Schwerin (dpa/mv) – Moorland farmers are to receive a premium of 600 euros per hectare in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from next year. Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) announced a corresponding guideline on Thursday in the state parliament. This step is intended to boost the waterlogging of drained moors. “I think this will be a breakthrough,” said Backhaus. “We will bring alternative forms of use on the way.” On conventional floors there is only 150 euros area premium. Moor farmers should receive an additional 450 euros.
Backhaus explained that the aim is not to completely flood the drained agricultural moors again. The aim is to raise the water level to a certain extent, which will enable further use in the form of so-called wet agriculture with paludi or swamp cultures. One wants to find solutions together with agriculture, emphasized Backhaus. Examples of plants that can cope with high water levels are grass and reeds for biogas plants.
One problem with moorland renaturation, which is essential for climate protection, has so far been that owners do not want to make their drained areas available for waterlogging. They fear that they will then no longer be able to work on it. However, Backhaus made it clear: “If we want to become climate-neutral by 2040, we cannot do without the moors.” Around 30 percent of all CO2 emissions in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are attributed to drained moors.
