Strengthening Agricultural Land Use and Management to Reduce Emerging Contaminants and Improve Water Quality

MultiCAS (Multi-dimensional Performance Assessment of Complex Agroecological Systems) develops a multidimensional, context-sensitive tool for assessing agroecological performance and supporting the transition towards more sustainable food systems. Building on FAO’s TAPE methodology, the project integrates environmental, economic and social dimensions of agroecology. The tool will be co-created and tested through Living Labs in five European countries, involving farmers, consumers, researchers, local communities and policymakers. Particular attention is given to small-scale farms, local food networks and Community Supported Agriculture. Stakeholders will participate in selecting locally relevant environmental performance indicators, collecting and interpreting data, and developing strategies for agroecological transition. MultiCAS will enable a more comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts, economic resilience, agrobiodiversity and social dimensions. By connecting scientific knowledge with practitioners’ experience and policy needs, the project will provide evidence and practical tools supporting more resilient, inclusive and sustainable food systems, agricultural land management and the wider adoption of agroecological practices across Europe.

MultiCAS will advance interdisciplinary and participatory assessment of agroecological systems by integrating environmental, economic and social indicators. By refining the TAPE methodology, it will enable robust, context-sensitive evaluation and comparison of complex agroecological systems and agricultural land management across diverse European conditions.

MultiCAS will enable agroecological practices to be assessed under Slovenian conditions while involving farmers and stakeholders in co-creating solutions. Its results will support sustainable agricultural land management, resilient local food systems and evidence-based agricultural and rural development policies in Slovenia.