Creedy Associates
Rural training and consultancy solutions
Tractor plowing cropsFactory and SmokeCows eating grass

Climate Change

Although there is still some debate, most scientists are in complete agreement that climate change is real and happening now, that this has resulted from man's activities and that there is urgent need to take action to limit its effects. Agriculture is very involved in this, both because it will be very much affected if the predicted effects take place on the one hand, and because it can have impact on some of the things that cause climate change on the other. The UK government along with those of most of other countries have made climate change a major part of their policy platforms.

The general assumption is that agriculture will be experiencing both short term (and we may be experiencing some of these now) and longer term effects such as:

  • Changing weather patterns- hotter summers, more frequent but irregular heavy rainfall/storm events
  • Changing risks to diseases
  • Reduced opportunity to grow current crops

On the other hand, there may be positive outcomes which could be to agriculture's benefit such as:

  • Opportunity to grow new crops with new markets
  • Providing energy sources and supplies
  • Enhancing on farm carbon storage
  • Reducing agricultural impact on some of the causal agents of climate change (reduced methane, nitrous oxide emissions etc), with possible win-wins by optimising resources and reducing inputs such as fertilisers etc.

The SW has a diversity of agricultural managements which will have to respond in different ways to these effects.

Creedy Associates on behalf of Natural England ran a series of well attended and interesting climate change workshops in the winter of 07/08 focusing on the following subject areas: -

  • The causes of climate change
  • The likely shorter and longer term effects "upstream", within and "downstream" from your farm
  • Practical ways to combat immediate and future effects
  • The ways that farmers can improve their own carbon footprint by storing additional carbon, reducing nitrous oxide and methane emissions, reducing energy requirements and/or producing energy sources
  • Individual assessments of farm features which may contribute positive or negative effects in relation to climate change

Our workshops aim for the day's activities to promote further understanding, thought and discussion on optimising the way ahead in order to stabilise and optimise livelihoods now and for future generations as well as making a positive contribution on a wider scale in helping to reduce climate change effects.