AUTHORS: Gauthier Schefer

This briefing paper provides an overview of the current technical and scientific knowledge and additional research needs for the achievement of pesticides and fertiliser reduction objectives under the Green Deal.

The Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategy targets for pesticide and fertiliser reduction reflect a desire in Europe to reduce the impact of excess inputs into agricultural systems, and thus reduce the negative impacts on the environment, climate and human health.

However, these reduction objectives present current European agricultural and land management systems with a dilemma of how to reduce the use of inputs to agricultural systems but maintain a level of production necessary to meet societal needs. Addressing this question requires a greater focus on research and innovation in this area.

This paper draws some of the research directions that could lead to making reduction objectives a reality on agricultural fields.