Food for our Children

12 March 2014, Seminar ‘Action Plan for the future of Organic Production in the

European Union’ EU committee of the regions.

Wijnand Sukkel Wageningen University, Applied Plant Research.

Global soil degradation – GLASOD (FAO 2000)

Global and local food security

Soil degradation +

Climate change +

Biodiversity decline

=

A cocktail for disasters!

Role of agriculture

Most important driver of soil degradation

Major driver of biodiversity loss

Approx. 25% of global greenhousegas emissions

Decreasing adaptation capacity to climate change

Changes are often slow and un-noticed

Effects of organic agriculture?

Better soil quality

More biodiversity (per ha)

Less ghg emissions (per ha)

Higher resilience

But

In EU lower yields (25%) and higher production costs

BIO

Trends in yields (LTE Vredepeel)

GI-high

Yield BIO increasingLow o.m. supply decreasing

BIO +20%

GI-low 10%

Inde

x yi

elds

av

erag

e ov

er a

ll cr

ops

in th

e ro

tatio

n

Innovation in soil management

Controlled traffic

Smaller is better

Reduced tillage

Continues soil cover

Rotation with grass clover

Thank you very much

for your attention!