Getting farmers involved in reducing use of pesticides by 2030

Question for written answer  E-002895/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Annika Bruna (ID), Elżbieta Kruk (ECR), Catherine Griset (ID), Maxette Pirbakas (NI), Ivan Vilibor Sinčić (NI)

To protect water quality and consumer health, the Commission has set itself the target of halving use of the most dangerous pesticides by 2030, just as it has already done for nitrates.

Certain agroecological techniques could play an important role in reducing use of pesticides. These include:

– mixed cropping and lengthening rotations, to prevent future development of pests and fungi;

– partial restoration of a pasture and hedgerow landscape (bocage), to reduce dissemination of pesticides and stimulate biodiversity (by helping pests’ natural predators to thrive);

– biocontrol, by using their natural predators to neutralise pests and plant-based biopesticides or pesticides composed of pheromones instead of synthetic ones;

– introduction of service plants combined with cash crops or in intercropping, to fight insects, parasitic fungi and self-propagating plants (‘weeds’).

Some environmental techniques meet the criteria for financial aid under the new common agricultural policy.

Can the Commission guarantee that farmers will actually receive funding so they can implement these techniques without incurring additional costs?