2 3 The overall aims of the TIBRE project are as follows
Information and Advisory Note Number 16 Back to menu
1.1 In intensively farmed lowland areas, conservation agencies have tended to
focus on the creation and improvement of small, peripheral areas of wildlife
habitat such as hedgerows, ponds and small woodlands. Because of impacts from the
surrounding intensively farmed areas, these peripheral wildlife habitats are
often less biologically diverse than SNH would wish. However, this does not necessarily mean that the intensive farming systems themselves are unsustainable
in agricultural or economic terms
Despite numerous predictions to the contrary, intensive farming systems in the
UK have largely managed to avoid collapsing into a degenerative ecological
spiral. They have therefore remained sustainable from the agronomic point of
view, partly as a result of technological inputs, aided by financial support
measures in other parts of the world where farmers have seen clear evidence of
the unsustainability of their farming systems, for example because of run-away
pest problems, it has not been difficult to persuade them to change their
attitudes and their practices. However, in the UK, such changes have been much
more difficult to achieve
1 2 The TIBRE project is only one component of SNH's overall approach to the
sustainable development of agricultural systems. In many parts of the country,
where the agricultural system itself supports the wildlife habitats and
landscapes that we would like to see encouraged, SNH has a range of
programmes to foster the systems themselves, as in crofting and hill farming
regions in intensively farmed lowland areas, where farmers are willing to make
the necessary changes, we will continue to support conversion to organic and
lower input integrated farming systems. However, we have good reason to believe
that the largest and most intensive farmers will not willingly go down this
route
1 3 The TIBRE project was therefore set up
to enable these fanners to contribute to the
environmental sustainability of Scottish
agriculture, while at the same time continuing
to contribute to its agricultural sustainability.
We felt that this could be achieved through
the uptake of technological innovations in the
areas of chemical technology, biotechnology,
engineering and information technology.
2.1 The TIBRE project offers a practical and constructive approach which deals with the complex issues relevant to intensive lowland agricultural systems
2 2 Although targeted primarily to intensive farming systems, TIBRE will also be
applicable to the integrated systems being advocated by a range of initiatives
in the UK such as Linking the Environment and Farming (LEAF), the Government's
R&D LINK programme and the Scottish Agricultural College Sustainable Farming
Systems Programme. The figure below illustrates the potential environmental
benefits from TIBRE for integrated and intensive farming systems.
2 3 The overall aims of the TIBRE project are as follows
3 1 The project has been under way in SNH since June 1993 and considerable
progress has been made with its development
3 2 First we undertook an initial consultation in order to gauge the reaction of
a wide range of interested parties to the project and to assess how it might be
developed further. Consultees included research institutes, universities,
voluntary bodies, agrochemical companies, the National Farmers' Union of
Scotland and the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department. There was
general support for the idea, particularly from farmers, farming organisations, agricultural researchers and the agrochemical industry. Reservations were however,
expressed by some nature conservation bodies who placed more emphasis on the
need to encourage environmentally sensitive farming by traditional methods in
areas which are already rich in wildlife
3 3 The major part of the work involved an option appraisal of relevant
technological developments. We looked at products which had recently become
available on the market, were soon to be available or were in the early stages
of research and development, in the areas of chemical technology, biotechnology,
information technology and agricultural engineering. A series of detailed reports
was prepared by external contractors and a summary of these reports is being
prepared for publication in the RASD Reviews Series
3 4 An Inter-Agency Working Group was set up involving the research community,
farming advisers and consultants, the agrochemical
industry, policy makers and voluntary conservation organisations. These bodies
will have a crucial role to play in implementing the ideas and proposals which
we are developing. The advice from the first meeting of this working group helped
SNH to take forward the options identified by the initial surveys and to set up
the initial consultations with fanners
3 5 We then undertook a technology assessment to provide further evaluation of
the innovations identified by the option appraisal. Products were considered from
the point of view of their potential beneficial influence on the natural
heritage arising from a reduction in the load of a known toxin, substitution of
a safer alternative, protection of ground or surface waters, protection of
natural habitats, protection of the soil resource, e g through reducing nutrient
load, or a reduction in gaseous nitrogen loss. We also considered the
availability of the innovations, economic and agricultural factors likely to
influence farmers' attitudes, and the possibilities for synergistic interactions
among existing and new developments. Overall this assessment showed that many
products, which are already available on the market, have the potential to offer
a direct or indirect environmental advantage over present agricultural
technology
3 6 We then undertook a consultation with approximately 20 arable farmers who
have an influential position in the farming community and who are motivated to a
high degree by business concerns. Some of these fanners are known also to have an
interest in the environment, but this was not a factor in the choice. These
fanners were asked to discuss the long list of products which had been
identified by the option appraisal and the technological assessment as being of
possible environmental benefit and to rank them according to their perceived
attractiveness for use on their farms. The resulting shorter list of
technological options will form the basis for the set of demonstration and
advisory packages to be taken forward in the next phase of the TIBRE project
3 7 Phase 2 of the project is now underway and is due for completion in the
Autumn of 1996 It has the following main components
4 1 The TIBRE approach is in keeping with modem thinking on constructive
approaches to environmental improvement through technological innovation.
Examples include the Technology Foresight initiative of the Office of Science
and Technology, the European Commission Fourth Framework Programme, and the
Research and Development strategies of many commercial companies. Many
non-government organisations are also increasingly supportive of this approach
4 2 TIBRE is in keeping with the attitudes and natural inclinations of large,
intensive farmers It is therefore more likely to gain a ready acceptance than
alternative approaches which require farmers to change their attitudes and their
farming systems. It is also more likely to be self-supporting in the long term as
it will not require continual reinforcement through a system of state subsidies
and training programmes
4 3 The focus on products and on collaboration with industry will lead
eventually to a situation where there are commercial incentives to promote the
TIBRE approach. In the early stages of implementation, public support may be
necessary to encourage early uptake of the new technology, but it should be
possible to phase out such support as the technology becomes more widely adopted.
It is therefore likely to be less demanding on the public purse in the long-term
than alternative approaches
4 4 The TIBRE approach is also considered more environmentally robust than
alternative approaches to agricultural sustainability. Many current initiatives
focus on the perceived over-production of food in the European Union and attempt
to reduce inputs with the joint aims of reducing production and also reducing
environmental impacts. If there should be a change in the policy environment
and a return to maximising outputs, this will be much more sustainable if it is
done from an improved technological base, rather than with current
environmentally damaging technology
5 1 As outlined in Section 7 below, a series of papers on TIBRE has been
presented at conferences recently Presentations at conferences usually generate
considerable interest and follow-up publicity in the farming and environmental
literature and also on radio An information leaflet on TIBRE has also been
prepared
5 2 A major achievement must be that SNH is now regarded in a relatively
favourable light by many who are influential in the farming community Examples
are given in Section 7 below
5 3 We are already in discussion with the
Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) over the
possibility of the TIBRE approach becoming a
component of their advisory programme, and
we would expect this to come to fruition in two
to three years' time. We hope that SNH
Regional and Area staff will want to be
involved in any regional demonstrations, but
this will not be essential
6 1 A Review Paper will be published
summarising the innovations proposed by the
contractors as suitable to contribute to a
TIBRE approach, including details of the
subsequent assessment by ourselves and by
farmers. We will also continue to produce
publications for conferences and for the non-specialist press as opportunities present
themselves
6 2 In addition to the work with SAC, we will be discussing TIBRE with other
advisors in Scotland, including the commercial sector with a view to the setting
up of demonstrations of the economic and managerial feasibility of the approach
on working farms
6 3 We plan to present our ideas to English farmers with a similar status to
those in our Scottish group. We are also in discussion with MAFF with a view to
linking the TIBRE approach with its Action Plan for the Responsible Use of
Pesticides
6 4 With a view to influencing the agrochemical industry we have been offered an
opportunity to present details of the TIBRE approach to a meeting of the British
Agrochemicals Association which will be attended by the Chief Executives of most
of the multi-national agrochemical companies operating in the UK
6 5 We also to plan to make presentations to staff from the European Commission
and also to members of the European Parliament to encourage a Europe-wide
consideration of the opportunities presented by the TIBRE approach and of the
policy developments which it may stimulate
Coghlan, A (1995) Hi-tech farming to save the environment? New Scientist, 23
September 1995
Dawson, K (1995) Talking Point Farmers' Weekly, 22 November 1995, p79
Jack, D (1995) Talking Point Farmers' Weekly, 1 December 1995 p81
Pitkin, P (1995) Turning the Clock Forward Landowning in Scotland Autumn 1995,
p25
Tait, J & Pitkin, P (1995) New Technology for Environmental Benefits
Opportunities for Industry In Proceedings Brighton Crop Protection Conference -
Weeds British Crop Protection Council, 49 Downing St, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7PH pp
593-602
Tait, J & Pitkin, P. (1995) The Role of New Technology in Promoting Sustainable
Agricultural Development. In eds , R G McKinlay and D Atkinson Integrated Crop
Protection Towards Sustainability, British Crop Protection Council Symposium
Proceedings No 63, pp 339-346
Devil's Advocate Interview Joyce Tait (1996)
Farming and Conservation, January
1996,
p10-11
Dr Peter Pitkin
Agriculture & Woodland Environments Branch
Scottish Natural Heritage
2 Anderson Place
Edinburgh, EH6 5NP
Tel 0131-446 2411