Noa Simon
Brussels, 6 Nov 2013

Why to question the agricultural model ?
 imbalance in the ecosystems and threats to ecosystem services, e.g. lack of pollinators, crashes in biodiversity (both species richness and population sizes)
 chemical residues in foodstuffs
 social and economical upheaval, e.g. decrease in the number of family farms, dependency of farmers on the agrochemical/seed industry, soaring production costs
This system has not solved worldwide hunger and food insecurity

Bees - assessing environmental sustainability linked to farming practices
© UNAAPI

Agricultural tools allowing intensive agriculture
Some examples:
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Pesticides
Genetic modification of organisms
New technologies: nanotechnology, interfering RNAs, etc .
Double-edged weapons often presented as opportunities by their developers, which become counterproductive for sustainability
WHY?
Because their logic goes against life

•
TOXIC - more than 7 000 times more
toxic to bees than DDT, effective at the level of nanograms/bee (0.000 000 001 g) – detection ?
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PREVENTIVE USE
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Chemical properties allow uses that enable WIDE DISTRIBUTION IN THE
ENVIRONMENT – water, air, flowers... -
HIGHLY PERSISTENT

Because we need bees for our future
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They stimulate life
(biodiversity and biodiversity stimulates their well-being)
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They ensure long-term sustainability of food production – FOR
FREE !!

Agrochemistry → Growing movement to use agronomic practices
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Be consistent with the EU legislation and ensure a coherent farming policy
CROP PROTECTION - FROM
ERRADICATION TO MANAGEMENT - Limit the use of pesticides (e.g. Integrated Pest
Management, organic production, biological control, etc.)
Elimination of preventive uses of chemicals
Incentivise farmers for NOT using
pesticides (e.g. Offer compensations in case o economic loss due to pests)
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Recover agronomical knowledge:
Enabling farmers to base their practices on facts
INDEPENDENT training programmes for farmers, agrotechnicians, agronomists and researchers

Create an effective platform to share information on alternatives
Restrict the influence of pesticide producing industries
No authorisation of techniques that cannot be adequately monitored or evaluated
Support and fund independent and participatory research: to build the scientific foundations for a transition to fair and sustainable agricultural systems
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Use of resistant crop varieties (e.g. Multi-resistant wheat)
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Return of agronomic practices: Crop rotation, multi-cropping, stimulation of beneficial insects
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Crops attractive to bees (e.g. pulses)

A charter – For Sustainable Agriculture and Countryside - For Pollinatorfriendly Farming: How can we 'Bee the change'?
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Proposals – Report « Pollinator friendly farming is possible »

Thank you very much for your attention!
Bee-Life - European Beekeeping Coordination coeur@bee-life.eu
www.bee-life.eu