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6 December 2004 Eco-friendly Future for Farming UK agriculture's future will depend on its farmers' ability to farm eco-efficiently. This is one of the key conclusions in a new report 'Enhancing the Eco-Efficiency of Agriculture', just published by BCPC. The report is a summary from a two-day Forum which brought together 52 experts to debate the issues. These included scientists, social scientists, economists, ethicists, business people and farmers from the UK, other EU countries, the USA and New Zealand. "The economic context of farming is changing," explains Dr Barry Thomas, chairman of BCPC. "The single farm payment and associated agri-environment scheme are likely to provide a predictable economic regime until around 2012 but what will happen then?" There was a strong feeling at the Forum that whilst there may have been much activity at a strategic level following the Curry report, there was still no national strategy for agriculture. Farmers lack direction. Agricultural scientists are also confused about the strategic goals that should guide their work and the public has not been drawn into any discussion about what they want from agriculture and would therefore be prepared to fund. "We believe that the Government must give priority now to the development of a National Strategy for Agriculture post 2012. This must be based on common agreement between all the stakeholders – Government, farmers, environmentalists and the public – we have just eight short years during which agriculture must reorganise to meet the challenges of the future," maintains Dr Thomas. Although the future shape of farming is yet to be defined, all the indications are that it will have to move towards a more eco-efficient system. Like the concept of sustainability, eco-efficiency means different things to different people. It is to do with the efficient and sustainable use of resources in farm production. It is therefore improved when the same level of production is achieved using less resources and with a softer environmental footprint. The report identifies a variety of activities that could contribute to the attainment of eco- efficiency. These include an increase in mixed farming and/or attention to crop rotations to reduce pest populations and to conserve nutrients on individual holdings. Elements of this are already encompassed in the concept of integrated farm management (IFM). There is also a need to examine how IFM might be extended from the farm level to broader geographical areas. At the regional level, there may also be opportunities to connect major groups of activities such as poultry and cereal production, or pig and vegetable production, but this would require a degree of planning not currently practicable. "Achieving the triple goals of eco-efficiency – economic efficiency, environmental sustainability and rural viability – will require significant supporting research," suggests Dr Thomas. "The public perception that environmentally-friendly farming simply involves reversing the clock is an illusion. Whilst world population increases will lead to greater demand for food, UK agriculture will not be able to compete profitably in an international free market without becoming more efficient, flexible and productive. The real 'win win' will be to achieve competitiveness at the same time as delivering environmental benefits. Only new technology and landscape management techniques can offer the key to achieving this." Science can begin by plugging the gaps in current understanding of ecological and environmental processes and by finding more meaningful and measurable long term indicators of eco-efficiency – at present too much reliance is placed on simplistic thinking such as the use of emblematic species singled out by pressure groups. But the focus should not only be on increasing the eco-efficiency of existing farming systems. There are new and exciting prospects to develop additional sources of farm income from the provision of eco-services. For example, farmers might manage their land to minimise flood risk or to maximise greenhouse gas absorption and then be rewarded for doing so. Clearly society needs to decide how much such a service is worth and how those farmers providing such services should get their reward. Science will be essential, but eco-friendly farming will only be successful if a better mechanism can be developed for both transferring the knowledge gained to users and for holding a dialogue with all stakeholders. This will ensure that research delivers what is required in a publicly acceptable manner. For example, biotechnology has much to offer eco-efficient farming, but the negative and adversarial nature of the debate about GM crops in the UK is threatening to deny this country the commercial exploitation of major aspects of plant science for decades to come. In summary, the UK must move towards a more knowledge intensive, innovative agriculture that delivers public goods such as clean water, biodiversity and leisure activities, as well as food. |
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