Dialogue is Key to Greener Agriculture in the Baltic Sea Region

· Stakeholders ranging from agriculture and environment administrations to EC, NGO’s and farmers are joined in an international, multi-stakeholder Forum

· Key topics: source reduction, preventative and cross-cutting measures in agriculture - nutrient management and nutrient trapping

26 October 2012, Copenhagen, Denmark – Discussions of right measures in right places in order to prevent pollution to the Baltic Sea are expected in HELCOM Agricultural and Environmental (AGRI/ENV) Forum today. The Forum is joined by environment and agriculture authorities from all HELCOM member countries and the European Commission, and representatives of the agricultural community. The Forum gathers back-to-back with the “Eutrophication and Agriculture: State of Play” joint seminar of HELCOM and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, which follows a broader stakeholder conference on Greener Agriculture for a Bluer Baltic Sea, arranged earlier this week. Wider exposure to different stakeholders should create stronger common ground on the vital topics for a sustainable agriculture and a healthier Baltic Sea.

Building on the good synergies, the Forum will discuss on preventative strategies to further minimize the inputs of nutrients from agriculture, as well as create various multi-benefit effects, for example through the design and location of wetlands and buffer zones. Another key focus is on both practical solutions and strategic approaches to nutrient management in farming – including how to make manure management more efficient in national, regional and local levels.

 “Sustainable agriculture and consumption are parts of the solution of a bigger challenge to restore marine environment to a good condition, and I am glad to see that there are numerous projects and initiatives working towards this goal. The Forum enables different perspectives and points of view to be presented and taken into account, with the aim to encourage involvement and contribution to the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan,” says Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary of HELCOM.

The HELCOM Ministers will meet in October 2013 to give orientation on how to better implement the Baltic Sea Action Plan with regard to the many changes and developments, including in agriculture. For instance, the ongoing reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), if incorporating “greener” decisions, would provide greater opportunities to support the Baltic Sea Action Plan and its targets.

The reduction potential for nutrient inputs from agricultural fields encourages further measures to cut pollution in this sector, also in the light of improvements in the municipal wastewater treatment sector. However, tackling loads from agriculture is challenging and requires tailor-made solutions, to be devised together with competent experts from agricultural field.  

A key focus area for the HELCOM AGRI/ENV Forum, established in 2008, is to seek opportunities for cost-efficient and sustainable ways to reduce environmental footprint of agricultural production, through sharing knowledge and experience on best practices and techniques. Communicating research results and promoting innovative and sustainable agro-environmental business opportunities, as well as channelling this information to policy level are other important tasks of this Baltic-wide Forum. 

Note for editors:

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as  HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of all the nine Baltic Sea countries and the EU, working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation.

HELCOM is the governing body of the "Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area", known as the Helsinki Convention. Annex III of the Convention contains, inter alia, requirements on prevention of pollution from agriculture.

For more information, please contact:

Mikhail Durkin

Professional Secretary

HELCOM

Phone: +358 46 850 9195

Fax: +358 207 412 645

E-mail: mikhail.durkin@helcom.fi

Skype: helcom04 

Johanna Laurila

Information Secretary

HELCOM

Tel: +358 (0)40 523 8988

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 639

E-mail: johanna.laurila@helcom.fi

Skype: helcom70