WWF publishes regenerative farming transition roadmap

The report was unveiled at the 2024 Oxford Farming Conference, and aims to assist agricultural businesses in England navigate confusion over policy changes. 

Changes in how Government payment schemes are administered, disruptions to supply chains, and price pressures have all led to widespread uncertainty about the support available for moving towards climate-aligned farming. 

The Roadmap for For Financing Regenerative Agricultural Transition in England has been created with input from across the agricultural sector, including farmers, insurers, asset managers, farm representatives, food services professionals, NGOs, and policymakers. You can download a copy for free here. 

Warning of a ‘triple challenge’ for the coming decade – climate change, nature rehabilitation and food production – the overall aim is to ‘support a vision of nature-rich landscapes – where wildlife recovers and fish return to rivers, and where farmers are profitable and supported’. The paper goes on to call for an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach to transforming the food value chain, meaning those responsible for production are not left to foot the bill for transition alone. 

‘Agriculture and land use are at the heart of any action to address climate change and nature loss, but farmers understandably need assurance that they will be fairly rewarded for transitioning to regenerative practices,’ said Kate Norgrove, Executive Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at WWF. ‘Our food systems are vulnerable to shocks, disruptions and price pressures caused or worsened by climate change and the loss of nature. This report demonstrates how the power of collective action and investment, if underpinned and driven by the Government, can unlock a future for farming that makes both economic and environmental sense.’

‘Agriculture has a huge role to play in developing solutions to meet the UK’s climate and nature goals,’ said Ian Burrow, Head of Agriculture at NatWest, which sponsored the report and has so far committed £6.7billion of total funding to regenerative agriculture. ‘We are grateful to farmers for sharing their experience of transitioning their businesses in line with net zero and achieving positive outcomes for nature, and we recognise the unprecedented challenges they face. The roadmap sets out clear actions that the different contributors within the food value chain can take to drive food system change.’

More on agriculture: 

Red alert on Global Targets for Nature as Defra ‘in hibernation’

90% of food and agriculture businesses fail on sustainability and health

Image: Francesco Gallarotti