The UK government should urgently increase funds for nature-friendly farming, as the current level of investment is insufficient for the country to meet its biodiversity and climate goals, a report has said.
Investment should reach £5.9 billion annually across the UK for at least the next 10 years, according to analysis commissioned by conservation organisations Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, National Trust, and The Wildlife Trusts.
This would represent 68% growth compared to the current UK agriculture budget, which stands at £3.5 bln and has remained unchanged since 2013.
“Climate change and nature loss are the two biggest threats to UK food security and we are already seeing their impacts on food production, including the impact of the incredibly wet year to date,” said Craig Bennett, CEO of The Wildlife Trust.
“This report should be a wake-up call for decisionmakers across the UK and drive a step-change in investment for farming and land management,” added Martin Lines, CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network.
As just between 20-25% of the budget is spent on schemes that benefit nature, the report stressed the need for increased investment to be underpinned by regulations aimed at protecting natural assets.
Priority habitat conservation and restoration accounted for the bulk of the investment needed, over £1.9 mln, followed by net zero actions and grassland improvement, according to the report’s estimates.
“HUGE RETURN”
“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,” said Bennett.
“The huge return on increasing investment in nature-friendly farming must be realised, and fast.”
Approximately 70% of UK land area is actively farmed, presenting a huge opportunity to deliver environmental uplift and improved biodiversity by landowners and tenants engaging with the natural capital market, through schemes like the Woodland Carbon Code, Peatland Carbon Code, and biodiversity net gain.
However, significant hurdles prevent the majority of tenanted land from entering into such revenue-generating opportunities.
Average farm tenancy lengths are too short to make long-term schemes viable, aspirations between landlord and tenant often differ, and underlying restrictions in lease agreements can block initiatives.
“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,” Lines said.
By Sergio Colombo – sergio@carbon-pulse.com
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