FIREFLIES – Farming with nature

FIREFLIES addresses the urgent need to restore biodiversity and ecosystem resilience in European agricultural landscapes, in line with the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR). Focusing on Art. 11, which targets agricultural ecosystems, FIREFLIES will co-design, test, and assess context-specific restoration practices that reconcile ecological benefits with farmers’ economic viability. The project responds to key policy and societal questions, such as what are the real-world impacts of eco-schemes and Agri-Environment-Climate Measures (AECM), and how can restoration align with farmers’ intentions, be supported by Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), and integrate into farm operations, rather than remaining an external requirement. FIREFLIES will deploy a participatory, multi-actor approach across five demo regions, where farmers, researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders will jointly identify needs, co-design measures, and implement them in real farm conditions. Biodiversity baselines will be mapped, agroecological and socio-economic data collected, and innovative tools developed, including a tailored True Cost Accounting (TCA) framework and a valuation tool for agronomic co-benefits (e.g., water savings, soil fertility, pest control). Evidence generated will inform EU and national policies, improve incentive schemes under the CAP, and support blended-finance opportunities through emerging biodiversity and carbon markets. Through the integration of ecological science, socioeconomics, and farmer knowledge, FIREFLIES will provide ready-to-use solutions for sustainable land management. Outcomes will include science-based restoration targets, policy recommendations, pathways for widespread adoption, and activities aimed at raising awareness and creating a collective consciousness of the importance of biodiversity, overall contributing directly to Work Programme goals on biodiversity restoration, sustainable farming, and resilient rural communities.