Machinery in agriculture being adapted for a changed climate

Subject
  • Case studie
  • Agriculture

In a climate with more rainfall, it becomes more difficult for farmers to get out on the fields with their equipment without risking getting stuck or damaging the soil via soil compaction. A farmer in Falkenberg can now reduce the risks associated with wet conditions, with the use of new types of agricultural machinery.

Wet fields pose major problems for farmers. When heavy machinery runs on wet ground, the risk of getting stuck increases, the work takes longer, and the consumption of diesel fuel increases, as does the wear and tear on the machinery.

The risk of soil compaction increases when there is a high water content in the soil, due to that the strength of the soil is impaired. Soil compaction affects i.a. the soil’s water infiltration capability and the root development of plants, which can lead to poorer harvesting results.

Soil compaction can be reduced by using lighter agricultural machinery. A larger surface area on the ground provides higher bearing capacity, and also reduces the compaction of the soil. This can be accomplished with twin-mounted machines – two tires next to each other, or by replacing the wheels with rubber track sets.

Fertilizing the land with a lighter type of slurry tanker and with a trailer hose system.
Fertilizing the land with a lighter type of slurry tanker and with a trailer hose system. Foto Mikael Olsson

Belt harvesters and lighter fertiliser spreader

The farmer Örjan Svensson, who owns a farm just outside Falkenberg, invested in a combine harvester, with rubber track sets in 2013, after experiencing several wet autumns. The new combine harvester has extra wide track sets with a triangular design which provides extra bearing capacity.

In 2014, a lighter type of slurry tanker with a trailer hose system began to be used on the farm. The device weighs approximately seven tonnes, which is 30-40 tonnes less than the previous slurry tanker.

A little more work, but faster and more economical

There is a bit more work with the new fertiliser system, but it’s faster and more economical than the old one. Now 100-150 cubic metres of fertiliser is pumped per hour, compared to the previous maximum of 75 cubic metres.

The price for a brand-new combine harvester approaches SEK 3 million, and a brand-new slurry tanker of a comparable model costs about SEK 1.5 million. The investments are likely to pay in 6-7 years, as the harvests grow larger when soil compaction is avoided. A significant difference in return has been noticed in the first four years.

More examples of climate adaptation

This is one of many examples of climate adaptation. There are more in the collection of ideas being built up by the Swedish National Knowledge Centre for Climate Change Adaptation at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). The collection of examples has the aim of sharing experiences and providing ideas to everyone who works with climate adaptation. Examples describe concrete measures and challenges in several subject areas. They show how different actors have worked to adapt their activities to the climate changes that are already being noticed today and those that we cannot prevent in the future.