FACCE-JPI Knowledge Hub: MACSUR-Partner 207. WP-L2.4: Modelling the impact of climate change on livestock productivity at the farm-scale

FACCE MACSUR2 is made up of partners from over 70 European research institutes, working in three themes focused on crop, livestock and trade modelling. The knowledge hub will use networking and exchanges to further advance European agricultural research capacity in modelling the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security. State-of-the-art climate change risk assessments will be developed for farming and food security at European and regional case study levels. MACSUR2 will build upon the strong links established by networking in MACSUR1 to address the following core objectives:
1. Further advancement of European agricultural research capacity, using networking and exchanges to bring together modelling groups and to link modellers more effectively with experimental researchers.
2. To maintain up-to-date results on climate impacts on agriculture and food security in line with selected core global socioeconomic and climate scenarios until 2050.
3. To develop a new state-of-the art Europe-wide climate change risk assessment for farming and food security
4. To build on the work of MACSUR1 in extending and developing training for 'integrated modellers' able to work across modelling disciplines and to provide integrated, stakeholder-relevant interpretations of modelling outcomes.
5. To develop additional regional integrated case studies for addressing region-specific climate and socioeconomic impacts, needs and chances for adaptation and mitigation.
6. To continue to engage with stakeholders including policy-makers and agro-food-chain representatives to ensure the relevance and impact of modelling approaches and outputs
Given the scientific excellence of the Knowledge Hub, MACSUR2 will address to a greater extent on the interests of policymakers and the agro-food chain, especially farmers.

FACCE MACSUR2 aims to further advance European agricultural research capacity in modelling the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security, using networking and exchanges to synthesize the research outcomes and approaches of modelling groups and experimental researchers from over 70 institutes in 17 European countries. The overarching challenge is to further develop the pan-European capability in the development, use and interpretation of models to perform risk assessments of the impacts of climate change on European agriculture.
The core Objectives are:
1. Further advancement of European agricultural research capacity, using networking and exchanges to bring together modelling groups and to link modellers more effectively with experimental researchers.
2. To maintain up-to-date results on climate impacts on agriculture and food security in line with selected core global socioeconomic and climate scenarios until 2050.
3. To develop a new state-of-the art Europe-wide climate change risk assessment for farming and food security
4. To build on the work of phase 1 in extending and developing training for 'integrated modellers' able to work across modelling disciplines and to provide integrated, stakeholder-relevant interpretations of modelling outcomes.
5. To develop additional regional integrated case studies for addressing region-specific climate and socioeconomic impacts, needs and chances for adaptation and mitigation.
6. To continue to engage with stakeholders including policy-makers and agro-food-chain representatives to ensure the relevance and impact of modelling approaches and outputs
The MACSUR1 structure of hub coordination and CropM, LiveM and TradeM Themes will be continued in MACSUR2 but complemented by cross-cutting activities bringing together modelling approaches across disciplines to address subject- and region-specific issues.

MACSUR2 aims to improve our understanding of how European agriculture can adapt to and mitigate climate change. It is therefore of direct relevance to policy makers and the producers and users of food in the European Union. The project is very high profile and is certain to attract considerable interest from these communities as it progresses. In order to ensure that we able to meet this demand for information we will extend and further develop activities undertaken in MACSUR1 to integrate dissemination within the project. Stakeholders will continue to be involved in the major events of the project and the cross-theme stakeholder group will work to further enhance the capacity for and effectiveness of stakeholder engagement in the development and application of modelling. Beyond Europe, it is expected that the activities of MACSUR2 will continue to contribute to the parallel, global modelling efforts of the AgMIP consortium, and build link to other groupings such as GRA (Global Research Alliance), JPI Climate and the ERA Net Plus on Climate Smart Agriculture.