Farmers have increased on-farm action to combat climate change, according to Farming Futures’ survey results.
The results, published on www.farmingfutures.org.uk, found that more farmers are taking on-farm action to mitigate climate change. The survey, which questioned 385 farmers, showed that 81 per cent of farmers believe the world's climate is changing, 74 per cent are taking on-farm action to mitigate climate change and 22 per cent of farmers want to measure their on-farm emissions.
Farming Futures, a collaboration between the National Farmers’ Union, Country Land and Business Association, Applied Research Forum, Agricultural Industries Confederation, Forum for the Future and Defra, has been monitoring farmers’ attitudes towards climate change since December 2006, as well as working to raise awareness of climate change and stimulate on-farm action.
However the survey also revealed that the negative impact of climate change is not fully being recognised by farmers. Whilst 20 per cent of those surveyed cite new crop opportunities as a climate change benefit, fewer than two per cent of farmers surveyed anticipate pests and diseases being a threat in the future.
“There is much at stake in the face of increasing, unpredictable weather and the effect climate change is having on the environment across the world,” said Peter Kendall, NFU president. “This will impact on global markets, as we have already seen. As farmers we cannot afford not to rise to the challenges this presents. Agriculture is uniquely placed to provide solutions to the great issues of food, energy and environmental security and we need to see coherent thinking from government across it policy-making to ensure farmers can prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.”
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