Agroecological farming is key to tackling the climate crisis, restoring biodiversity and building healthy, resilient food systems.
But what would a transition to agroecology mean for farm profitability? Could the natural capital benefits of agroecological farming be achieved alongside profitable farming businesses? If so, what policy and economic framework might be needed to achieve this? To start unpicking these complex discussions, three new reports analyse the economic implications of a transition to agroecological farming and land use.
Reports summary
The reports shared below were commissioned by the Soil Association, and written by Cumulus Consultants, Eftec, and Strutt & Parker.
Together, they address the current gap in the research around what a transition to agroecology would mean for different farm businesses, and what that means for farmers and land managers.
Our Head of Policy for Farming and Land Use, Gareth Morgan, summarises the key findings here, but each report is available to download individually further below.
Report: Economics of a Transition to Agroecological Farming Businesses
A practical assessment of how farmers and land managers across the UK can shift towards agroecological farming systems whilst enhancing farm profitability. It also explores what policy makers can do to support this transition.
The results show that agroecological farming would be more profitable than maintaining conventional farming for many farm types, without impacting the price of food for consumers.
Report: Woodland and Trees in the Farmed Landscape
This report explores the economic impacts of introducing agroforestry and farm woodland systems into the main farm types.
The results show that agroforestry offers a cost-effective way to enhance tree planting across the UK, without offshoring impacts or reducing agricultural production. Based on these findings, Cumulus have created a modelling of the macro-economic impact on the agricultural economy – which you can access at the bottom of this page.
This report was written for the Soil Association by Cumulus Consultants. You can also download our country-specific briefings that accompany the report:
Report: Farm business modelling under the Ten Years for Agroecology project
Looking at the context of England, this report outlines the changes involved in shift to agroecological farming and diets. It does not consider the desirability of such a change or tell farmers what they must do; rather, it explores whether that shift is feasible, and provides the basis for a discussion about its implications.
By sharing this information you will help us understand who is using the model, and how we can improve it. We would also appreciate your feedback – if you’d like to share your thoughts, contact us atpolicymail@soilassociation.org.
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