The importance of sustainable agriculture to reduce the threat of eutrophication of the Baltic Sea cannot be underestimated. Agriculture accounts for more than half of the nutrient inputs leading to the eutrophication.
Farmers around the Baltic Sea therefore play a crucial role if we want to change the current situation, since they have the opportunity to reduce nutrient losses from their farms. With the WWF Baltic Sea Farmer of the Year Award –we want to inspire farmers in the entire Baltic Sea region to take an active part in combating eutrophication.
The Award was founded 2009 by WWF together with Swedbank, and in cooperation with the Baltic Farmers Forum for the Environment and farmers’ organisations from around the Baltic Sea. The competition is held on a regional level based upon the results of national competitions held in each participating Baltic Sea coastal country. A prize sum of 1,000 Euros is given to each national winner and a prize sum of 10,000 Euros to the regional winner, selected by an international jury.
The purpose of the award is to highlight best practices in “Baltic-friendly” farming and to recognize and highlight farmers who are leading in innovative measures to reduce runoff from their farms. The award aims to highlight the important role of farmers and the good work they are already doing, providing excellent examples that others can learn from. It is also intended to promote cooperation around the region in order to further the application, and promotion, of good environmental practice in the agricultural sector. The eutrophication of the sea should be a common concern for all of us. It affects all of the countries surrounding the Sea and we all share the responsibility to stop it!
Read more about the national winners of the WWF Baltic Sea Farmer of the Year Award from 2009, 2010 and 2011 and the measures they are taking to reduce nutrient losses from their farms in folder that can be downloaded to the right of this page.
The current state of health of the Baltic Sea makes it clear that the time has come for EU and its Member States to develop and implement regulations and policies to reduce eutrophication.
A major solution to the problem is to be found in the promotion of more sustainable farming and land management practices. We urgently need a new vision for rural Europe and steps must be taken now to make that vision a reality.
The Award was founded 2009 by WWF together with Swedbank, and in cooperation with the Baltic Farmers Forum for the Environment and farmers’ organisations from around the Baltic Sea. The competition is held on a regional level based upon the results of national competitions held in each participating Baltic Sea coastal country. A prize sum of 1,000 Euros is given to each national winner and a prize sum of 10,000 Euros to the regional winner, selected by an international jury.
The purpose of the award is to highlight best practices in “Baltic-friendly” farming and to recognize and highlight farmers who are leading in innovative measures to reduce runoff from their farms. The award aims to highlight the important role of farmers and the good work they are already doing, providing excellent examples that others can learn from. It is also intended to promote cooperation around the region in order to further the application, and promotion, of good environmental practice in the agricultural sector. The eutrophication of the sea should be a common concern for all of us. It affects all of the countries surrounding the Sea and we all share the responsibility to stop it!
Read more about the national winners of the WWF Baltic Sea Farmer of the Year Award from 2009, 2010 and 2011 and the measures they are taking to reduce nutrient losses from their farms in folder that can be downloaded to the right of this page.
The current state of health of the Baltic Sea makes it clear that the time has come for EU and its Member States to develop and implement regulations and policies to reduce eutrophication.
A major solution to the problem is to be found in the promotion of more sustainable farming and land management practices. We urgently need a new vision for rural Europe and steps must be taken now to make that vision a reality.
