The importance of farming to the landscape and economy of Northern Ireland is plain to see on any journey across Northern Ireland. Over 75% of our land area is managed for agriculture in one form or another, with 25,000 farms and supporting industry contributing to around 5% of jobs.  

The Gross Value Added (GVA – a measure of economic productivity) of agriculture in Northern Ireland is significantly higher than other parts of the UK (almost twice the average), and as a significant net exporter of in-demand and quality products is considered a cornerstone of the economy. 

Given the importance of agriculture as an industry, it is no surprise that its contribution to biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions has come under increasing scrutiny.  Post-war policy for agricultural intensification was understandable, but catastrophic for biodiversity, particularly species-rich grassland and peatland. Fragments that remain are of huge importance.  

At last count, 26% of greenhouse gas emissions in NI were from agricultural sources (compared to a UK average of 10% where agriculture is not as significant an industry) and with net zero targets being anticipated in the next 25-30 years, the industry is now under some pressure to significantly reduce their contribution. The industry is not shirking this challenge. Indeed, it stands to lose a lot under current climate trends but feels increasingly like the scapegoat.

Farms will have to be innovative and adapt to remain productive and profitable. We must work with farmers to support them through this transition.

In advance of policy and legislation, consumer trends and pressure for greener production have already started to drive change. This is to be welcomed but puts pressure on traditional models of production with the potential to destabilize the entire industry. Coupled with increasing demands for green energy, particularly anaerobic digestion, there is the potential for a rapid change to land use. For the sustainability of farming and to ensure wise land-use change that supports biodiversity and carbon targets, we must work with the farming industry to co-design future models of food production and provision of ecosystem services and public goods and be sure to avoid the unintended consequences of well-meaning policies that are environmentally and financially costly to put right.  

Farming has always been at the mercy of market and climate volatility, and recent events suggest this is set to continue with the impacts of droughts, floods, Covid-19, Brexit and wider global geopolitics creating a perfect storm of rising prices. From an environmental perspective, the recent increase in costs of inorganic fertilizer will see a welcome reduction in usage, slowing the loss of habitat and reducing eutrophic runoff into watercourses. However, farms will have to be innovative and adapt to remain productive and profitable. We must work with farmers to support them through this transition. We are already seeing alternative ways to increase production that are less energy-intensive and more biodiversity-friendly, with herbal leys and agroforestry proving to be effective at increasing forage yields with reduced inputs, and less sensitivity to periods of drought than rye-grass monocultures. 

With much of the focus on emissions, agriculture has an ace up its sleeve which puts it in a unique position compared to other sectors. Played correctly, it has the potential to improve its net emission position significantly and over a relatively short number of years through sequestration in soils and habitats. 

With 75% of the land area under agricultural management, the role of habitats as carbon sinks is known to be significant, but not yet well enough understood to measure accurately. Planting woodlands and hedges are relatively simple and will quickly capture carbon, but to be effective must not be planted on priority habitats or other unsuitable lands. Unimproved grassland and peatland can also store and sequester vast amounts of carbon if managed correctly. Three-quarters of farmland is likely to have significant value in this regard if we take ‘Less Favoured Areas’ (LFA’s) as a measure of lower intensity farming on semi-natural habitats. Peatland, covering 12% of the land area - and virtually all on farmland, has the most significant potential to be a carbon source (when damaged), or sink (when intact) and therefore requires special attention.  

Agriculture has an ace up its sleeve..... Played correctly, it has the potential to improve its net emission position significantly and over a relatively short number of years through sequestration in soils and habitats

Agri-environment measures that help deliver appropriate land management through targeted grazing/mowing and reducing nutrient inputs play a key role in grassland habitats. Grazing management is important on peatlands to ensure the ‘skin’ of the peatland is not broken and the carbon sequestering building block of the bog, Sphagnum moss, is not damaged through trampling. Rigid prescriptions cannot deliver the right management for every site, so local flexibility has to be included in future schemes to allow bespoke solutions.  

Grazing is only part of the solution for peatlands. A history of drainage, reseeding, overgrazing and inappropriate planting have resulted in most peatlands showing signs of damage and poor condition that means they are currently bleeding carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Capital investment and physical intervention are required to repair this damage through hydrological survey, drain blocking and reprofiling to re-wet the peat to a level +/- 10cm below the surface that encourages the growth of the bog which restores its carbon capture function. 

There is no doubt that agriculture is in a difficult place and at its biggest policy crossroads in 70 years. The scale of the task is huge, but the opportunity to change, survive and ultimately thrive is there. Co-design of future land policy with the industry and eNGOs, adequate resourcing of agri-environment initiatives and sustainable food chains are just some of the building blocks required.  

Ulster Wildlife is proud to be a wildlife organisation with a good relationship with the farming industry, sympathetic to the practical realities faced by farming families who need to make a living, but not afraid to challenge the norms and push for change. In particular, we are using our experience to work with farmers to increase the land area managed in agri-environment schemes and improve farmers’ relationships and understanding of agri-environment objectives. We are also working in partnership with other eNGOs to provide feedback on current measures and an evidence-base for the creation of future policy.