Defra’s Research in Sustainable Agriculture

Dr Sue Popple

Vision for farming 2020 A profitable and competitive farming industry, that takes

on the challenge of climate change and is a positive net contributor to the environment.

As an industry it should: • be profitable in the marketplace, continuing to produce

the majority of the food we consume • make a positive net environmental contribution, notably

in respect of climate change, but also more widely • manage the landscape and the natural assets that

underlie it

Defra’s sustainable agricultureresearch programmes

1. Agriculture and Climate Change

2. Water Quality and Use

3. Food Chain Meeting Consumer Needs

4. Sustainable Farming Systems and Biodiversity

5. Plant Health

Agriculture and Climate Change

• Inventories of emissions of pollution gases from agriculture to air

• Mitigation of nitrogen and carbon emissions

• Climate change and adaptation in agriculture

• Energy in agriculture and food• Bioenergy• Renewable Materials

• Current research includes,

• Biogas production in the UK

• Vulnerability to extreme events

• Life Cycle Analysis of options for bioenergy production

• Calculating GHG emissions from agriculture

Water Quality and Water Use

• Minimising the adverse impacts of UK agriculture on water quality

• Optimising water use by UK agriculture and food production industries

• Current research includes,

• Farm based filters for air and water

• Cost curves for multiple diffuse pollutants

• Tools for influencing behaviour of farmers and land mangers

Food Chain Meeting Consumer Needs

• Efficient food manufacturing and distribution

• Waste reduction and recycling in the food chain

• Quality foods meeting the consumer needs

• Current research includes,

• Pathogenic fungi in cereal crops

• Exploiting brewing co-products

• Resilience of businesses in the food chain

Sustainable Farming Systems and Biodiversity

• Organic Farming

• Integrated farming systems – a more holistic approach

• Current research includes,

• Field-scale impacts on biodiversity from New Crops

• Managing uncropped land to enhance biodiversity

• Developing a fertiliser recommendation system

Plant Health

• Exclusion of quarantine pests and diseases

• Eradication and containment of plant pests and diseases

• Trade facilitation

• Development of optimum policy

• Current research includes,

• Novel diagnostic techniques for the detection of pests and diseases

• Detection and monitoring of quarantine whitefly transmitted viruses in protected vegetable crops

• Management of plant health risks associated with processing of plant-based wastes

The future - Generic changes in our needs

Increasing need for:• Social and opinion research• Multi-disciplinary (natural + social) analysis and

assessment• Evaluation of issues and solutions• Interpretation and advice from research providers• Collaboration

The Strategy Arrow

Established in letter to the PM

ONEPLANETLIVING

Avoiding dangerous climate change

Maintaining & enhancing thenatural asset base

Licence to Operate

High Impact Policies

High Level Goals

Mission

Energy

Water availability and quality

Food and farming

Waste (re-use, recycling, composting, energy from waste)

Land use

Marine environment

Emergency preparedness – animal diseases, floods

Animal health and welfare

CAP administration

For example…