Agriculture
The current agricultural policy in Switzerland is designed for constant growth and favours large industrial companies. Between 2000 and 2022, the number of agricultural businesses fell from around 70,000 to just under 50,000 the average usable area per farm has increased from around 14 hectares to around 21 hectares. Due to cost pressure, small farmers in particular are forced to use toxic pesticides, excessive use of manure and other environmentally harmful practices. The death of smaller farms puts a massive strain on people and nature.
The agriculture of the future must address issues such as food security for a growing population, climate change, low biodiversity, high nitrate levels in groundwater and a foreseeable phosphorus shortage. To do this, we need to change politics so that farmers no longer have to choose between financial stability and organic farming.
Introduce a new financing system with incentives
Subsidies for environmentally harmful agricultural practices and payments per hectare of land ownership should be eliminated and used to incentivize desirable agricultural practices. The aim is to support the transition to a model of regenerative agriculture that focuses on sustainable and organic food, restoring soil health, reducing pesticides, sustainable water and soil use, reversing biodiversity loss and animal welfare. Farmers should be supported both financially and with know-how during this transition period.Launch green transition funds
A fund for the green transition in agriculture should be set up so that farmers can receive low-interest loans and government guarantees for adapting to the green transition. The aim is to support companies in meeting sustainability requirements, restoring habitats and using gentle, biodiversity-friendly agriculture.Modernise agriculture ecologically
Both precision agriculture and farm automation are intended to reduce dependence on inputs (e.g. water and pesticides) and make agricultural practices ecologically sustainable. For example, fields can be monitored with sensors or pests can be combated with laser systems become.Intensify research for more resilient plants
Research and the possible inclusion of genetically modified plants in the production portfolio should be intensified. Safe application of these techniques ensures the promotion of climate change resilience, sustainability of food production, and agricultural practices.Measuring and combating soil and biodiversity pollution
The burden on soils and biodiversity should be better measured and guideline values should be pushed.Close nutrient cycle
Closing the nutrient cycle focuses on minimising nutrient losses and promotes systems that reuse nutrients to form a cycle. For example, phosphorus is to be recovered from slag, nitrogen use is to be reduced through species-specific fertilisers and CO2-intensive peat can be replaced by alternatives such as coconut fibre or compost.