There is, of course, much to do to facilitate the shift from agricultural production that uses chemical and fossil-fuel based inputs for food (and fibre production) to a system based on regeneration, restoration and resilience. Some of the key issues which need to be addressed include breaking down the silos between health, agriculture and environment in public policy to align appropriate funding for nutritious and secure food production; recognition of the critical role that farmers play as custodians of natural capital so enhancing technical support alongside financial support for them; and building new approaches for collaborative supply chains that recognize the embedded value in regeneratively produced food.
Dr. Crowley, along with Sir Alan Parker, Chairman of Brunswick Group; Ian Burrow, Head of Agriculture and Renewable Energy at NatWest; Alasdair MacLeod, Executive Chairman of the Macdoch Group and Christine Delivanis from Systemiq had a lively discussion about the importance of public finance; the role of private finance and supply chains in addressing both the hidden costs but also supporting the embedded value in regeneratively produced food; and how new and emerging markets for carbon and biodiversity can de-risk the transition for farmers as they move to more restorative production systems.
What is now clearer than ever is that there are enormous opportunities for nutrition, food security, climate and biodiversity as we turn agriculture into a powerful global ‘nature-based solution’.