Annex to decision V/5 - Programme of work on agricultural biodiversity

30. 
    Has your country undertaken specific assessments of components of agricultural biodiversity such as on plant genetic resources, animal genetic resources, pollinators, pest management and nutrient cycling?
    

The British Bryological Society are just completing the three year Survey of the Bryophytes of Arable Land. This will provide baseline information on arable bryophytes, a group of plants which have been neglected in the past. More information is available at www.jonathan.sleath.btinternet.co.uk/SBAL/intro.htm

There is on-going research, funded by Defra and carried out by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology on the restoration and management of bumblebee habitat in arable farmland. This is a landscape-scale study and includes genetic techniques to differentiate bumblebee colonies using sown pollen and nectar-rich wildflower patches and a novel method involving the use of artificial nestboxes for queens to establish new bumblebee colonies.

Defra’s Wildlife Management research programme seeks to develop more humane and preferably non-lethal forms of control for a range of vertebrate pests including badger, cormorant, mute swan, deer spp., brown rat and wild boar. A particular priority for the programme at present is the development of immunocontraceptive vaccine technology for the control of fertility in pest populations.

The tracking mammal partnership has been established. This is a collaborative initiative involving 23 organisations with a variety of interests in UK mammals, which aims to improve quality, quantity and dissemination of information on the status of mammal species in the UK.

30. 
    Is your country undertaking assessments of the interactions between agricultural practices and the conservation and sustainable use of the components of biodiversity referred to in Annex I of the Convention (e.g. ecosystems and habitats; species and communities; genomes and genes of social, scientific or economic importance)?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, assessments are under way
   

3. 
   Yes, some assessments completed (please provide details below)
   

4. 
   Yes, comprehensive assessments completed (please provide details below)
   

Defra funds significant programmes of research related to the assessment of biodiversity components, in particular, Farmland Conservation and Biodiversity (£2.4m); Wildlife and Countryside (previously known as Countryside and Wildlife Initiatives) (£1m) and Wildlife Management (£0.93m). There is also relevant work in a range of other research programmes including organic farming, pesticides safety, air quality, and arable crops. See http://www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project_data/subject.asp?SCOPE=0

30. 
    Has your country carried out an assessment of the knowledge, innovations and practices of farmers and indigenous and local communities in sustaining agricultural biodiversity and agro-ecosystem services for food production and food security?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, assessment is under way
   

3. 
   Yes, assessment completed (please specify where information can be retrieved below)
   

30. 
    Has your country been monitoring an overall degradation, status quo or restoration/rehabilitation of agricultural biodiversity since 1993 when the Convention entered into force?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, no change found (status quo)
   

3. 
   Yes, overall degradation found (please provide details below)
   

4. 
   Yes, overall restoration or rehabilitation observed (please provide details below)
   

These include:

• 
  Status of farmland UKBAP priority species and habitats
  
• 
  Trends in plan diversity in fields and field margins
  
• 
  Extent and condition of farmland habitat features
  
• 
  Farmland SSSI condition
  

30. 
    Has your country identified management practices, technologies and policies that promote the positive, and mitigate the negative, impacts of agriculture on biodiversity, and enhance productivity and the capacity to sustain livelihoods?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   No, but potential practices, technologies and policies being identified
   

3. 
   Yes, some practices, technologies and policies identified (please provide details below)
   

4. 
   Yes, comprehensive practices, technologies and policies identified (please provide details below)
   

30. 
    Has your country increased the capacities of farmers, indigenous and local communities, and their organizations and other stakeholders, to manage sustainable agricultural biodiversity and to develop strategies and methodologies for In-situ conservation, sustainable use and management of agricultural biological diversity?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes (please specify area/component and target groups with increased capacity)
   

(a) agri-environment schemes which offer payments to farmers for environmental management, including actions to maintain and enhance biodiversity. Currently over 10% of farmed land in England is managed under these schemes but a new scheme, Environmental Stewardship was launched in 2005, which aims to cover 60% of farmed land in England by 2007.

(b) the Strategy for Sustainable Food and Farming (SSFF) for England sets out how Government and the farming and food industries can work together to provide a competitive and efficient farming and food sector, which protects and enhances the countryside and wider environment, and contributes to the health and prosperity of communities. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/default.htm]

(c) the Learning, Skills and Knowledge Programme is a Defra-led cross-cutting programme aimed at helping those running or employed in rural businesses to improve their capacity for delivering sustainable development through their work. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/lsk/default.htm]

(d) Defra has established a Farm Advice Unit with the primary role of funding and managing farm advice service contracts, and developing a programme of regionally focused demonstration activities to promote land and business management practices that help to deliver sustainable development objectives. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/rds/advice.htm]

In Wales, Farming for the Future a new direction for farming in Wales (2001) is the Welsh Assembly Government's strategy aimed at helping secure a viable future for farming in Wales that is sustainable - economically, environmentally and socially.

30. 
    Has your country put in place operational mechanisms for participation by a wide range of stakeholder groups to develop genuine partnerships contributing to the implementation of the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   No, but potential mechanisms being identified
   

3. 
   No, but mechanisms are under development
   

4. 
   Yes, mechanisms are in place
   

30. 
    Has your country improved the policy environment, including benefit-sharing arrangements and incentive measures, to support local-level management of agricultural biodiversity?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   No, but some measures and arrangements being identified
   

3. 
   No, but measures and arrangements are under development
   

4. 
   Yes, measures and arrangements are being implemented (please specify below)
   

The previous agri-environment schemes in England (Environmentally Sensitive Areas & Countryside Stewardship) included many options that promote good management practice for biodiversity. The new Environmental Stewardship scheme expands on these measures with a range of options specifically designed to target at national conservation targets for biodiversity associated with agricultural land management. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/es/default.htm]

A new ‘entry-level’ scheme (Tir Cynnal) will also be available throughout Wales from Spring 2005. Participating farmers will be required to prepare a Farm Resource Management Plan, safeguard all existing habitats and create new habitats if the area of existing habitat is less than 5% of the farm.

30. 
    Is your country mainstreaming or integrating national plans or strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity in sectoral and cross-sectoral plans and programmes?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   No, but review is under way
   

3. 
   No, but potential frameworks and mechanisms are being identified
   

4. 
   Yes, some national plans or strategies mainstreamed and integrated into some sectoral plans and programmes (please provide details
   below)
   

5. 
   Yes, some national plans or strategies mainstreamed into major sectoral plans and programmes (please provide details below)
   

The Wales Environment Strategy, which is currently being developed, will include consideration of biodiversity and agricultural issues.

30. 
    Is your country supporting the institutional framework and policy and planning mechanisms for the mainstreaming of agricultural biodiversity in agricultural strategies and action plans, and its integration into wider strategies and action plans for biodiversity?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, by supporting institutions in undertaking relevant assessments
   

3. 
   Yes, by developing policy and planning guidelines
   

4. 
   Yes, by developing training material
   

5. 
   Yes, by supporting capacity-building at policy, technical and local levels
   

6. 
   Yes, by promoting synergy in the implementation of agreed plans of action and between ongoing assessment and intergovernmental processes.
   

The environment and agriculture departments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland either lead, or are lead players in their respective biodiversity strategies. Defra co-ordinates the England Biodiversity Strategy (EBS). The EBS is Government policy agreed with consensus of a broad partnership of stakeholders. There is duty upon Government Departments to take account of biodiversity in discharging their functions and identifying priority habitats and species lists in England and Wales through section 74 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. There are also statutory measures in some areas such as hedgerow, water & nitrates legislation.

30. 
    In the case of centers of origin in your country, is your country promoting activities for the conservation, on farm, In-situ, and Ex-situ, of the variability of genetic resources for food and agriculture, including their wild relatives?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes (please provide details below)
   

1. 
   outcomes and impacts of actions taken;
   
2. 
   contribution to the achievement of the goals of the Strategic Plan of the Convention;
   
3. 
   contribution to progress towards the 2010 target;
   
4. 
   progress in implementing national biodiversity strategies and action plans;
   
5. 
   contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals;
   
6. 
   constraints encountered in implementation.