Ecosystem services (ESS)

Organic growers are developing the varieties today for a resource-conserving agriculture of tomorrow!

There are always discussions about production costs and values of conven-tional and ecological production. Comparisons differ according to crops and country. The results published by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA 2016) clearly confirm the benefits of ecological production (Table 2).

Organizations that promote and maintain agrobiodiversity at national and internatio-nal level are important players in the field of agrobiodiversity policy.

Cultivation Corn Wheat Soy

Gross income Conv. 689.39 283.89 254.38

Production costs Conv. 550.34 361.90 278.02

Net profit Conv. 139.05 -78.01 -23.64

Gross income Organic 903.53 338.92 434.10

Production costs Organic 537.26 250.59 326.17

Net profit Organic 366.27 255.71 107.93

For corn and wheat, the costs of organic production are lower than in the con-ventional ones, whereas in the case of soybeans it is more than 15% higher. In all three cases the profits are higher. With wheat and soy the conventional far-mers even suffered losses. Environmental costs are not even included. Econo-mically, the ecological production of conventional production is far superior.

What about the national economy? What would happen if the externalized en-vironmental and health costs were included in the calculation? A few figures for illustration: in 2014, farmers in Germany sprayed 123,000 tons of plant pro-tection products onto their fields and used 1.6 million tons of nitrogen for fer-tilization (BVL 2016). These quantities indicate the toll for maximum output, proving that industrial food production with monocultures, artificial irriga-tion, chemical fertilizers and enormous amounts of plant protection products entails massive environmental pollution. With the launch of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment by the United Nations (MA 2005), this production is on the agenda of international politics alongside that of other industries.

The goals for a more sustainable agriculture and for improved ecosystem ser-vices (ESS) are:

• Improving resource efficiency in the provision of food, water, wood and fibers

• The slowdown of climate change, protection from floods and diseases, as well as ensuring water quality; environmental protection

• Recreation and tourism, aesthetic and spiritual values

• Preservation and improvement of soil, photosynthesis and nutrient cycles All these aspects are significantly improved with biodynamic and organic far-ming. The classification of ecosystem achievements has taken into account the indicators for welfare and landscape, especially in Switzerland (Bafu 2011). With regard to agriculture, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment is proposing to include organic fertilizers. A few examples underline the im-portance of the conversion from conventional to ecological farming, which is addressed with the quality of manure. System comparisons between conventi-onal and biological production (Rodale Institute 2011, Seufert et al. 2012) and between conventional, biological and biodynamic production (Mäder et al.

2003) in most cases showed slightly smaller yields in the biological systems However, by reducing the input of nitrogen, energy and plant protection pro-ducts, the latters ecosystem services were much higher than in conventional systems. Furthermore, two studies have shown that the soil of the biological and biological dynamic group had improved water absorption (i.e. less eros-ion) and the fixation of CO2 by topsoil formation was also significantly higher than in the conventional system.

Conversely, many studies show that the ecosystem services of conventional production must be rated negatively in the overall balance (Pretty et al. 2000, Grinvsen et al. 2015, Tegtmeier and Duffy 2004, Zmarlicki et al. 2011, Pretty et al.).

E C O S Y S T E M P E R F O R M A N C E

The optimization of the production conditions is economically more advanta-geous than the maximization of the yields.

Table 3 shows the externalized costs of conventional production in different countries (according to Zmarlicki et al. 2011). In addition to the costs of con-ventional agriculture in Poland, the authors also calculated the added value generated by organic production due to its higher market prices as 147 million US dollars. This value represents a fourteen times higher amount for health and environmental costs caused by conventional production!

Impressive results were also recorded with a two-, three – and four-year crop rotation in corn and soybean cultivation over nine years (Delbridge et al. 2011, Davis et al. 2012). Compared to the two-year crop rotation with a large input of fertilizers and plant protection products, the two other crop rotations showed a reduction of nitrogen fertilization by approx. 85%, of herbicides by almost 90% and subsequently a 200-fold lower contamination of drinking water with plant protection products, as well as halving the applied fossil fuel used.

What do ecosystem services have to do with ecological breeding? There are a number of characteristics that have been integrated into the selection system by the organic farmers, such as:

• Development dynamics in accordance with the availability of mineralized nitrogen improve the nitrogen efficiency

• Fast ground coverage to reduce weed pressure and for strong ground hea-ting by direct exposure to sunlight

• Tolerance for and resistance to diseases and pests

Adapted varieties for organic farming can be developed only if they are cultivated and selected regularly under organic or biodynamic conditions (Lammerts van Bueren et al. 2011, Lammerts van Bueren and Myers 2012, Messmer 2014). This takes into account the close link between location and variety, between yield stability and varying environmental conditions. In the age of trade in carbon emissions certificates, restoration of rivers and flood-Table 3: Conventional agriculture causes environmental and health costs associated with the following: pollution and drinking water treatment, over fertilization of crops, air pollution, greenhouse gases, erosion and humus losses, biodiversity and degradation of cultivated landscapes, health and pathogenic bacteria and viruses in food. Data from Zmarlicki et al. (2011)

Adapted varieties for organic farming can be developed only if they are regularly cultivated and selected under orga-nic or biodynamic conditions.

US UK Germany Poland

Total cost in million $ ^{47,787.3 3,946.3 2,796.0 2,134.8}

Costs/Hectare in $ ^{111.4 350.3 161.4 129.4}

plains for flood protection, eco-compensation and other ecological promo-tion measures, crop breeding, which enables saving of resources and even improving production, deserves a key position among ecosystem services.

The main objectives are:

• Forming alliances with governmental and non-governmental environ-mental organizations to recognize and support ecological breeding in the improvement of ecosystem services.

• Communicating the positive achievements and the importance of organic breeding for ecosystem services to politicians and the public.

• Lobbying with the slogan: Organic growers are developing varieties today for a resource-conserving agriculture tomorrow!

13. Proposals for financing private and non-profit plant breeding