The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) has said that funding to reward farmers for protecting and enhancing ecosystems should be “significantly increased”.
It is among 20 recommendations in a report published by the council today (Tuesday, July 11) to help accelerate action to enable a transformation of the agriculture and land use system.
Under the Climate Action Plan, a 25% reduction in emissions for the agriculture sector is required by 2030.
The target for land use and land-use change is due to be put in place following the completion of the government’s Land Use Review.
NESC
The NESC report states that agriculture and land use sectors can be a part of the solution to address urgent climate change and biodiversity loss.
It stresses that the starting point for a just transition requires a vision that all stakeholders can agree to work towards.
The report outlines that the transitions will include changes in land and soil management practices, reducing emissions from livestock, increasing forestry and on-farm renewable energy production.
It is noted that significant activity is already underway which can provide a foundation for further work to support an effective, fair and inclusive transition in the agriculture and land-use system.
The NESC recommends that there should be a “deep and wide process” of engagement with stakeholders, including farmers, in a national dialogue on agriculture and land-use transition.
The council emphasises that the just transition must be “opportunities-led”, which would see farm advisory services scaled up and become more fully aligned with environmental objectives.
“People need the necessary knowledge, skills and capacity to adopt new approaches or to consider more land use or income diversification options in order to be empowered to benefit from the opportunities of transition,” it said.
Nearly all of the farmers consulted by the council said they “are prepared to go further and implement measures” but need more financial support.
The NESC said it is “critical” to acknowledge the costs associated with this transition, which it said must be shared fairly.
“The distribution of effort of transition should be shared, both among primary producer groups and farmers, as well as sharing the costs of transition among actors along the supply chain,” it said.
The council said “specific targeted support” is needed for farmers due to the need for “hard to do” measures such as reduced intensity on drained organic soils and voluntary reductions in livestock numbers.
The NESC recommended that an implementation group for climate transition in agriculture be established this year. It added that the promised Just Transition Commission should be set up as soon as possible.
The council said a just transition in agriculture and land use fund should be established which would use available carbon tax revenues and other public resources.
The council recommends that NESC’s work on just transition in agriculture and land use should inform and shape the next stages in the development of the Land Use Review.