Austrian cattle farming, largely based on small and medium family-run grassland farms, is facing growing environmental, economic, and societal pressures. The COMET project ENSURE aims to support a sustainable and resilient transformation of the beef and dairy sector by developing forward-looking scenarios and actionable strategies that balance climate goals, food security, economic viability, and animal and ecosystem health.

Under the leadership of ZuchtData EDV-Dienstleistungen GmbH, the ENSURE consortium – formed by 48 international partners – builds a comprehensive data foundation to model future pathways for the sector. Participatory approaches integrate ecological, economic, and social factors to explore circular farming models, evolving consumer preferences, and the shift toward low-emission and welfare-enhanced systems. Area 1 “Scenarios and Strategies”, led by BOKU and CSH develops future scenarios and system-level strategies for sustainable cattle farming. Using participatory stakeholder processes and diverse data sources, this area models the effects of climate change, market demands, and societal needs on the beef and dairy sectors. The work produces robust strategies that can withstand external shocks, validates them through case studies, and embeds them into practical solutions—such as next-generation breeding programs, transition guidelines, resilience and resource-efficiency strategies, and policy briefs to secure supply chains. Special attention is given to sustainable approaches for alpine farming systems.

These scenarios and strategies inform evidence-based recommendations, decision-support tools, and policy insights. They will guide farmers, policymakers, and industry partners in navigating trade-offs, strengthening resilience, and shaping a competitive, climate-compatible, and welfare-focused cattle farming system for Austria and beyond.

ENSURE is a COMET project and funded by the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility, Infrastructure (BMIMI), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Tourism (BMWET), and the federal states as part of COMET – Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies. The COMET program is administered by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).