Once again the Forum for the Future of Agriculture, held last 27 of March, featured the scene about latest achievements and current challenges of Agriculture at global but also EU level. This event is co-organised by ELO, the European Landowners' Organization & Syngenta. 

 

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The morning session addressed the international role of agriculture and actions to accomplish the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Invited speakers such as Queen Noor Al Hussein of JordanHilal Elver Special Rapporteur on Right to Food, United Nations or Massimo Bottura, chef and founder of Food for Soul initiative, among others delivered the following key messages on the need of:

  • empowering women in agricultural business
  • scaling up knowledge transfert in farming through private sector support
  • changing consumption food patterns in effluent countries (food habits as well as reducing food waste)
  • supporting livable rural areas to respond to urban food demands
  • ensuring healthy food is available for everyone in need, creating local actions that can be replicated regardless the country e.g. Food for Soul initiative.
  • deploying technologies adoptable and adaptable for small-medium farmers worldwide

In the afternoon, European agriculture was on the focus. Louise O. Fresco, President of Wageningen University, set the scene asking EU agriculture to build on two pillars:

  1. Consider science-based solutions to reduce the application of chemicals in alignement with the FFA's theme "Healthy farming, healthy food, healthy future" but not only.
  2. Keep working in a collaborative way involving scientists, farmers, industry and consumers to make agriculture and food systems: truly fair, reduce inequalities and make rural areas livable. 

Mrs O. Fresco released a call for action for Europeans and EU institutions in order to ensure the future of a healthy agriculture in Europe:

- to set-up an Intergovernmental Agriculture and Food Council involving civil society and politicians to define and sign an "International Treaty on Agriculture and Food" based on the example of Climate Change Protocols. 

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Following that, representatives from EU institutions, farming community, NGOs and industry joined the stage to bring their views more specifically on the future of the CAP post-2020.

On words of Philip Hogan, EU Agriculture Commissioner, he outlined the CAP as a source for farming in Europe to produce safe and affordable food for Europeans while ensuring highest food standards. He insisted in the need to support farmers and involve them further as part of the solution and not always been pointed as the source of problem. To strengh the position of farming in Europe he mentioned several points:

  • enhance more flexibility for Member States to support economic activities
  • increase the adoption of Precision Farming technologies
  • promote farming as an activity of the future to attract younger generations
  • provide further training to support agriculture transformation
  • set-up the right framework to increase fair trading practices

Mr Hogan made clear in the new CAP proposal,  there will be actions to improve the redistribution of direct payments among farmers to better support small / medium farms. Besides, he clearly stated his support for a further convergence among big and small countries in the EU. 

Following Commissioner's intervention, a lively exchange of supporting / differing views took place from the different panelists and participants from the audience. Some of the key can be found here:

  • Would the future CAP bring any change or it will stay for business as usual?
  • Greening measures aren't properly working, would a green architecture will be redefined?
  • Would the CAP reward the concept of full farmer on job?
  • How could the new CAP support farming diversification? 

These questions might have an answer in the next CAP proposal expected end of April 2018. Nevertheless, budget constrains will apply and stakes, by all known, will remain always very high for the agri-food sector. 

To be continued...

For further information on what happened during the event visit http://www.forumforagriculture.com/past-ffas/