The role of Conservation Agriculture in the European Common Agriculture Policy (CAP)

Abstract

European Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) has been a factor highly influencing decision making by farmers and the way of farming. Historically, CAP was concentrated on the objectives of food provision, income support, affordable food and market regulation. In the last two decades, following intensification and overproduction, other objectives partially replaced the old ones and more attention was given to Rural Development, competitiveness of farming, environment and biodiversity. Amongst the proposed measures to achieve these objectives were mandatory minimum standards, agri-environmental or ‘greening’ measures schemes and, more recently, the so-called mission area on soil health and food, all of them to address today’s hotspots of the CAP policy framework, i.e. climate action, efficient management of natural resources and the protection of biodiversity and landscapes. The core strategies to tackle all these objectives in the recently defined CAP policy framework are summarized in documents and action plans named “European Green Deal”, “Farm to Fork Strategy”, European Mission on Soil Health and Food”, and “Biodiversity Strategy”. Despite referring positive and wishful approaches such as “Farming practices that remove CO2 from the atmosphere … should be rewarded”, these documents are mostly omissive when it comes to concrete when it comes to concrete measures and practices to be named and capable to address not only one but most of the objectives outlined concomitantly. The simultaneous and continuous application of the principles of Conservation Agriculture (CA) has proven to be the most promising way forward to address effectively and efficiently the multiple challenges of food production, following a nature-based approach (minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and species diversity). However, to make CA a mainstream approach towards sustainable agriculture, consumers, civil society and farmers must learn what is needed to achieve soil health and thus true and holistic sustainability of food production. We also must recognize that productive and resource-efficient agriculture must be able to trust on the availability of safe inputs to be used responsibly. Above all in Europe, the considerable income support to the farming sector should clearly linked to the verifiable delivery of ecosystem services. Finally, an unbiased, objective appreciation of all pros and cons of the different farming approaches is needed to assess their conformity with the whole set of goals established and to be achieved within the best compromise possible.