Environmental impacts of Organic Agriculture Sustainable agriculture refers

Environmental impacts of Organic Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture refers to the ability of a farm to produce food indefinitely, without causing irreversible damage to ecosystem health.

Ecosystem Health Indicators v Emerging trans-disciplinary concept useful in bridging the natural, social, and health sciences. v A healthy ecosystem is defined as a socio-ecological unit that is “stable and sustainable”, maintaining its organization and autonomy over time and its resilience to stress, while capable of remaining economically viable and able to sustain human communities. (Rapport 1995, Costanza et al. 1992) v Acknowledges societal values in defining future desired conditions while strongly relying on scientific criteria. Ecosystem health is contextually grounded in smaller complex bioregional and biophysical scales, thus better instrumentalizing the notion of sustainability. It serves as a meeting point between the notion of sustainability and the evaluation needs of collaborative processes.

What is organic agriculture? • Organic agriculture is a whole system approach based upon a set of processes resulting in sustainable ecosystems, safe food, good nutrition, animal welfare and social justice. • It is more than just a system of production that includes or excludes certain inputs.

Practicing organic agriculture requires ecological knowledge, planning and commitment to work with natural systems, rather than trying to change them.

Non – certified ↔ certified Non-certified - Includes traditional systems which do not use chemicals but which apply ecological approaches to enhance agricultural production. Organic certification - Process (requirements vary from country to country) addresses a growing worldwide demand for organic food.

Environmental impacts • Ecosystem • Soil * • Ground and surface water (nitrate leaching; pesticides) • • Climate and air ( greenhouse effect) Input and output (nutrient, water, energy use) Animal health and welfare Quality of food produced

Ecosystem Floral and faunal biodiversity, landscape conservation 1. Due to ban of synthetic pesticides and N-fertilisers organic farming has positive effect on domesticated and wildlife species. e. g. : vast crop rotation are essential as a means of disease and pest prevention, and of maintaining soil fertility by cultivating N -fixing legumes. 2. Holds the perspective of re-qualifying rural sites – the possibility of cautious utilisation of sensitive areas

Natural predators help to keep crop pests under control

* Soil 1. Soil functions: • conditionally renewable natural resource; • integrator [transformer] of other natural resources; • most important media for biomass production; • storage of heat, water, nutrients; pollutants; • buffer of various natural and human-induced stresses; • filter of surface loads [prevention of groundwater pollution • etc. ] • transformation of various substances [including • detoxication]; • habitat for soil biota, gene-reservoir, media of biodiversity; • conservator of natural and human heritage.

The impact of organic farming on soil will be discussed on these soil parameters: • Soil organic matter - Biological activity Beneficial effect farm-internal nutrient supply fertilisation on organic substances (e. g. ) Northern countries Mediterranean countries

• Soil structure, and Soil erosion Improves soil structure by increasing activity reducing risk of erosion but….

The Soil Thematic Strategy for European Soil Protection (COM(2006) 231) Why is soil important? What is soil threatened by? What is the extent of the problem? Why act at the EU level? Why is the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy not enough? What does the Thematic Strategy on soil protection contain? What are the objectives of the strategy? What are the next steps?

Who do you believe? “Healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy society. Just like a healthy person who rarely (if ever) needs medicine, healthy soil rarely (if ever) needs synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers. ” J. Patrick Madden (World Sustainable Ag. Assoc. ) “Only high-yield farming and the careful use of fertilizer and pesticide can produce enough food for a world population expected to double by 2050. High-yield farming is saving 10 million square miles per year from the plow. ” Dennis Avery (Hudson Institute for Global Food Studies)

Organic farming’s role in European agricultural and environmental strategies • European policy goals • Rural development * strategic guidelines • Role of organic farming • EU action plan *

European Council strategies … Göteborg (2001) – sustainable development • Strong economic performance combined with sustainable use of natural resources and levels of waste, maintaining biodiversity, preserving ecosystems and avoiding desertification. • CAP should contribute to achieving sustainable development by encouraging healthy, high-quality products, environmentally sustainable production methods, including organic production, renewable raw materials and the protection of biodiversity. Lisbon (2003) – growth and jobs • higher economic growth, job creation and greater competitiveness in world markets.

…translated into agricultural policies CAP Reform 2003/04 aims to: • increase competitiveness of EU agriculture by – – reducing price support guarantees introducing decoupled direct payments encouraging structural adjustment and encouraging farmers to respond to market signals generated by consumer demand rather than by quantity-related policy incentives. • increase the environmental sustainability of farming and consumer confidence by – including environmental, food safety and animal health and welfare standards in cross-compliance

…and rural development policies RDP 2007 -2013 (Reg. 1698/2005) has four axes: (Community Strategic Guidelines 2007 -2013 => EU level priorities within the RDR framework, in particular focus on sustainability (Göteborg) and growth and jobs (Lisbon)) Axis 1 (economic competitiveness) • investing in human and physical capital; promoting knowledge transfer and innovation; quality production. Axis 2 (environmental sustainability) • protecting/enhancing natural resources, high nature value farming and forestry systems and cultural landscapes. Axis 3 (social regeneration) • developing local infrastructure and opportunities for economic diversification to enhance quality of life. Axis 4 (LEADER) • promoting innovative governance through locally based, bottom-up approaches to rural development.

EU strategic guidelines for rural development Axis 2: Consolidating the contribution of organic farming ‘Organic farming represents an holistic approach to sustainable agriculture. In this respect, its contribution to environmental and animal welfare objectives could be further reinforced’ Cross axis synergies ‘should be maximised and potential contradictions avoided, where appropriate through integrated approaches, taking into account other EU-level strategies, such as the Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming’

Organic farming and EU policy goals – are they compatible? Organic farming aims to produce food, fibre and other products in ways which promote the health and sustainability of – soil, plants, animals and humans as inter-connected individuals and communities (societies and ecosystems) locally and globally.

Organic farming objectives include • • • Production of quality, safe food Resource use sustainability Environmental protection Animal health welfare Social justice and wellbeing of rural communities • Public health and food security • Financial viability of farming

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM’s goal is the worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially and economically sound systems that are based on the principles of Organic Agriculture. In order to fulfill its mission, five goals were set by the World Board for the medium term: • IFOAM builds the global platform for the organic movement • IFOAM develops, communicates and defends the principles of organic agriculture • IFOAM advocates and facilitates the adoption of organic agriculture • IFOAM promotes the development of organic markets • IFOAM ensures an effectively managed organization with sufficient and sustainable resources

IFOAM principles International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements • Health – Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible. • Ecology – Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them.

IFOAM principles • Fairness – Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities. • Care – Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment.

Values in IFOAM principles HEALTH System health Soil & plant health Animal health Integrity Resilience Food quality Non-polluting Animals People (food) Equity & Respect Justice Food sovereignty Animal welfare Stewardship Transparency FAIRNESS Soils Systems reliance & self regulation Naturalness Sustainability System thinking EOCLOGY Ecological systems Closing cycles Site specific Reduced input use Self regulation Bio- diversity Environment protection Environment People Precaution & prevention Responsibility Excluding GMO Future generations Tacid knowledge CARE

Policy support for organic farming • Positive perceptions of compatibility of organic farming and policy goals • Significant increase in policy support since 1990 s – – – – Regulation 2092/91 defining organic food Direct agri-environmental payments to producers Support for producer groups Marketing and processing grants Research, training and advice Consumer promotion Public procurement

EU Organic Action Plan vision • Initiated in 2001, published in 2004 • Vision of dual role for OF – Production for market & consumer demand – Land management for environment and public goods i. e. combining the economic and environmental goals of Lisbon and Goteborg

EU Organic Action Plan objectives Compatible development of land management and markets through • • • Consumer promotion campaigns Research Full use of rural development opportunities Statistics and market information Support for producer organisations Regulation and standards (15 of 21 actions)

Conclusions • Organic farming can contribute to, and is supported by, all four axes of the rural development programme • Needs a cross-axis approach – opportunity formally integrating national/regional action plans member state rural development programmes

‘Cross Compliance’ and the CAP Project • 'cross-compliance' is a policy tool increasingly being used to improve the environmental impacts of farm management. • It is focused some specific issues * » primarily water pollution, soil quality » Protection of biodiversity and landscape features

Issues *

Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) According to Reg. 1782/2003 farmers who receive direct payments are obliged to maintain their land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition. Each Member State has the flexibility to choose among issues and standards of Reg. 1782/2003 that best respond to its own environmental pressures and translate them to specific cross compliance legislative measures.

Organic Farming in Hungary The potential agricultural area of Hungary is 9. 3 million hectares, while the total agriculturally utilised area is around 5. 8 million hectares. In 2004, slightly more than two percent of total agricultural area was organically managed. Between 2003 and 2004 grew the organic land by 13. 1 % The average farm size in Hungary is 23. 56 ha.

History of Organic Agriculture in Hungary - Organic agriculture in Hungary started in the 1980 s. - In 1983, the Biokultura-Klub was founded in Budapest. Two years later, the export organisation "Natura WG" was established. - In December 1987, the Biokultúra Association (Biokultúra Egyesület) was officially registered as an association for organic agriculture, the environment and health. - After 1995, Biokultúra was accredited through the IFOAM Accreditation Programme.

Organic Agriculture Organisations in Hungary 2 inspector companies: – Biokontroll Hungária Kht. – HU-ÖKO-01 – Hungária Ökogarancia Kft. – HU-ÖKO-02 NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations): – Biokultúra Association – Hungarian Federation of Organic Farming Associations – Péter Sárközy Foundation – Association of Hungarian Organic Farmers

Utilisation of organic land areas in 2004

2004 -2006 • Agricultural Rural Development Plan (AVOP) • National Rural Development Plan (NVT) 2007 -2013 • The title of the Rural development Programme is: „New Hungary” Rural Development Programme, 2007 -2013.

Basic hypothesis in respect of rural development in Hungary • Favourable geological, natural and ecological endowments – good circumstances for agricultural production • The role of agriculture in the society – much bigger than its ecological weight • Hungary is a net exporter in agricultural products (the only one amongst New member states-NMS) • Agriculture is an organic system where natural resources, the ability of retaining the population and reservation of the rural heritage are equally important

Expectations in the national agricultural policy • Quality and security approach instead of quantity one • Need of structural changes in agriculture • Importance of improving integration • Wider diversification (processing, more added value) • Improvement of ecological farming • Clearer picture in land ownership (finishing compensation)

Requirements in the EU strategic guidelines • Lisbon strategy (employment and development) • Goteborg strategy (sustainable development) • Harmonization with regional development policies • Multifunctional role of rural development

National Concept of Development Policy • • Enhancement of competitiveness Enhancement of employment Reaching a competitive knowledge Extension of information society Improvement in the state of health of the society Protection of natural resources Balanced regional development (rural development is one of the components)

Strategic priorities of rural development • Competitiveness (modernization, integration, infrastructure) • Jobs in rural areas (diversification, local cooperation) • Sustainable development (environmental protection) • Food safety • Improvement of services (extension, vocational trainings)

Question marks about the strategy • Available resources (lack of financial perspective) – very modest increase compared to 2004 -06 • Determination from the 2004 -06 programs – degressivity in the financial plan • Small budget for everyone or concentrated efforts •

RD in the National Strategic Reference Framework What can be financed by structural funds? • Large projects: • • Agricultural logistics Biotechnology Green energy - biofuels Water management

Summarized strategy structure along Axis I.

Summarized strategy structure along Axis II.

Summarized strategy structure along Axis III -IV.

Partition amongst axes • No doubt: largest part will be taken by Axis 2 – more than 42% • Doubts: Competitiveness or rural societies – which creates more jobs? – 27 -27% or 44 -10% • LEADER – 5% • Consultations: economic and social partners – lack of time (no time for discussing the strategy itself)