Translation of "Pratique agricole pour les zones humides " (French → English) :

While the impact of urban (and peri-urban) food production on the urban poor needs to be recognised, actions to promote food security in poor rural areas should include livelihood diversification, together with water saving methodologies (e.g. rainfed agricultural systems, which have spill over effects on environmental sustainability, through reduction of methane emission) and more sustainable management systems (e.g. irrigation which maximise productivity per unit of water, specific agriculture practices in arid areas that reduce sal ...[+++]inisation, etc.).

Member States shall define, at national or regional level, minimum requirements for good agricultural and environmental condition on the basis of the framework set up in Annex IV, taking into account the specific characteristics of the areas concerned, including soil and climatic condition, existing farming systems, land use, crop rotation, farming practices, and farm structures. This is without prejudice to the standards governing good agricultural practices as applied in the context of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 and to agr ...[+++]i-environment measures applied above the reference level of good agricultural practices.

- promoting best practices and supporting networks fostering the exchange of experience on sustainable development including urban areas, sea, coastline, mountain areas, wetlands and other areas of a sensitive nature;

Intense agricultural practices have led to the loss of wetlands by around 60 percent.

In the field of nature conservancy, the numerous initiatives include: environmentally-friendly farming practices; restoration of natural sites; protection of wetlands; protection of endangered species (the bear in the Pyrenees, the tortoise caretta, in Greece); management of forests and coastal areas, etc

It has given particular support to the implementation of the MedWet programme; Noting that all these provisions and commitments have not led to the achievement of all of their objectives for wetlands, owing in particular to insufficient integration between the different policies, especially on funding through existing Community financial instruments, and between the corresponding development strategies; Acknowledging that it is a matter of priority to halt the disappearance and degradation of wetlands, to ensure better management and to improve and restore such areas; Takes note of the analysis, the conclusions and the recommendations which the Commission has put forward in its communication on wise use and conservation of wetlands and a ...[+++]pproves its general approach; Emphasizes the need for better coordination between Community policies and for better coordination between existing Community financial instruments; Maintains that activities in the wetlands must be pursued in strict compliance with the principles of integration and of regional development based on integrated territorial development, and affirms that projects likely to affect such areas significantly should be the subject of an environmental impact assessment in accordance with the provisions of the Impact Assessment Directive, as amended, or an assessment in terms of their effects in accordance with the provisions of the Habitats Directive, as appropriate.