Agriculture and biodiversity
Biodiversity is very important for nature, people and animals - farmers try to respect the natural order. The various actors in agriculture strive to integrate cultivation into nature and the environment as much as possible.
Natural vegetation
Open field growers maintain small landscape elements such as ditches, forest edges and meadows with wildflowers. They also use field boundaries or keep the vegetation in its natural state.
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Natural pollination
Natural pollination is essential for good fertilization and the production of fruit and vegetables. Growers are committed to improving natural pollination by setting up insect hotels, creating flower meadows for bumblebees or working with beekeepers. Around 53% of growers already do this.
Insects and birds
Fruit growers also use straw bags and bamboo sticks for earwigs and perches and posts for birds of prey. This is a natural way of controlling pests.
Integrated pest management
Producers are legally obliged to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or to take integrated pest management measures. These measures are based on three principles:
- Producers take preventive measures to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases. To do this, they can, for example, introduce beneficial organisms, take hygiene measures or choose resistant varieties.
- They monitor crops to detect the presence of diseases and pests as early as possible.
- Producers treat crops when (economically) necessary and only when a certain threshold is exceeded. Only approved plant protection products are used to suppress weeds, pests and diseases.
In addition, varieties that are more resistant to diseases are used more often. Precision agriculture can also be helpful: drones, for example, can detect pests at an early stage.