Report recommends “land sparing” farming to aid biodiversity
© Tim Scrivener Farming small areas already farmed intensively and allowing more land to be left as natural habitats is more beneficial for the environment, according to a new study.
Researchers say most species fare better from this “land-sparing” approach than if farming tries to share nature.
This is because wildlife-friendly agriculture still damages most biodiversity and requires far more land to produce the same amount of food, explains Andrew Balmford, a professor in conservation science at the University of Cambridge
See also: 4 environmental options for arable growers in switch to ELMs
How to feed, clothe and power an estimated global population of 11 billion over the next 30-40 years without causing mass species extinction and wrecking the climate is the biggest challenge of the century.
“Preserving diverse life while meeting humanity’s needs will mean enormous trade-offs, but the evidence is starting to point in one direction,” he said.
In a paper published on Wednesday 6 October in the Journal of Zoology, Prof Balmford makes the case for securing the highest levels of production from land – and water – already farmed.
“Most species fare much better if habitats are left intact, which means reducing the space needed for farming. So areas that are farmed need to be as productive as we can possibly make them,” he said.
This is the conclusion of his research, which considers more than 2,500 individually assessed plant, insect and vertebrate species from five continents.
The paper summarises a decade of global research on trade-offs between crop production and biodiversity.
Some species thrive on traditional farmland, particularly in Europe, where light grazing by livestock can create habitats for many species that otherwise struggle.
As such, some low-yield farming should be factored in, said Prof Balmford, but at a low level.
His review also suggests that land sparing sequesters more carbon.
Food strategy published
The UK government-commissioned National Food Strategy, published in the summer, recommended that Prof Balmford’s “three-compartment” model – harnessing high-yield farming in order to leave space for many more protected habitats, with pockets of traditional agriculture to preserve farmland-associated species – should form the basis of a new “Rural Land Use framework”.
The strategy proposes that around 21% of farmed land in England will need to be rewilded to some extent or used for biofuel if the UK is to meet its net-zero targets, noting that the entire bottom third of farmed land produces just 15% of English agricultural output.
Defra is currently working with farmers and stakeholders in England to design new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes which will pay public money for delivering environmental outcomes.