Bending the curve of biodiversity loss: How can agriculture become part of the solution?

How do we enable agricultural transformation?

Many of us enjoy plentiful, cheap food, but the intensive farming landscapes producing much of this bounty has come at the cost of biodiversity. Transforming these agricultural systems will not be easy, but it must be inclusive and collaborative. A willingness to try out novel practices is needed, even though some of these might still be largely untested. It is thus important to bring together corporations, policy makers and, most importantly, farmers, in dialogue to align their interests to the common goal of environmentally-​friendly farming.

On 28 June 2021, in the first of series of webinars, a panel of experts from different sectors discussed a range of topics including farmers’ constraints; the need for better-tailored policies; the role of the private sector in delivering new packages and toolboxes; the necessity to change the valuation matrix of agricultural systems; the complex issue of “seeds” markets and governance; the definition of biodiversity itself; and new forms of agricultural landscapes managements through new alliances. The webinar emphasised that a transition to sustainable agriculture needs to encompass a reformed policy framework that places environmental sustainability and healthy food production at the heart of support schemes. Effective collaboration among farmers, businesses and researchers is also needed to develop practices that build positive environmental values and outcomes.

Participants of the webinar were invited to provide questions, suggestions, and ideas on how farmers, policy makers, and corporations might develop environmentally-​friendly farming systems. The questions were categorized, and the panellists address many of the themes and individual questions during the webinar. This questions will continue to inform further discussions in the future.

One interesting topic raised in the discussion is the apparent discrepancy between the concept of food sovereignty, which is supposed to enhance the resilience of the system and be coherent with local food movements, and the counter-intuitive proposal that reducing trade barriers can contribute to bending the biodiversity curve. Also discussed, is that one key to success is the integration of three core elements of sustainability: water, soil, and biodiversity. Also crucial is the need to recognise the central role of farmers, as decision-makers, implementation actors and inter-generational holders of knowledge and experience. This point was mentioned by all panellists. It is imperative in business to work alongside farmers to build sustainable agricultural systems that open new opportunities for farmers to draw on their historical and current creativity in agricultural practice. Understanding and working within farmer constraints to identify pathways towards biodiversity is the only way by which realistic solutions can be implemented. This collaboration is needed irrespective of topic, be it improved seeds, new technologies or innovative insurance schemes. The panellists promoted that the transition is within reach, provided we go about it together, taking small steps, and minding the soil tread upon.

The webinar was co-​hosted by the World Food System Center, the Ecosystem Management Group, the Sustainable Agroecosystems Group, and the Agricultural Economics and Policy Group of ETH Zurich. It is the first in a webinar series hosted jointly by ETH Zurich and IFPRI as part of a Bayer-​funded project titled Enhancing Biodiversity and Resilience in Crop Production.