Opportunities for sustainable intensification in European agriculture

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural intensification is needed to tackle food insecurity and global environmental change. Local environmental conditions determine the needs and potentials for increasing sustainability of agricultural practices. However, the potential for implementation also depends on socio-economic factors, as farmers need to adopt innovative farming practices, and consumer demand affects the economic feasibility. This study aims to map opportunities for sustainable intensification in Europe taking into account farmer characteristics, consumer behaviour, environmental pressures, and unexploited agronomic potentials. In areas identified as having high opportunities, we estimate the impacts of specific sustainable intensification measures on both intensification (in terms of calorie gains) and sustainability (in terms of resource savings). The study finds high spatial variation in opportunities for sustainable intensification across Europe. High opportunities for sustainable intensification are found on 34% of the arable area in Europe. In addition, the analysis shows that a combination of different measures can simultaneously improve food security and sustainability.