Further, although for some a move to what are considered to be regenerative systems has satisfied their personal and financial goals, for others, the financial hit has required a reconsideration of activities.
Or maybe the change in terminology reflects a realignment of Greenpeace Aotearoa with Greenpeace International.
The latest Greenpeace statement is that “Ultimately, the future of farming lies in ecological, organic, plant-based agriculture practices”.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) defines ecological agriculture as combining “modern science and innovation with respect for nature and biodiversity”.
The reference given by FAO is a Greenpeace International document written in 2015.
The document explains that ecological farming — based on biodiversity and utilising resources that are affordable and locally available — can increase production and improve livelihoods.
The background is that more than 90% of the world’s farmers, covering about 60% of the agricultural land globally, have less than two hectares of land.
The reason that ecological farming improves yields for these small-scale farmers is that they generally have poor access to resources, lack training and do not have enough information on prices and the weather to position appropriately.
Further, they lack storage and markets to sell to and are largely powerless politically.
New Zealand, indeed, developed countries generally, do not have the background that would enable ecological agriculture to make a positive difference to their agricultural operations.
Just like regenerative agricultural practices, New Zealand farms would go backwards in terms of productivity — and what the global population needs is an increase in productivity to improve food security (encompassing availability and affordability).
The EU appears to have realised this.
The Green Deal, with its Farm to Fork strategy, has now been replaced with a Vision for Agriculture and Food.
The goal is the creation of “an attractive, competitive, resilient, future-oriented and fair agri-food system for current and future generations of farmers and agri-food operators”.
Organics, ecological and regenerative systems are not mentioned, but nature and carbon credits are highlighted, as is the importance of livestock, which “remains a core part of the EU’s food system and will have its own dedicated strategy to improve competitiveness”.
A main action is “Presenting a Bioeconomy Strategy”.
The new approach is consistent with what New Zealand has always tried to achieve — and is aligned with the new Public Research Organisation called… Bioeconomy (incorporating the four land-based Crown Research Institutes: Plant and Food Research, AgResearch, Landcare Research and Scion).
Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Dr Jacqueline Rowarth on The Country below:
The refocus of the EU on livestock has received criticism from Greenpeace International.
The organisation’s main concerns about the European Commission’s new agri-food plan are that it misses an opportunity to rebalance the consumption of animal-based proteins (meat, dairy and eggs) with plant-based ones.
In particular, Greenpeace states that the plan fails to outline plans to cut the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions, “starting with reducing the number of farmed animals in areas of high livestock concentration”.
Like Greenpeace Aotearoa, the international organisation promotes plant-based diets as opposed to “unhealthy and resource-intensive” animal-based diets.
Advocates of plant-based diets tend to overlook the increase in calories that a person has to eat to obtain the needed essential components — the amino acids, minerals and vitamins and the impact of cropping on soil quality.
Even though there might be more food available if animals were not involved, humans would be malnourished on average; the research has been done for America.
The assessment suggested removing animals from US agriculture would reduce agricultural GHG emissions (leaving those associated with GHG and cropping) but would also create a food supply incapable of supporting the US population’s nutritional requirements.
When nutritional adequacy was evaluated by using least-cost diets produced from foods available, more nutrient deficiencies, a greater excess of energy, and a need to consume a greater amount of food solids were encountered in plant-only diets.
The new EU plan has not forgotten climate objectives.
They will be supported through better incentives, including making sure decarbonisation and competitiveness go hand in hand, ensuring protection as well as productivity and integrating consideration of the environment and economy.
Again, New Zealand is on the same track.
The economists know that the productivity in the rural sector will do the heavy lifting to allow the economy to recover, and the Government is encouraging and enabling all businesses to do better.
The point for the future should be about balance — diets that meet physiological needs with minimal impact on the environment.
The next three months will undoubtedly bring more changes and perhaps more balance — in economics as well as diet.
