Lantmännen is an agricultural cooperative and Northern Europe’s leader in agriculture, machinery, bioenergy and food products.
SamZone
SamZones, multifunctional protection zones, are important for creating biodiversity and sustainable farming. By growing certain types of plants in dedicated spaces in the field, birds are provided with food and protection änd insects such as bees and bumblebees are benefitted.
The purpose of the project SamZone is to develop a concept for protection zones that will minimize the risk of leakage of unwanted substances from the field as well as promote biodiversity. SamZones also benefit natural enemies to pests, which leads to a decreased need for the use of crop protecton. All of this with a maintained or even increased harvest for the farmer.
Both annual and perennial seed mixtures were used during the test phase of SamZones. The various functions and benefits of the SamZones depend on the local conditions as well as the goals of the company using the dedicated spaces.
The overall goal of the collaborative project is to present a ready-to-use cultivation concept for multifunctional protection zones – SamZones – based on three things: scientific facts, tests conducted on pilot farms, and validation from farmers and the trade industry. The collaboration is carried out by Lantmännen and “Odling i Balans” as well as several other companies and organizations with special expertise in the fields of farming and production within for example environmental conservation practices, biodiversity, fertilization and crop protection.
