Funding opportunities for climate-conscious Swiss farmers!

Coop has recently been supporting three climate protection projects in Switzerland. Via these projects, organic farmers and processors receive incentives for agroforestry, composting and small agricultural biogas plants. myclimate is looking for interested farmers for the climate protection programme, initiated and funded by Coop and supported by WWF Switzerland.

Farmer Jean-Philippe Barilier with myclimate Project Manager Bettina Kahlert. Photo: Claudia Frick, Bio Suisse

In addition to composting and small biogas plants, the funding also supports the creation of agroforestry. Agroforestry means the planting of trees on agricultural land to bind carbon in the biomass of the trees, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. The programme supports the purchase of standard wild fruit trees and hardwood trees for the production of fruit and timber on arable land and grassland, with 75 francs per tree. In addition, the farmers receive a first and second consultation relating to the choice of location and variety, as well as the care of the trees. In this programme, as well as in the establishment of biogas plants and the promotion of composting, myclimate acts as programme developer and management body.

Farmer Jean-Philippe Barilier and his son Jonathan have already had experience of the project. In autumn 2017, they planted 80 trees on their arable land and were the first participants in the agroforestry programme. “We have planted eleven different tree varieties, including sweet cherry, chequer tree, wild pear, sweet chestnut, common oak and wild apple,” says Jonathan Barilier enthusiastically.
 
The area covered by agroforestry systems in Switzerland is currently estimated to be around 100 hectares, not including traditional orchards. “Coop is now looking for 20 to 30 more farmers to create an agroforestry system and get involved in climate protection,” says Bettina Kahlert in an appeal for project participants.

Climate protection at Coop

In an effort to offset emissions originating from unavoidable air transport, coop@home deliveries and business trips, Coop has been involved in climate protection projects from WWF and myclimate since 2007. Coop is now also involved in climate protection projects in Switzerland. These benefit not only the climate but also biodiversity. “The project contributes to climate protection as well as species diversity,” points out Christian Som, Project Manager at WWF in the area of consumption and economy.

More info about the programme and participation: www.myclimate.org/coop

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