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Scaling up biodiversity-friendly farming practices can help to build sustainability and resilience in the farming sector, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing published today.
The new EEA briefing 'Solutions for restoring Europe's agricultural ecosystems' presents evidence-based examples of key options available to farmers to help restore Europe’s ecosystems and enhance the ability of the agricultural sector to cope with increasing climate change impacts like droughts and floods as well as boosting productivity.
The study says introducing some key agricultural practices can prove to be a win-win for both farmers and local nature, delivering better resilience and restoring local ecosystems like grasslands, hedgerows or creeks.
These practices can improve the condition of semi-natural habitats, put back in place multifunctional and biodiverse farming landscapes and reduce pressures on biodiversity while managing soil and water sustainably. All these actions can be beneficial for pollinators, species and their habitats as well as helping to strengthen local resilience against climate change impacts.
While EU Member States’ strategic plans under the Common Agricultural Policy include supporting measures to biodiversity-friendly practices, enhanced and coherent policy incentives combined with adequate financing are needed to efficiently restore ecosystems that support food production and strong rural communities, the EEA briefing says.
Importance of biodiversity for agriculture
Food production is one of the vital human activities most directly interacting with and affecting nature. Agriculture relies on essential natural processes such as pollination and soil formation. Biodiversity supports the resilience of agriculture and food security. Functioning, healthy ecosystems are also important contributors to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
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