Three of the most prominent nature charities in Wales have come together to call on the Welsh Government to invest £594 million annually to ensure that nature recovery targets are reached. RSPB Cymru, the National Trust and The Wildlife Trusts say that there is an urgent need for Welsh Government schemes, such as the new Sustainable Farming Scheme, to help farmers to get to grips with the climate and nature emergencies and to produce food in a sustainable way.
The call comes in light of a new independent economic report commissioned by the charities that shows that there is a need for the Welsh Government to increase the agricultural budget significantly and in effect double expenditure if goals are to be reached. According to the report, the current budget is only half of what is needed to reach nature and climate targets. The report includes detailed analysis of the various needs of different kinds of farms, as well as providing insight into different agricultural sectors and how the demands of nature renewal vary and are context dependent.
Alun Prichard, Director of RSPB Cymru said:
‘With almost 90% of Wales farmed, farmers have a crucial role in restoring nature. From providing a range of wildlife habitats, restoring peatlands and saving threatened species, like Curlew, there is widespread ambition in the industry to produce food and tackle the nature and climate crisis. The Scale of Need Report clearly highlights that Wales needs significantly more funding than current levels to match this ambition.’
Rachel Sharp Director of Wildlife Trusts Wales said:
‘Today’s Scale of Need report clearly shows how much money farming needs in Wales needs to invest in nature’s restoration. Farmers are key to restoring nature and this needs to be done at scale and pace across Wales. This is an investment and not a cost. An investment into a sustainable future where restoring nature by farmers will help alleviate flooding, store carbon, decrease river pollution and increase resilience against extreme climate events.’
Helen Pye, Assistant Director of National Trust Cymru said:
‘As the new Scale of Need analysis demonstrates, further investment must be focussed on incentive schemes that provide enough support for farmers to bring back nature, tackle climate change and build a sustainable future for food production. Welsh Government must ensure agriculture is properly supported to transition to more resilient nature-friendly farming businesses.’
