• The “Agricultural Practices Test Library” is a scientific tool that evaluates 34 practices and their environmental impacts.
• Facilitates political decision-making, improves field management and promotes sustainable innovation

The European Commission 's ( EC ) Joint Research Centre (JRC ) has launched the Practical Agricultural Evidence Library , a database that compiles and organizes scientific findings on the environmental and climate impacts of different farming methods. This initiative, with more than 14,000 peer-reviewed studies and 34 practices analyzed, seeks to support both farmers and policymakers in the transition to more resilient agriculture.

The online tool offers clear comparisons and accessible summaries of the impact of each practice, from reducing emissions to improving biodiversity and improving water use efficiency.

Key changes

The launch of this library represents a strategic step in the modernization of the European Union 's (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Its most significant contributions include:

• Solid scientific basis: integrates results from 14,000 articles and more than 570 meta-analyses covering 3,811 measured effects on soil, water, climate, biodiversity, and productivity.

• Evaluation of 34 agricultural practices: including techniques such as crop rotation, reduced tillage, cover crops, and organic farming.

• Interactive dashboard: Allows you to filter data by practice and visually compare climate, environmental, and economic effects.

• Support for CAP 23-27: It has already been used to analyze national strategic plans, estimating a reduction potential of at least 31 million tons of _CO2 annually, mainly thanks to carbon sequestration in soils and more efficient plant nutrition techniques.

• Water management: Identifies 15 practices that improve water quality and reduce water consumption, strengthening resilience to drought.

Practical applications

The Library is not only intended for policy makers, but also for:

• Farmers: Facilitates the identification of techniques that improve productivity without degrading the ecosystem, reduce the use of chemical inputs, and help meet sustainability standards.

• Policymakers: It enables the design of support measures and incentive programs based on measurable results, reinforcing alignment with the EU sustainable finance taxonomy.

• Researchers: It opens the door to identifying knowledge gaps, guiding new lines of study, and informing biophysical and economic models that simulate the effects of different interventions.

Challenges and next steps

Although it represents a notable advance, the tool also presents challenges:

• Continuous updating: new studies and evidence that reflect emerging practices will need to be incorporated.

• Geographic coverage: Some of the analyses are from limited contexts, so it will be necessary to expand to more regions and farming systems to increase their use.

• Field accessibility: ensuring that farmers can easily access and apply information in their daily lives.

The EC has already announced that it will continue to enhance the platform with new data and collaborations with agricultural entities, consolidating the Library as a reference for science-based decision-making.

A milestone

In the current context, European agriculture faces growing challenges such as climate change—droughts, extreme weather events, and soil pressure—the need for a sustainable transition that meets the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, and a growing social demand for a shift toward products with a lower environmental impact and more responsible agricultural practices.

The new Library represents a milestone in the way agricultural policies are designed and evaluated in Europe. By offering clear, comparative, and scientifically validated information, it becomes an essential tool for farmers, researchers, and policymakers. Its development marks a decisive step toward an agriculture that not only produces quality food, but also preserves natural resources and contributes to climate change mitigation.