How important do you think farming and crofting might be when it comes to tackling the nature and climiate crisis? This was the central discussion of this week’s Nature and Climate Cross Party group discussions at Holyrood.
Nature in Scotland and across the UK is in decline, and this year we hit records of new climatic extremes across the world. In Scotland, agricultural management is one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss. Healthy nature is restricted to pockets where individual farmers and crofters are protecting biodiversity as part of their business plan. The land use and agriculture sector is at the top of the climate emissions table. Because 80% of Scotland land is used for some form of agriculture, the way we currently use our land is super important. And the way we manage our land in future is critical.
We’re at a tipping point: doing more of the same and doubling down on fertiliser and pesticide use to maintain production levels is not working. Conversely, changing to low input systems is proving to be a profitable way forward and more and more farmers are choosing that way to run their business. As momentum gains, we’re reaching a tipping point, away from higher input conventional agriculture towards agroecological approaches, with nature and climate friendly farming approaches. Thanks to those farmers and crofters in the vanguard, we can see what it takes to farm for food, nature and climate and still be in profit.
We heard it takes a minimum of 5 years to change a farming model and to move into high nature, carbon and profit. What do we need to enable more farmers to make that move and manage their way into a transition that benefits us all today and future generations too?
Vision: we need to describe where we want to be in 2030 in ways that inspire action and ensure we value nature and carbon sequestration as well healthy, locally sourced food.
A pathway to get there: what are the steps we need to take as a society to reach our vision and how can the Government support those steps so no one is left behind?
Market reassurance and local markets: farmers need the confidence of guaranteed prices and local markets for their products to enable them to invest and make the transition
Procurement: the power of public procurement is immense but is not yet being used to support the local production of healthy food that supports nature and carbon sequestration. If hospitals, schools and prisons, for example, across Scotland procured healthy food produced locally in climate and nature friendly farming systems, they provide a steady and significant market for those goods
Production infrastructure: this is especially important in remote areas, where access to local abattoirs, local markets and appropriate inspection support all enable rural businesses to develop and thrive.
Community conversations: the best way to share knowledge and influence change is through locally held conversations, trusted relationships and the security of succesful case studies.
Money: food, nature and carbon sequestration, alongside all the other ecosystem benefits that farming provides, do not come for free. While the public subsidy could support those actions that the public want to see delivered, like healthy rivers, healthy wildlife, flooding protection, there is a role for private finance too. But both are needed and both need to play a role to deliver the vision (above). That needs visionary and confident public subsidy alongside market regulation to ensure that private finance secures real ecological benefits and does not degenerate into greenwashing.
This is all eminently possible. While these steps won’t get us along the entire journey, they mark some important points around which significant progress could be made. With only 7 years left until 2030 and the need to embed real change now and to support long term actions towards ambitious but necessary outcomes, this is a very good place to start.
Valuing Wild Plants 