Agricultural practices and techniques in New Zealand and potential lessons for land use in the UK will be highlighted at a seminar at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute this week (Friday 28th May 2010).

Accelerating agricultural intensification threatens biodiversity conservation and the sustainability of efficient food production in New Zealand, however organic certifications, together with food market accreditation schemes are expected to entice farmers to provide environmental care for the public good.

Professor Henrick Moller from the Centre for Study of Agriculture Food & Environment at the University of Otago, New Zealand will be discussing this topic at his seminar, ‘New Zealand: lessons for sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation in Europe’.

This seminar will draw on evidence from the Agriculture Research Group On Sustainability, a study of 105 organic, Integrated Management and conventional farms spread across a range of farming intensities in New Zealand to consider if European consumers can trust that by buying New Zealand produce they are helping to promote biodiversity and land care, both in New Zealand and in Europe.

Prof. Moller explains, “More sustainable food production is required both now and in the future to feed a hungry world and what can help achieve that is opportunities for collaborative research amongst UK and New Zealand scientists, economists and sociologists and an understanding of the pressures for both agricultural intensification and biodiversity conservation.”

The seminar takes place from 2pm at The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen. The seminar is free and open to the public but prior registration is required by contacting Jenna Gray on 01224 395000 or j.gray@macaulay.ac.uk.

ENDS

Information for Editors:

Professor Henrik Moller has led the environment objective of New Zealand’s Agricultural Research Group on Sustainability for the past six years and is a population and community ecologist who has a special interest in applying social-ecological resilience thinking to guide sustainable agriculture and wild food gathering.