Reduction Plan for Pesticides in Lower Saxony's Agriculture Industry
The Lower Saxony Pesticide Reduction Strategy, a collaborative initiative between the state government, agriculture, and environmental organizations, aims to significantly reduce the use of chemical-synthetic plant protection products (PPM) in the region. This strategy was published on February 14, 2023, and includes measures from the 'Guideline Paper on the Use of Plant Protection Products.'
One of the key objectives of the strategy is to reduce the area treated with PPM by at least 25% compared to the average of the 2015/16 to 2020/21 economic years by 2030. To achieve this, the strategy outlines regulatory measures, incentives, and funding, as well as the promotion of alternative methods.
In Lower Saxony, chemical-synthetic PPM are already prohibited on permanent grassland in nature conservation areas and in landscape conservation areas that secure Natura 2000 sites. The Chamber of Agriculture in Lower Saxony is also testing and developing digital and sensor-based application methods for plant protection products at the Digital Farming Practice Lab in Schickelsheim domain (Helmstedt district).
The strategy encourages both conventional and organic farms to exchange ideas on reducing the use of PPM through initiatives like the FINKA project. Voluntary measures are also offered through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union, such as promoting farmers who refrain from using PPM on flowering strips or areas on arable land.
The progress of the reduction is continuously recorded and documented since the start of the strategy, with operational goals being monitored. Key figures from the farm statistics will be considered for the evaluation of the Lower Saxony Pesticide Reduction Strategy. An interim evaluation will be conducted five years after the start of the reduction strategy, i.e., in 2027, and a final evaluation in 2030.
The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) in Germany is responsible for creating legal conditions and enabling the rapid prohibition of chemical-synthetic PPM in private gardens at the federal level. It coordinates approvals and regulatory decisions regarding plant protection products according to the Plant Protection Act and EU regulations.
The strategy also includes measures to assess the reduction in the area treated with PPM starting from the new CAP funding period in 2023. The effectiveness of the measures started in the new CAP funding period from 2023 will be used to assess the reduction in the area treated with PPM.
The Lower Saxony Pesticide Reduction Strategy also aims to create legal conditions for phasing out the use of chemical-synthetic PPM in private gardens at the federal level. This is a significant step towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to agriculture in Lower Saxony.
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