Field testing and new recruitment to the project
Firstly RFTB would like to welcome Elsa Bertils who is the new business manager for the GYPREG project! Elsa has extensive experience from innovation and strategic sustainability work. In her previous role Elsa was Sustainability Manager at one of the largest soil producers in Sweden. In Q2, RFTB organised a stakeholder webinar for awareness raising and participated at the project partner meeting in Krakow. The theme was tackling agricultural phosphorus load by soil amendments. Field tests will begin in Sweden in August to evaluate gypsum's effectiveness.
In April RFTB hosted a webinar together with The research institute of Sweden (RISE) for relevant stakeholders in Sweden. This was the first of several webinars that will be carried out during project. The purpose of the webinar was to spred information about the GYPREG-project (background, targets, activities) and increase awareness of gypsum as a tool to counteract phosphorus losses from agriculture. The target group was researchers, farmers, trade associations, government representatives and various subject matter experts.
During 27-28th of June RFTB participated in a project partner meeting combined with study visits together with the other GYPREG project partners. The central theme was ”Tackling agricultural phosphorus load by soil amendments” which is the core purpose of the GYPREG-project. Focus of the two days was on knowledge sharing, common strategy on engaging key stakeholder and target groups, recent results from laboratory testing. Lectures was held on Characteristics of soils in Poland and various treatments of them, as well as comparisons of different types of gypsum and assessment of its respective quality for agricultural purposes. Study visits to laboratories and agricultural farms was carried out.
“Two hot days in Krakow filled with presentations, discussions and visits. A lot of questions , answers and new questions! Great to get updates from all countries and project partners and also set a common plan for the coming months. We at RFTB will have the honor to arrange the next group meeting, welcoming all project partners to Stockholm and Uppsala in January” – Elsa Bertils, Business manager
In order to evaluate the effect of gypsum and its expected reduction of phosphorus losses on soils in Sweden, RFTB will be conducting field tests. The tests include practical field trials (gypsum ammendment) followed by laboratory evaluation (monitoring and analysing water- and soil samples). During the Spring RFTB has planned and procured the necessary services for carrying out these trials. The locations have been selected based on the GIS-analysis (Geographic Information System) of agricultural areas in Sweden that was performed by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) during Q1. The field testing will be carried out in collaboration with Hushållningssällskapet in three different counties (Uppland, Kalmar and Östergötland) and will start during August and September 2024.
RFTB has recruited Elsa Bertils as a business manager for GYPREG. Elsa has a Masters degree in Energy-Environment-Management from Linköping University, her previous role was Sustainability Manager at Econova AB (one of the largest soil producers in Sweden) and has extensive experience from innovation, product development, project management and strategic and operational sustainability work.
Elsa Bertils checking out the soil measuring equipment in the project lab in Krakow © RFTB