Importance of sustainable water and nutrient management

Sustainable water and nutrient management are critical for maintaining agricultural productivity while reducing environmental pressures. Agricultural catchments across Europe face increasing variability in precipitation, nutrient losses to surface waters, and soil degradation risks under climate change.

Within the OPTAIN modelling framework, the assessment of NSWRM focuses on predicted impacts related to:

• Water retention efficiency

• Nutrient retention efficiency

• Agricultural productivity indicators

• Cost-related performance metrics

By simulating these indicators under different scenarios, the project contributes to improved understanding of how alternative NSWRM portfolios may influence catchment-scale processes.