Is it possible to increase the sustainability of arable and ruminant agriculture by reducing inputs?

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorGlendining, M. J.
dc.contributor.authorDailey, A. G.
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Adrian G.
dc.contributor.authorvan Evert, F. K.
dc.contributor.authorGoulding, K. W. T.
dc.contributor.authorWhitmore, A. P.
dc.date.accessioned2009-01-29T11:56:07Z
dc.date.available2009-01-29T11:56:07Z
dc.date.issued2009-02
dc.description.abstractUntil recently, agricultural production was optimised almost exclusively for profit but now farming is under pressure to meet environmental targets. A method is presented and applied for optimising the sustainability of agricultural production systems in terms of both economics and the environment. Components of the agricultural production chain are analysed using environmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) and a financial value attributed to the resources consumed and burden imposed on the environment by agriculture, as well as to the products. The sum of the outputs is weighed against the inputs and the system considered sustainable if the value of the outputs exceeds those of the inputs. If this ratio is plotted against the sum of inputs for all levels of input, a diminishing returns curve should result and the optimum level of sustainability is located at the maximum of the curve. Data were taken from standard economic almanacs and from published LCA reports on the extent of consumption and environmental burdens resulting from farming in the UK. Land-use is valued using the concept of ecosystem services. Our analysis suggests that agricultural systems are sustainable at rates of production close to current levels practiced in the UK. Extensification of farming, which is thought to favour non-food ecosystem services, requires more land to produce the same amount of food. The loss of ecosystem services hitherto provided by natural land brought into production is greater than that which can be provided by land now under extensive farming. This loss of ecosystem service is large in comparison to the benefit of a reduction in emission of nutrients and pesticides. However, food production is essential, so the coupling of subsidies that represent a relatively large component of the economic output in EU farming, with measures to reduce pollution are well-aimed. Measures to ensure that as little extra land is brought into production as possible or that marginal land is allowed to revert to nature would seem to be equally well-aimed, even if this required more intensive use of productive areas. We conclude that current arable farming in the EU is sustainable with either realistic prices for products or some degree of subsidy and that productivity per unit area of land and greenhouse gas emission (subsuming primary energy consumption) are the most important pressures on the sustainability of farming.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationM.J. Glendining, A.G. Dailey, A.G. Williams, F.K. van Evert, K.W.T. Goulding, A.P. Whitmore, Is it possible to increase the sustainability of arable and ruminant agriculture by reducing inputs?, Agricultural Systems, Volume 99, Issues 2-3, February 2009, Pages 117-125en_UK
dc.identifier.issn0308-521X
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2008.11.001
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1826/3115
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherElsevieren_UK
dc.subjectSustainable agricultureen_UK
dc.subjectTotal factor productivityen_UK
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_UK
dc.subjectEnvironmental burdenen_UK
dc.subjectResource useen_UK
dc.subjectEnvironmental economicsen_UK
dc.subjectArableen_UK
dc.subjectRuminanten_UK
dc.subjectLife-cycle assessmenten_UK
dc.subjectEcosystem servicesen_UK
dc.titleIs it possible to increase the sustainability of arable and ruminant agriculture by reducing inputs?en_UK
dc.typePostprinten_UK

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Possible to increase-sustainability-arable-ruminant agriculture-2009.pdf
Size:
107.36 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.88 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Staff publications (SAS)