Irrigation and slurry vital in dryland farming

The Hägg family enhances farm sustainability by optimizing water and manure use in dry regions. They implement irrigation, controlled fertilization, and diverse grass mixes—including lucerne, Festulolium, and olive grass blends—to boost forage yield and protein content. Collaborating with neighbors, they built a irrigation pond and used covered manure storage to reduce costs and environmental impact. Trials with vetch, field beans, and cereals improved feed quality. These practices reduce reliance on external protein sources and lower fertilizer needs, though challenges include lower yields with new grass mixes and funding dependency on grants.