The targets proposed by the European Commission to reduce pesticide use, protect soil and restore nature are both “achievable and necessary”, according to a report published on Wednesday 6 September by the TP Organics research platform.
EU decision-makers are invited to “further develop organic farming rather than favouring the maximisation of yields at any expense”.
Organic farming is the best guarantee of long-term food security, according to the report, which calls for efforts to be made to achieve the target of 25% organic farmland in the EU by 2030. Achieving this target would reduce fertiliser and pesticide purchases by 12.7% and 14.5% respectively.
Organic yields range from 107% of conventional yields for durum wheat to 61% of conventional yields for standard wheat (with many other crops in the 80-90% range). Total EU cereal production will be reduced by 5-10% if 25% of the EU’s agricultural land is farmed organically, but this reduction can be “more than offset by [...] lower livestock numbers and demand for feed”.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/8gv (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)