PAN Europe envisages a world where high agricultural productivity can be achieved by introducing genuinely sustainable farming practices in which agrochemicals and environmental damage are kept to a strict minimum, and where local people are in control of local production, using local plant and livestock varieties.

The agricultural picture can be divided into various key areas.

• Agriculture’s role in climate change
  Farming is a major contributor to global warming. The International Panel on Climate Change believes that it accounts for up to 12% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions. To discover more, read our factsheet.
• Biodiversity
  Pesticide use has had a harmful impact on biological diversity. These products can have short-term toxic effects on directly-exposed organisms, and long-term effects can result from changes to habitats and the food chain. To discover more, read our factsheet and see our recent publication.
• Food security
  The only way to ensure world's food supply in the longer run is shifting away from the current tendency of more monoculture, standardisation and unsustainable intensive production to instead enable farmers to diversify, shift to safer farming methods and alternatives treatments. To discover how, read our factsheet.
• Integrated production
  How do we reduce our dependence on pesticides in farming? The answer lies in practising a more holistic approach to managing pests and crops. A gradual approach of this kind offers the greatest degree of flexibility to the world’s farmers.
  Why PAN Europes believe in integrated production, rather than focusing exclusively on organic farming?

This approach is line with the ongoing reform debate on Common Agricultural Policy towards 2020.To discover how, read our factsheet and contributions to the CAP towards 2020 debate :

• PAN Europe Position Paper - June 2010 (pdf)
• Overview of position paper - June 2010 (pdf - 2 pages)
• PAN Europe's answers to the impact assessment on which Common Agricultural Policy after 2013 (doc)
• Promoting sustainable agricultural practice in the CAP Joint NGO communication on CAP - December 2010 (pdf)
• Open letter to Members of the European Parliament on the CAP towards 2020 Joint NGO communication - June 2011 (pdf)

PAN Europe contributes to other EU policy changes:

• PAN Europe's comment to EU proposal for a Plant Health Strategy (doc)
• PAN Europe’s contribution to public consultation on the Common Agricultural Policy’s promotion policy
• PAN Euope’s contribution to research project Fhare recommendations on future research policy in food and health
• NGO's: Our long term food security is in your hands!

Farming techniques which are part of IP:

• Advantages of crop rotation & crop rotation embedded in integrated crop management (doc)
• IOBC/WPRS
• Overcoming Market and Technical Obstacles to Alternative Pest Management in Arable Systems (pdf)
• The Truth behind the CAP: 13 reasons for greening the CAP (pdf)

National studies showing that farmers can safe money from applying IP:

• INRA, use of pesticides - November 2009 (pdf, in France)

National NAPs

Integrated Production is not a new concept, and it is already being applied within certain farmers groups across the EU. Though IP is a dynamic, stepwise, approach to farming in which farmers must adjust agricultural practices and use of alternatives over time, taking into account new knowledge and new methods. Below a table indicating some of the groups already applying IP in Europe.

• The green colour represents countries in which there are IP systems, which are up to date
• The yellow colour represents countries in which there are IP system, but where updating of the guidelines, and as a result of the base of the system, is needed
• The red colour represents countries in which IP systems are outdated, and should undergo a full revision

Some other concrete examples of good farmers projects

• A farmer testimony of the need to change
• An advisers testimony on the possibility to change
• Système de culture intégrés

Useful information

International Organisations working on biological control Integrated Pest Management

• The International Biocontrol Manufacturers' Association
• CABI

The Truth behind the CAP: 13 reasons for green reform

• Read our factsheet

Relevant links of EU work on the Common Agricultural Policy

• Reform the CAP
• CAP2020
• ARC2020

Declaration that PAN E has signed up to/work we are joining:

• ARC2020
• European Food Declaration

Blogs speaking about pesticides and post 2013 CAP reform:

• Reform the CAP - Harvest a better Europe

Sustainable production and consumption

• Story of stuff
• TED: Dan Barber: How I fell in love with a fish