Sustainability Action Plan: Biodiversity and Ecosystems in focus
The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has published “Agri-supply: An Action Plan for Sustainable Efficiency”, a pivotal resource designed to support UK agri-supply businesses in navigating the complexities of sustainability.
Launched at the AIC Conference on 13 November 2024, this comprehensive blueprint offers essential guidance for businesses across the key agri-supply sectors of Animal Feed, Combinable Crops, Crop Protection and Agronomy, Fertiliser, and Seed.
AIC’s Action Plan provides a clear framework for enhancing sustainability credentials while driving operational efficiency, fostering resilience, and contributing to a robust agriculture and food system in the UK.
Covering critical topics such as economic resilience, climate impacts, biodiversity, and sustainable communities, it delivers actionable insights and recommendations that align with government policies and market expectations.
Each week, AIC is exploring a chapter of the Sustainability Action Plan - this week we focus on “Biodiversity and Ecosystems”. Read the full chapter of AIC's Sustainability Action Plan on this area from page 26.
Visit the Sustainability webpage for more information.
What does it mean?
Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth encompassing all living things. It can be considered at genetic level through species diversity – the count of different species within a given area; or as ecosystem diversity – the range of ecosystems and habitats.
Agriculture and nature depend upon reversing the decline in habitats and species throughout the UK.
Forests host around 80% of the world’s wildlife on land and are home to many species found nowhere else. In the last 60 years, more than half of tropical forests worldwide have been destroyed.
Why does it matter to business?
- Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all living things. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems that we rely on to provide us with the air we breathe, food, water, fuel, medicines and wellbeing.
- Since the early 1990’s agriculture has become increasingly adaptive in playing its part in bringing about solutions to declining biodiversity. With research and industry investment, hand in hand with positive environmental practices, changes in attitude and delivery on farms has occurred.
- The agricultural industry has a key role in contributing to meeting the UK Government’s commitments and contributions to the international effort and recognises that more still needs to be done at home and overseas, to manage land optimally.
- Products such as soya, cattle and palm oil have been identified as some of the key global drivers of deforestation. Protecting forests is critical in halting the loss of global biodiversity and protecting the rights and livelihoods of indigenous communities and forest peoples, as well as serving the economy and meeting global climate change commitments.
Learn more
AIC’s Action Plan for Sustainable Efficiency is your guide to meaningful progress, offering practical actions to reduce environmental impact, support market access, and secure long-term resilience.
All agri-supply businesses are encouraged to explore the Action Plan and engage with AIC for further support. For queries and further information, contact AIC’s Head of Sustainability Vicky Robinson ([email protected]) or Policy Manager Andrew Pearson ([email protected]).
Go to the Sustainability webpage to find out more, or click below.
Authors
Vicky Robinson
Vicky Robinson is Head of Sustainability and is responsible for leading and co-ordinating AIC's work on sustainability.
