operates as a regional platform where participants and stakeholders can develop more efficient agro-environmental policies, share innovations and best practices, create scientific scenarios and facilitate investments. Baltic Compass fosters win-win solutions for agriculture and environment and this led to more sustainable rural economies. The expectation on Baltic Compass is to contribute with sharing of practical solutions and innovations, business and investment facilitation, strategic risk assessment concerned with land use and animal husbandry, and the adaptation of necessary policy.
The objectives of the project are implementation of cross-sectional dialogues (conferences, seminars and other working meetings) and other measures of communication and information (interactive maps, dictionaries, newsletters, printed material). The interested parties involve farmers, advisory services, national authorities, scientific institutions and other parties which are interested in Baltic Sea Region sustainable production. The concrete benefit for the farmers is better access to decision support when investing for future businesses in the sensitive Baltic ecosystems.
Baltic Compass is regarded as a strategic level project for its contributions to investments and policy environments. The project is funded by the “Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013”. Baltic Compass in a practical manner encompasses the political ideas of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
Baltic Compass will run up to 2013. There is a possibility to prolong the project for next two years.
Baltic Compass is looking for innovative solutions that are needed for the future of the region, concerning agriculture, environment and business. Here are some of the specific results that can be expected from the Baltic Compass project:
- More efficient and adapted policies initiated to reduce eutrophication.
- Increased awareness concerning risks and benefits of actions and measures.
- Scenario runs for selected water protection measures.
- Decision support for land use with impact on eutrophication.
- Action programs to counteract ecological and health hazards for high-risk areas.
- More attractive agro-environment support schemes.
- Innovations and new technologies better shared through pilot investments and knowledge transfer.
- Strong stakeholder involvement and sharing of results also from other projects.
- Better implementation of Baltic Sea Action Plan and EU strategies.
Baltic Compass contributes to the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan approved by HELCOM and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. National rural development plans are also a part of the Baltic Compass framework.
The main aspects:
- The Baltic Sea Region is vulnerable therefore there is a necessity of specific actions.
- The Baltic Sea Region production and other ecosystems services must be high quality.
- Policy actions and investments should determine competitive and sustainable land use in the Baltic Sea Region.
- The project supports innovative decisions that are necessary for future of the region, agriculture, environment and agrarian economics.
- The project strengthens the cooperation of riparian countries by international dialogue and exchange of knowledge.
The project work has been divided into the following work packages (WP):
| WP 1 | Project Management and Administration. Efficient and timely management resulting in solid reporting and project development. |
| WP 2 | Communication and information. Making the project results known by target groups. |
| WP 3 | Best Practice Utilization and Transfer. Spread best practice utilization examples and innovation in management, business and technology. |
| WP 4 | Investment Preparation. Accelerate investments in best available technologies and solutions. |
| WP 5 | Comprehensive Assessment and Scenarios. Provide new perspectives for integrated science-based decision support. |
| WP 6 | Governance and Policy Adaptation. Increase legitimacy for adaptive governance processes in agricultural and environmental policy development. |
Project partners depending on their working area, specialization and interests have a possibility to work in one or few WP. Every work package has a leader.
Baltic Compass partners from Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics and Central Research Institute for Complex Use of Water Resources of the Republic of Belarus jointly prepared a paper "Livestock farming in the Nemunas river basin: the recent trends and the impact on the water bodies" in 2012.
More information: http://www.balticcompass.org/
