The DECiDE+ project was launched in 2022, with the aim of incorporating new environmental, economic and social indicators to improve the DECiDE tool. This tool is intended to assess the sustainability of farms in Wallonia. The new indicators aimed to make the tool easier to use, improve the models used and improve communications to make it accessible to a wide audience.
Three years later, the project has achieved its goals. Six economic indicators have been added, covering key aspects such as gross margins, gross operating surplus, agricultural income from work and family capital, debt burden, debt ratio and dependence on public assistance. This offers users a greater overview of the financial management of their farms.
When it comes to environmental factors, five new assessments or indicators, such as food autonomy, agro-ecological developments, nitrogen balance, eutrophication and acidification are already available, or are in the process of being incorporated, making it possible to evaluate the environmental impacts of farming practices in greater detail.
A social component is also being developed to complete the overall assessment of farms.
At the same time, the project bolstered the accessibility of the tool by organising multiple training sessions. To date, 160 people have been trained to use DECiDE, which has allowed them to master the different features of the tool.
The tool has also benefited from significant technical modifications, including the integration of a simplified module for feeding cattle, greater consideration of intercropping and updated reference data for more reliable and accurate analyses.
When it comes to communication, several changes have been made to make DECiDE more accessible and easier to understand. A new design and a style guide have been created, and a YouTube channel has been launched. The latter offers in-depth tutorials on how to use the tool. Furthermore, explanatory sheets about indicators, levers for action and template cases are being drafted, with the aim of helping users to better understand and apply these concepts. The tool has also been showcased at various regional and European events and festivals, in particular via an interactive game based around life-cycle assessment (LCA).
In short, the DECiDE+ project has achieved its goals by developing an improved tool, one that provides on overview of the performance of farms in Wallonia. Thanks to training sessions, educational resources and improved communications, DECiDE has become an essential tool for farming in Wallonia with respect to sustainability.
Contact : decide@cra.wallonie.be
Funding: Walloon Recovery Plan
