Fersiwn Gymraeg ar gael yma
It’s increasingly obvious that farmland nature needs help, that we must produce food more sustainably, and that we have to tackle climate change [1]. It’s also clear we must take a joined-up approach to addressing these issues or risk repeating past mistakes where poorly thought-out agriculture policies have driven unsustainable practices causing environmental harm. This is a huge challenge and one that Welsh farmers are well placed to meet, but only if they are provided with the right support to get the job done.
Wales’s new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) is intended to provide this support and ensure our farmers can meet environmental obligations for nature and climate, and produce food sustainably. However, with the new scheme due to start in a little over 12 months, we are concerned there are still big unanswered questions about how it will deliver this much needed help. Later this year Welsh Government launches its final consultation on its scheme and its vital we learn how the SFS will:
We don’t underestimate the scale of the challenge facing Welsh Government in developing its new scheme and have been very supportive of proposals to date. We have also welcomed the opportunity to be involved in helping shape its purpose and content. During this time, we have also made recommendations and provided evidence to address many of the issues highlighted above.
With regards to nature and the wider environment we are advocating the new scheme must enable all farmers to manage a minimum of 10% of their land as a mix of habitats for nature by 2030 to provide the basis for nature’s recovery by 2050 [2]. We also urging Welsh Government to use the scheme to help Wales transition to agroecology (farming with nature) as this will enhance environment quality and help improve farm profitability as highlighted in Farming at the Sweet Spot [3].
This report looks at 165 farms and identifies an average increase in commercial returns of between 10 and 45% for those that farm with nature. RSPB research also shows a combination of agroecology and nature-based solutions (e.g., creating woodlands and restoring peatlands to lock up carbon) could reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from the land sector by more than 99% by 2050.
If farmers are to balance production and environmental outcomes its vital they receive support from suitably qualified sources who can provide appropriate joined up advice and guidance. To date there has been little information on what this support will look like and who will deliver it. This is something that must be clarified in the upcoming consultation. Another area that must also be explained is how Government will establish and implement underpinning regulation effectively to ensure a minimum standard of environmental compliance on which the scheme will be delivered.
Finally, we expect the upcoming consultation to indicate the size of budget required to meet the scheme’s various objectives, to provide details on payments rates (e.g., for habitat management) and establish how money will be allocated across the Universal, Optional and Collaborative layers to meet statutory obligations, including for nature and climate. In 2023 a RSPB, NT & Wildlife Trust report found that Wales requires £496 million annually to meet environmental land management priorities per annum [4]. This is an amount considerably more than existing funding established by the CAP and, we believe, should form the basis for negotiation with HM Treasury when agreeing future rural budgets.
[1] https://www.saveourwildisles.org.uk/business/food-and-farming
[2] Our approach is based on farm wildlife’s six key actions, which are designed to establish a mix of habitats to ensure nature thrives.
[3] Farming at the Sweet Spot – Nature Friendly Farming Network and The Wildlife Trusts, 2023
[4] An assessment of the financial resources needed for environmental land management in the UKPhotograph: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)