Eco-friendly farms can succeed - but they need support

Farming in ways that support nature can pay off – not just for the environment, but for crops too. That’s the takeaway from a new study that tested how different methods of agroecological farming perform on real working farms in England.

The study showed that adding simple nature-friendly features like wildflower margins and organic matter improved biodiversity and led to stronger crop performance.

But there’s a catch: to make these methods financially viable on a large scale, many farmers may need more government support.

Real farms, real results

The research team, based at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Rothamsted Research, ran a four-year study across 17 commercial farms in southern England. This was the first time anyone tested both the ecological and financial impacts of agroecological practices at this scale in the UK.

The researchers didn’t just run lab trials. The researchers partnered directly with farmers to design and carry out real-world experiments, testing three types of farming systems side by side.

The first was a business-as-usual approach, using standard intensive methods without any nature-friendly additions.

The second, called the enhanced ecological system, introduced wildflower field margins to support pollinators and other beneficial insects, along with overwinter cover crops to protect and enrich the soil.

The third was the maximized ecological system, which built on the enhanced version by adding wildflower strips within the fields – essentially creating insect “runways” – and using farmyard manure to improve soil health.

More bugs, better soil, higher yields

The results were clear. The farms that adopted enhanced or maximized ecological methods saw an increase in beneficial species.

Earthworms, bees, hoverflies, ladybirds, spiders, and lacewings were all more abundant. These helped reduce crop pests like aphids and snails.

That’s not all. The flowering crops – like oilseed rape – produced more seeds thanks to better pollination. The soils held more carbon. And overall, the yields went up.

Even with a little land taken out of production to make room for habitats, the gains in crop health and pollination made a difference. The enhanced ecological system was just as profitable as conventional farming – but only because of current government subsidies.

The maximized system delivered even stronger environmental and yield benefits. But it was more expensive to implement.

Without more support, most farms would not find it financially competitive. Some farms, especially mixed ones that already have manure on hand, might fare better. But others would struggle without extra help.

Profit meets sustainability

Dr. Ben Woodcock, one of the study’s lead scientists from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, elaborated on the research.

“Without the introduction of new financial incentives, many farmers will be deterred from adopting agroecological farming practices and systems. This could leave them locked into high input, intensive farming systems and more exposed to the impacts of pesticide resistance, declining soil health and climate change.”

According to Dr. Woodcock, while farmers run businesses that need to be profitable, there is an increasing awareness that more sustainable systems can help “future-proof” their farms in terms of soil health, less reliance on pesticides and climate change.

“Agroecological methods are good for biodiversity, food security, and, in the long-term, provide more secure farm incomes but habitats can take several years to establish, so agri-environment subsidies are essential to helping farmers transition to these more sustainable systems.”

Support for greener farming

The researchers believe that showcasing these successful results could help convince more farmers to make the switch. It’s about breaking the cycle of intensive practices that keep farms dependent on chemical inputs and vulnerable to environmental changes.

Professor Jonathan Storkey, an ecologist at Rothamsted Research, said the study confirmed that managing land on farms for wildlife is not in direct conflict with food security but can support sustainable production by increasing yields and reducing pest pressure.

“These ‘ecosystem services’ could potentially substitute for chemical fertilizers and pesticides which negatively impact the environment,” said Professor Storkey.

“However, our analysis has shown that realizing these benefits will require additional support for farm businesses that currently operate on very narrow profit margins. As input costs increase, however, these agroecological approaches may become more attractive.”

Training makes a difference

The quality of nature-friendly measures also depends on how well they’re implemented, and training helps.

Earlier research from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology showed that when farmers receive proper guidance on creating and managing wildlife habitats, those habitats do a much better job of supporting pollinators and pest-controlling insects.

Field margins and wildflower strips may seem like simple changes, but getting them right requires different thinking than managing crops. The better these habitats are planned and maintained, the more they deliver.

Growing green, nationwide

Nature-friendly farming isn’t just about doing good for the environment – it can also help farms thrive. But making the switch isn’t free, and for many farmers, the numbers have to work.

That’s where targeted subsidies and support come in. The research shows what’s possible. Now, the question is how to make it doable for more farms across the country.

The full study was published in the journal Journal of Applied Ecology.

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