This is how we create even more sustainable agriculture

Agriculture must be profitable

Our self-sufficiency ratio has decreased from 85 per cent to less than 50 per cent in the last 25 years. We are only self-sufficient in cereals and to 70 percent of potatoes. The worst is with meat products. In order to ensure food security, agriculture must again become a profitable business, which is not the case today for many farmers. The government's food strategy clearly states that agricultural production needs to be increased. The crucial question is by what means and methods this can be achieved, which is unclear.

Good plant material adapted to Nordic climatic conditions is a prerequisite for increased productivity. Sweden should again become a leader in plant breeding, preferably in a Nordic collaboration and with modern genetic engineering. Higher hectare yields also give room for cultivation of other than food crops. An important prerequisite is that we do not seal arable land under asphalt and concrete. The understanding of the central importance of arable land for our future welfare must permeate tomorrow's decision.

Research is needed on weeds and pests

Consumers consider that residues of agricultural chemical pesticides in food constitute a major health risk, which is a clear exaggeration. "Poisons" in the food is also a recurring argument for eco-farming. All farmers prefer to grow without pesticides but today lack alternative methods that are equally good. Eco farming also shows how difficult it is to fight weeds and pests without chemical alternatives. Precisely combating weeds and pests is therefore an important area for a multidisciplinary research effort to find alternatives or complements to chemical pesticides. Effective plant protection is needed to increase productivity and minimize yield variations over the years.

The number of pollinating insects is falling

In the field of cultivation weeds and pests must be combated to achieve efficient production. On the other hand, weeds and insects are important food for birds and contribute to biological control of pests. If parts of fields are allocated to wild plant elements and exempted for chemical control, biodiversity is promoted. Most of the biodiversity of the cultivation landscape is otherwise outside the field itself in pastures, on arable islands, around stone walls, in hedges, some of these small biotopes are part of an economic environmental support program that has been around for a long time. One problem that has been noticed in recent years is that the number of pollinating insects is steadily decreasing. Information and the establishment of a special financial support for the keeping of bees and the promotion of environments for wild pollinators could break this trend.

Agriculture a potential carbon sink

Agriculture can reduce its carbon footprint by binding more coal and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With more catch crops and perennial crops, as well as increased yield, one can increase the carbon storage in the soil, that is, the moth content. Agriculture can become a significant carbon sink. The ruminants account for a large part of agriculture's total greenhouse gas emissions. In the field of organic farming, milk and meat production is a dominant operating direction. With more efficient feeding and feed conversion, methane emissions can be further reduced.

Agriculture has the raw materials for the production of, for example, biogas and biodiesel, and the entire business can become completely independent of fossil energy for machines and droughts, and also the production of mineral fertilizers.

Knowledge should go before thinking

We should move into the future by continuing to seek sustainability deficiencies in our modern agriculture and finding ways to remedy them. That journey never ends, but strong research is the basis of this sustainability work. An objective factual communication, respect for knowledge before thinking and analyzes without preconceived opinions are important conditions for success. Funds for research should be distributed without dogmatic frameworks so that innovative innovation can help improve our agriculture. State environmental support should only be used for production methods and measures where the benefits have been scientifically documented.