An independent report has revealed that the UK’s current agricultural budget is way less than what is needed to help tackle the nature and climate crisis. We look at why boosting nature-friendly farming is vital.
A report commissioned by the RSPB, National Trust and The Wildlife Trusts has found that the current investment in nature-friendly farming is woefully inadequate. Without an annual investment of £5.9 billion to support nature-friendly farming, the long-term viability of the UK’s farming industry is under threat.
Two of the biggest threats to food security are climate change and nature loss. For example, a loss of pollinating insects can affect the success of crops, which in turn can affect food availability and the price of food. Climate change is also having a negative impact, with farmers across the UK already experiencing changes in weather patterns such as droughts and flooding which are significantly impacting UK food production.
Tackling nature loss and climate change is vital if we want to be able to produce affordable food sustainably. And this is where nature-friendly farming comes in. With around 70% of UK land farmed, there is a huge opportunity to work with nature and not against it.
The report, finds that investment in nature-friendly farming needs to increase to £5.9 billion a year across the UK. The current annual agricultural budget is £3.5 billion, of which just 20-25% is spent on agri-environment schemes – schemes that support farmers to deliver environmental benefits.
If funding is not increased, we won’t meet legally binding nature and climate targets, and we miss a huge opportunity to improve the long-term resilience of the UK farming industry.
Instead, a step-change in investment in needed to help us reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions targets, halt and reverse wildlife declines, and improve air and water quality. By boosting nature-friendly farming, we can also expect less pollution, a reduced need for chemicals thanks to natural pest control, and more wildlife, including pollinating insects.
Together with the National Trust and the Wildlife Trusts, we’re calling on the new UK Government to increase the overall agricultural budget, in line with the scale of need, and for the UK and devolved governments to then increase investment in nature-friendly farming. This will also pave the way for private finance to further bolster the budget.
Right now, we need environmental schemes that support nature and climate friendly farming and these must be delivered at sufficient scale to meet the challenges ahead.
Many farmers and land managers are already working to support nature, from providing flower-rich field margins, to planting native broadleaf woodlands and reducing chemical use. The UK and devolved governments must support farmers’ ambitions to produce food sustainably, while helping nature’s recovery.
Research also shows that for every pound of public money spent on nature restoration, the return will be at least three times that investment.
Launching the report, RSPB Chief Executive Beccy Speight, Wildlife Trusts CEO Craig Bennett and National Trust Director-General Hilary McGrady called on the new UK Government and devolved governments to deliver more ambitious funding models for nature-friendly farming.
They added: “Investing in nature restoration is a necessary, long-term strategy that will help to future proof UK farming, while also mitigating against the wider impacts of climate change. Restoring habitats can help protect communities from flooding. Protecting soils on farms helps to reduce run-off and clean up rivers. Landscapes full of wildlife lift our spirits and promote wellbeing, while also underpinning food production. The huge return on increasing investment in nature-friendly farming must be realised, and fast.”
Nature Friendly Farming Network CEO Martin Lines called the report a “wake-up call” for decision-makers across the UK.
"Tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis is not just important in its own right; it is crucial for farm business viability and UK food security. We have already seen the impact a wet winter and widespread flooding has had this year, and we know we can expect much more weather-related volatility in the future. Our ability to grow plentiful food long-term depends on improved soil health and water quality, increased resilience to flooding and drought and nature thriving on farms. Paying for this is not a negative cost to society, but a vital investment to secure our long-term food production capacity,” he said.
"As the new Government starts work in Westminster, we need to see increased ambition for the UK's farming budget and rapid scheme progress in England so the farming community can swiftly transition to nature-friendly farming at the scale required.”
