Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 27 (1989) 99-106 99 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - - Printed in The Netherlands

Ecological Perspectives of Changing Agricultural Land Use in the European Community

ANNEMARIE GOEDMAKERS

DHV Consultants, P.O. Box 85, 3800 AB Amersfoort (The Netherlands)

{Accepted for publication 19 April 1989)

ABSTRACT

Goedmakers, A.M.C., 1989. Ecological perspectives of changing agricultural land use in the Eu- ropean Community. Agric. Ecosystems Environ., 27: 99-106.

The Common Agricultural Policy of the European Community has given rise to serious prob- lems: a structural surplus of various agricultural products and a high level of environmental pol- lution combined with degradation of natural resources both in the European Community and in Third World countries. Different approaches to solve these problems are under discussion at the moment. Each of these solutions has specific ecological consequences. These different approaches are reviewed and evaluated for ecological perspectives.

INTRODUCTION

The agricultural situation in the states that founded the European Economic Community in 1957 was scientifically and technically backward. It was nec- essary to increase productivity in order to be able to guarantee food supplies (Commission of the European Communities, 1986). The Common Agricul- tural Policy agreed between the Member States proved to be very successful, perhaps too successful. The present agricultural problems in the European Community can be attributed to a large extent to the successfulness of the Common Agricultural Policy. The Community has increased its agricultural production substantially since 1957. Although the Community did not produce enough cereals, wine, sugar and meat for its own consumption in 1973, it pro- duced more than it consumed in all of these sectors by 1983. All this time the overproduction of butter and milk powder (already existing in 1973) increased.

These changes in agricultural production were accomplished at the cost of increasing environmental pollution and degradation of the quality of nature in the European Community, a net flow of nutrients from Third World countries to the EC, and of course increasing costs. Yet, at the same time, awareness of environmental problems was developing. Man has become aware of the scarc-

0167-8809/89/$03.50 © 1989 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.

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ity of natural resources and the necessity of sustainable economic activities is now accepted, although not yet operational. This means that the willingness to change the Common Agricultural Policy is growing.

In different Member States and at the EC level itself various tools to provide more control on agricultural production, both quantitatively and qualitatively, are under discussion.

PRESENT SITUATION

Nutrient imbalance

The importation of agricultural products and foodstuff from Third World countries to the EC is much larger than the EC exports to these countries (Fig. 1 ). This leads to a reduction of their agricultural potential that cannot be cor- rected easily (National Advisory Council for Development Cooperation, 1987).

Environmental pollution

Intensive arable farming causes contamination of groundwater, soils and atmosphere by phosphate, nitrate, ammonia, heavy metals and dangerous

billion ECU 40_

30_

20_

10._ . / i I I I I F 1 I i I I i I

1973 1975 1980 1984

Fig. 1. Imports of agricultural products and foodstuff in the EC from developing countries. The average amount of food aid (3.5 billion ECU over the period 1975-1985) is only a fraction of that of the imports (Burtin, 1987).

101

million ton 160_

140_

120_

100_

producT/'~

• - - - / "

......................................................... " .... : ......... : ................ i ........ . ............ coo um ,,o°

I i i i i i i i i i i l I 1973/74 1980/81 1985/86 Fig. 2. Production and consumption of cereals in EC (Commissie van de Europese Gemeenschap- pen, 1987 ).

chemical substances (see van de Klundert and Veelenturf, 1986). At the pres- ent time, some boreholes in The Netherlands can no longer be used for drink- ing water, as the quality of the groundwater is not up to the standards for human consumption owing to pollution by nitrate (Fig. 2). Agricultural prac- tices are becoming dangerous for people and sometimes even hamper agricul- tural production itself- agricultural products containing excessive percentages of dangerous chemical substances can not be exported; agricultural production is diminished by high levels of ammonia in the air in some regions; sheep can not be kept on soils contaminated by copper after intensive manuring with pig sludge etc.

Quality of nature

A lot of hedgerows, small water bodies, trees and other landscape elements have disappeared (Goedmakers, 1988). Water levels have changed radically.

Noise and other disturbances harass even the most remote areas. The result is a severe loss of suitable places to live for species that place high demands on their habitat. There is a disturbance of breeding and foraging habits, and in- terference with migration patterns. Many species have become rare (Fig. 3) or even extinct, and common ecosystems have grown even more widespread. The result is a quite uniform nature over large areas and some very small spots where precious ecosystems are preserved at high cost, sometimes even in the knowledge that they are doomed to disappear.

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number 1069_

9OO

60(

30(

" ~ °

19~ i , 1960 1970 1960

Fig. 3. Decline of the badger (Meles meles L.) in the Netherlands. (Ministerie van Volkshuis- vesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieubeheer et al., 1985).

Autonomous development and invariable aspects

The climatological and physical situation differs in the various regions of Europe. These regional differences have led to specific policy programmes, for instance for less-favoured regions and mountainous or hilly areas. They have also given rise to expansion of areas of greenhouses in the North of Europe. It would however be unwise to try to eliminate these differences, both from a financial and an environmental point of view. After all, each region has its own strong points in terms of agricultural products and the season when production is optimal. The same applies to the technological development of agriculture. This is a more or less autonomous process. Application of research findings increases agricultural production by 1-2% each year (Fig. 4). The same in- crease of production would occur if at this moment, for instance, no-tillage or integrated arable farming systems were used. Although the current production level would be lower than if intensive agricultural practices were used, the yearly increase in production would be the same and would lead to the same sur- plusses, only some years later (see de Wit, 1988).

Apart from regional differences and technological development, the differ- ences between individual farmers are an important factor when it comes to environmental impact and use of natural resources. A greater differentiation in farming systems in the future may mean more opportunities for the individ-

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mg/I NO~ 60.

20.J ""

t"" ." A. e o ~ e • ~ o "....j.'-

0 " II 1970 ~8o i

Fig. 4. Nitrate concentration in groundwater that is used for the production of drinking water in the Netherlands. In the hatched area concentrations are exceeding the EC standard of water quality for drinking water purposes. (Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieubeheer et al., 1985).

ual farmer to choose a system that agrees with his or her expertise, while of- fering more possibilities for good management of natural resources in the rural environment.

A CHANGED COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY

Policy instruments

The Common Agricultural Policy is executed by means of several instru- ments: (1) levies, subsidies and premiums; (2) quota; (3) regulations; (4) extension and training; (5) (regional) planning.

At the moment the accent lies heavily on those instruments that directly influence markets and prices. Income policy and structural measures are minor elements in the total agricultural policy. The character of market and price instruments makes it difficult to forecast their effects regarding overproduc- tion and pollution.

Structural measures are more appropriate if overproduction and pollution have to be decreased, since they have direct influence on these factors. Struc- tural measures will enable the European Community to set definite goals for the quality of the rural environment and integrate nature management and agriculture.

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Financing

The Common Agricultural Policy is financed through the European Agri- cultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. Purchases by intervention boards, storage costs, income aids, marketing subsidies ( 11.8 billion ECU in 1984 ) and export rebates that bridge the gap between the Community and world prices (6.6 billion ECU in 1984) are financed by the Guarantee section.

The Guidance section funds improvement of farms, rural facilities, process- ing and marketing, training schemes for farmers, drainage, irrigation and af- forestation, improvement of product quality and incentives to switch to alter- native crops (5.2 billion ECU for the period 1985-1989). This means that only about 5% of the annual budget is allocated to structural measures. However, since structural measures offer more possibilities to decrease overproduction and pollution directly, it is necessary to shift at least part of the budget of the Guarantee section to that of the Guidance section in the coming years.

Structural measures

A number of different methods to diminish pollution, increase environmen- tal quality and decrease overproduction are in discussion at the moment: (1) extension of agricultural production (slight or radical); (2) set-aside pro- grammes; (3) taking agricultural land out of production; (4) integrated crop management (see Brussaard et al., 1988); (5) diversification of agricultural production; (6) product quality improvement.

It is not easy to draw dividing lines between these measures, they overlap, serve different purposes and solve different problems.

The net flow of nutrients from underdeveloped countries to the EC will be diminished by every measure that decreases overproduction, but especially by measures which stop the import of raw material for bulk meat production (rad- ical extension). Pollution will be diminished by measures that halt overprod- uction (radical extension) but also by those that increase the efficiency of nutrient use and decrease the input of chemicals (integrated crop manage- ment) (House et al., 1984, 1987).

Measures that substantially increase the ecological potential of the rural environment are the changing of agricultural land into conservation areas and a radical extension of agricultural production. The (resulting) quality of na- ture can be measured by species diversity or the presence of indicator species. Table I summarizes the measures mentioned above and their implications for the reduction of nutrient imbalance, the reduction of pollution and the in- crease of species diversity. From this table it can be concluded that a sound and sustainable agricultural policy will be a mixture of all the measures under discussion. Diversification is the only measure that offers no solution to eco- logical problems.

TABLE 1

Effects of agricultural measures on the ecological potential of the rural environment

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Reduction of Reduction of Increase of nutrient imbalance pollution species diversity

Extension Slight + + 0 Radical + + + + + +

Set-aside programmes + + 0 Land out of production + + + + Integrated crop management 0 + + + Diversification 0 0 0 Product quality improvement + + +

+ + Strong positive effect. + ,0,-both positive and negative effects occur: +positive effects prevail; 0 positive effects are in balance with negative effects; - t he negative effects are greater.

T h e f a rmer who is able to p roduce high quan t i t i e s wi thou t pol lu t ing the e n v i r o n m e n t should be given the o p p o r t u n i t y to do so in areas where na tu re is no t a t s take. In areas where p rese rva t ion and n a tu r e are of p a r a m o u n t impor- tance , fo rms of agr icu l ture and na tu re m a n a g e m e n t t h a t lead to more complex a nd scarce types of ecosys tems and t h a t do no t endanger the economic living condi t ions of the f a rmer should be encouraged.

CONCLUSION

In the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y a need is fel t to ha l t ove rp roduc t ion and to d imin ish po l lu t ion of the e n v i r o n m e n t by agricul ture. I f the C o m m o n Agricul- tu ra l Pol icy shif ts the accen t on m a r k e t an d price i n s t r u m e n t s to one on a h igher budge t for s t ruc tu ra l measures , the perspec t ives for the e n v i r o n m e n t become bet ter . A mix tu r e of ex tens i f i ca t ion of agr icul tura l p roduc t ion , set- aside p rog rammes , t ak ing l and out of agr icul tura l p roduc t ion , in tegra ted crop m a n a g e m e n t and p roduc t qua l i ty i m p r o v e m e n t will m ak e it possible to de- crease pol lu t ion and de te r io ra t ion of na ture , an d to res tore the n u t r i e n t bal- ance be tween the EC and the T h i r d World.

REFERENCES

Brussaard, L., van Veen, J.A., Kooistra, M.J. and Lebbink, G., 1988. The Dutch programme on soil ecology of arable farming systems I. Objectives, approach and some preliminary results. Ecol. Bull., 39: 35-40.

Burtin, J., 1987. Het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid en zijn hervorming. Europese Documen- tatie, 1987/1, 93 pp.

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Commissie van de Europese Gemeenschappen, 1987. De toestand van de landbouw in de Gemeen- schap Verslag 1986. Brussels, Luxemburg.

Commission of the European Communities, 1986. Europe's Common Agricultural Policy. Euro- pean File, 2/86, 11 pp.

De Wit, C.T., 1989. The Agricultural Environment in the European Community. Symposium, Ecological implications of contemporary agriculture.

Goedmakers, A.M.C. and Meyer, C.S., 1988. Agriculture and nature conservation in local land use planning. Symposium, Ecological implications of contemporary agriculture, Ecol. Bull., 39: 186-188.

House, G.J., Stinner, B.R., Crossley, D.A. and Odum, E.P., 1984. Nitrogen cycling in conventional and no-tillage agro-ecosystems: analysis of pathways and processes. J. Appl. Ecol., 21: 991- 1012.

House, G.J., Worsham, A.D., Sheets, T.J. and Stinner, R.E., 1987. Herbicide effects on soil ar- thropod dynamics and wheat straw decomposition in a North Carolina no-tillage agroecosys- tem. Biol. Fertility Soils, 4: 109-114.

Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieubeheer, Ministerie van Land- bouw en Visserij and Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, 1985. Indicatief Meerjaren Pro- gramma Milieubeheer 1986-1990. Tweede Kamer, 19 204 {1-2), 184 pp.

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Van de Klundert, A.F. and Veelenturf, P.W.M., 1986. Ruimtelijke visie op de intensieve veehoud- erij-problematiek. Landschap, 3: 88-101.