Environmental impacts of agricultural practices

Transcription

1 Environmental impacts of agricultural practices Dr. Rainer Oppermann Institute of Agroecology and Biodiversity (IFAB) EEB Conference on 30. November 2010 in Brussels: Reforming the CAP: Greener, better, fitter?

2 Structure Introduction Impacts on soil, water, climate, biodiversity Good practices / requirements for resource care Bad and good messages Need for a new agricultural view / self-image 2

3 Issues of interactions between agriculture and environment Problems: water, soil, biodiv. water, biodiversity climate, water, biodiversity Impact on environment Development of envir. indicators: Water quality Soil organic substance? Climate GHG? Biodiversity Landscape diversity 3

4 Impacts on soil soil erosion: wind erosion, water erosion soil compaction earth life soil fertility: organic matter 4

5 Impacts on water scarcity and water quality irrigation (as far as not adequate to supply) nutrient input in ground- and surface water pesticide input in ground- and surface water General overfertilization, especially on sensible soils 5

6 Good practice soil and water management / requirements no ploughing in floodplains and on sensible soils (wet and steep soils, soils in floodplains, thin soils on rocky underground) permanent pasture! transformation arable land into permanent pasture on sensible soils crop rotation, cultivation legumes enhancing organic matter for soil fertility limiting and reducing irrigation / clever and sustainable water-/ irrigation technologies buffer stripes of 5 10 m to all water courses reduction of fertilizer and pesticide input, especially on sensible soils 6

7 Impacts on climate ploughing of organic and semi-organic soils cultivation of crops tearing off organic matter/ loss of legumes in crop rotation insufficient crop rotation loss of organic matter mass livestock keeping surplus nutrients emissions bad relation of input and output (balance effects of production fertilizer, pesticides, machines versus output agricultural production) 7

8 Good climate protection / requirements no ploughing of organic and semi organic soils transformation arable land into permanent pasture on sensible soils crop rotation, cultivation of legumes building up of organic matter improving balance GHG (intensive vs. extensive production) no ploughing, transformation to permanent pasture 8

9 Summary environmental impacts Agricultural practices : area-wide intensive agriculture with high input fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation,. Negative impact on landscape, rural culture climate biodiversity water soil 9

10 Impacts on biodiversity intensive crop production with high level fertilizer and pesticide input on arable land and in permanent cultures Intensive grassland management with high biomass production (meadows and pastures often and early cut / high stocking density) Loss of landscape elements / unsufficient management of landscape elements / missing buffer stripes Loss of genetic diversity / in-situ-cultivation seldom variities Effects of machines and unadequate technologies 10

11 Good biodiversity protection / requirements extensive production on at least all sensible sites and at least > 10 % of the arable land, 10 % of the grassland, 10 % of the permanent cultures attractive support for production of these public goods by % EU-financed priority AEM in-situ-cultivation and breeding of varieties research and implementation of adequate technologies 11

12 Good message: solutions for modern agriculture Agricultural practices: targeted on partial areas extensive agriculture with low input fertilizer, pesticides, good ressource management Positive impact on landscape, rural culture climate biodiversity water soil 12

13 Inspite of all the positive approaches Why is the environmental situation so bad? There is no area-wide approach, which takes along the majority of farms with substantial parts of their UAA in in-crop - resource protection There are no real concrete and targeted goals in the program plannings of the Member States to achieve resource protection It is not really attractive for farmers (and Member States) to participate in ambitious AEM (premium height, control risk, financial resources) There is no supporting system of advice and education Agrienvironmental Planning Baden-Württemberg UAA Species rich Necessity Actual ELER Deficite arable land 800,000 ha 8,000 ha 80,000 ha. 1,000 ha -79,000 ha grassland 500,000 ha 110,000 ha 130,000 ha ++ 65,000 ha -65,000 ha+ 13

14 What do we need to improve the environmental situation? real concrete and targeted goals of the Member States to achieve resource protection attractive programs / measures for farmers and Member States to participate in resource care (premium height, cofinancing, bureaucracy) Minimum requirements for all farmers for resource care (% UAA) and individual site- and farm-specific implementation Advice, management assistance, education On-site-monitoring and evaluation 14

15 Challenges CAP post 2013: Modern farming & resource care Targeting (environmental goals in ha,...) Attractiveness for farmers (1. and 2. pillar) Taking along all farmers Taking along the MS (Cofinancing EU-priority goals %) Advice, management assistance, education Solutions for environmental & agricultural management are possible: Sustainability must positively integrated in the economic and ecological view of each farmer 15

16 CAP post 2013 towards sustainability? Modern farming & resource care Culture of High Nature Value Farming, Resource Care & Sustainability Thank you for your attention! 16