Agriculture is also a source of pesticide residue in groundwater. Reforms from the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the 1990s, and measures taken by the sector itself, have resulted in some improvements, but more are needed to balance agricultural production, rural development, biodiversity, and the environment (EEA 2015b; EEA 2011).


20: New breeding techniques


New breeding techniques are emerging rapidly from advances in genomic research, for application in crop improvement (EASAC 2015). They enable precise and targeted changes in the genome (thus, different from genetically modified organisms, (GMOs), produced previously) and may have significant potential for the sustainable intensification of agriculture and food security, when used as part of the deployment of all available approaches and building on existing good agronomic practices. Unlike chemical- or radiation-induced mutagenesis, often traditionally used as a basis for crop improvement, the new breeding techniques do not create multiple, unknown, unintended mutations throughout the genome. For several of the techniques, the resultant plant product is free from genes foreign to the species and would not be distinguishable from the product generated by conventional breeding techniques (EASAC 2015). These initiatives should be further studied and followed in terms of long-term effects on the environment and human health.


21: Ecological intensification


According to the FAO, ecological intensification is a “process that requires optimal management of nature’s ecological functions and biodiversity to improve agricultural system performance, efficiency and farmers’ livelihoods” (FAO 2013). It involves practical management strategies that integrate and enhance ecosystem functions associated with crop production in commercial farming systems. Examples include: increasing the diversity of plants and animals to create resilient agro-ecosystems and maintaining populations of pollinators, which benefits crop yields and may even compensate for low levels of fertiliser application. Although this seems a promising concept, it has been under debate due to lack of evidence. However, a recent study shows that it is possible to remove up to 8 per cent of land from production and maintain (and in some cases increase)


yield (Pywell et al. 2015). With increasing evidence this may eventually promote large-scale implementation.


22: Sustainable agro-economies


It is essential to shift from the post-war food security paradigm and agricultural monoculture, to nutrition security based on more locally sourced food from diverse conservation agriculture (Fanzo et al. 2013). This could lead to major improvement in human health and the environment in the long-term but there are still significant obstacles, given the nature of the economy and reliance on imported foodstuffs. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that with commitment and improved food science, production losses from sustainable systems need not be significant and, if added to a reduction in food waste and over-consumption, sustainable agro- economies are possible, leading to significant benefits for both human health and the environment. But in order to succeed, soils, water and nutrient cycles, capped and degraded lands need to be restored, and agriculturally viable areas currently abandoned should be re-claimed.


23: Organic food systems


Given the current situation in the pan-European region, where only half of its food is produced locally, it seems unlikely that a shift to sustainable systems will happen in the short term.


Conservation agriculture, organic and biodynamic farming are examples of potentially sustainable food systems which may support health (Figure-L2 8: Organic farming protects both human and environmental health by reducing much of the pollution associated with conventional production-L2 8). International and national legal acts and regulations provide the rules and standards for Europe’s organic production. The general principles for Europe’s organic production are (Meybeck et al. 2014):


• Production methods that are environmentally friendly and maintain biodiversity and soil fertility.


• Social criteria are important – small farms, using local means of production, activation of the country areas, and production connected to the soil.


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