The Agricultural Productivity Task Force - FAQ
Industry and Government driving productivity improvements together
What is meant by the term 'agricultural productivity?
Productivity is about the rate at which inputs (land, water, labour, capital)
are converted into
outputs. It is a measure of the efficiency of production not the quantity of
output produced. Increasing
productivity can mean producing more output for the same amount of input or
producing the same
output for reduced levels of input. Either way, improving productivity has a
beneficial impact on
agricultural business' profitability and the environment.
How productive is UK agriculture?
Like our economy as a whole, farming productivity growth is below its potential
and the rate of
growth is lower than many of our major competitors. UK Total Factor
Productivity
(the measure of
how efficiently agriculture and horticulture convert all inputs to outputs) has
grown by 18% since
1991, a rate of improvement that has not kept pace with other competitor
countries such as the
Netherlands (52%) and France (82%), as shown in the graph below:
International comparisons of Total Factor Productivity growth, percentage change
since 1991

Source: Defra analysis of USDA international agricultural productivity data
from
USDA ERS
Why do we need to improve productivity?
In addition to the direct impact of below-optimum productivity on the success of
individual farm
businesses, lagging behind our competitors undermines our industry's ability to
compete in a more
globalised market, deliver against consumer expectations and add value to the
economy. Left
untouched, our industry will decline, denying consumers and our domestic food
industry the
affordable, sustainably produced agricultural goods they demand. Higher
productivity growth would
also positively affect the industry's sustainability since it can be closely
correlated to lower
environmental impacts.
How will Task Force actually help farmers and growers?
The APTF is focused on delivering tangible improvement in agricultural
productivity and help
every agricultural business in England take positive steps. The APTF is driving
forward the
recommendations of the Agricultural Productivity's February 2020 report, which
identified five areas
which need to be addressed to help farmers and growers bolster their business'
productivity:
-
Creating a resource of independent evidence that supports business decisions
(led by the Evidence
for Farming Initiative)
- Helping farmer and growers measures business performance – what to measure
and
how to do it
(led by the Key Performance Indicators Group)
- Involving farmers and growers more involved in research & development so it
responds to their
needs, and getting resulting innovations to market more quickly. (Led by the
Research & Innovation
Group)
- Helping farmers and growers make the make the most of their workforce. (Led by
the Skills
Group)
- Taking action to improve rural infrastructure that supports agricultural
businesses, such as 5G
and improved electrical networks (Led by the Rural Infrastructure Group)
How is this initiative different to what has gone before?
The ATPF is an industry-wide initiative which is building on many existing
activities and
resources, and the strong momentum that already exists, to support productivity
improvements.
Critical to its success is the fact the industry and UK Government are
committed
to working together
to co-design and co-deliver new policy initiatives, with the aim of bolstering
agricultural productivity in
England. It provides a neutral space for a wide range of industry
representatives to be heard by
Government, enabling the industry to take great ownership and leadership in
informing policy
decisions.
How were the Task Force's priorities decided?
The APTF is driving forward the recommendations made in a report by its
predecessor, the
Agricultural Productivity Working Group. The report identified five key areas
which relate closely to
the foundations of productivity identified in the UK Government's Industrial
Strategy. They are based
on the premise that whilst transformational change is required, we must also
support our current
industry to adapt, change and improve overall productivity growth.
How were the members of the APTF selected?
The members of the APTF are voluntary and come from a range of bodies within the
agricultural industry and from Defra. The Task Force is very open to hearing
from any other industry
organisations or companies which would like to contribute to its work. Please
contact us if you would
like to get involved.
What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The APTF is drawing expertise from across the UK but is mindful of the different
policy, regulatory
powers and delivery frameworks that exist across the Devolved Administrations.
It is hoped that the
recommendations may provide inspiration for other parts of the UK.
Last reviewed: 01 Mar 2021