Agrifood
Accelerating climate smart agriculture in Africa
Between climate change, food insecurity, poverty, and environmental degradation, agriculture in Africa faces many challenges. To rise to these, African farmers are increasingly looking to implement climate-smart agricultural practices. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an integrated approach to managing landscape, including...
Putting words into action: Bridging the gender gap in the agrifood sector
Women are being increasingly recognised for their role as sustainability leaders in the field of agriculture. But despite a concerted push to encourage women to enter the field, the number of women in the agrifood world still remains low. In...
What’s on the ‘horizon’ for agriculture?
With a budget of €95.5 billion for 2021-2027, Horizon Europe is the largest multiannual budget for an EU research programme, with a 30% increase compared to the previous budget framework, excluding the participation of UK beneficiaries.
Carbon farming: Europe’s new trend?
Carbon farming’s overall objective is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. In practice, by using various agricultural methods ranging from crop rotation, cover crops, and reduced tillage to precision nitrogen application, farmers aim to contribute to tackling climate...
Delivering on CAP strategic plans
The reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) aims to have a more flexible, performance- and results-based approach that takes into account local conditions and needs while increasing the level of EU ambitions in terms of sustainability.
Ripple effects: How EU decisions impact African farmers
In this Special Report, EURACTIV takes a closer look at how decisions taken in the EU may spill over into Africa and, more specifically, how this could impact small-scale African farmers.
Exploring farming sustainability options
As the EU's flagship food policy, the Farm to Fork, and its complementary relative, the Biodiversity Strategy, aim to improve sustainability at all levels of the food chain, the focus is now on the tools that could deliver such ambition.
The future of biotech in Europe
A fairly recent but already fast-growing industry, the biotech sector seeks to claim a role in Europe as a catalyst for growth in the aftermath of the COVID-crisis.
Germany’s roadmap for greener CAP subsidies
EU countries have been given more freedom than ever to implement national agricultural policies that are more climate and environmentally friendly. But where does Germany stand when it comes to implementing the EU's plans for a greener agriculture?
Next generation livestock farming: technology and tomorrow’s farmers
While livestock farmers already use a range of innovative tools and technologies to help ease their workload, new precision livestock farming technologies go a step further, paving the way for a digital transformation in animal health. From detection and monitoring...
RED III: Europe’s reality check
Transport is responsible for 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU and several pieces of legislation have failed to bring about major changes. The EU executive has already admitted that by 2030, oil will still drive Europe’s cars....
Reset, restart: Transforming the EU food system
It is becoming increasingly clear that the way that we produce, consume, and discard food is having a huge impact on our health and that of our environment.
(Agri-food) life after Brexit
After having agreed on the terms of their separation, the EU and the UK are faced with a potential mismatch between the two sides of the Channel when it comes to agriculture and foodstuff. While the EU is rethinking the...
Gene editing: The latest developments in the EU
The use of gene-editing technologies has come under increasing scrutiny in the EU over the past few years, following the 2018 European Court of Justice ruling that gene-edited organisms should fall, in principle, under the EU’s GMO directive. The European...
Sustainable farming ambitions: between the CAP and the Green Deal
After years of negotiations, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel for reaching a deal on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). However, much has changed in the EU policy landscape when it comes to...
EU-Africa: translating green agrifood ambitions
On the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis, the EU is currently establishing a new ‘strategic partnership’ with Africa, of which agriculture is a key focus. The aims of the EU’s flagship environmental policy, the Green Deal, combined with the COVID-19...
From surviving to thriving: preparing for the future of the hospitality sector
From restaurant closures to travel restrictions, the hospitality sector has been one of the hardest hit by the COVID pandemic that is threatening thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the EU. But as the rollout of the COVID vaccine gets...
Green Deal and agriculture: between words and deeds
Lying at the heart of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork and the Biodiversity strategies play a key role in shaping the debate around the future of the European agri-food sector. In its flagship food policy, the EU...
EU agrifood relations with Africa: what lies ahead?
The European Union is reshaping its approach to Africa, hoping to promote long-term sustainable food systems and help their people cope with the side-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Farm to Fork: what role for consumers and innovation
Although reduction targets set in the EU's flagship food policy stole public opinion's attention at first, consumer behaviour and innovation are expected to have an equal, critical role to play in the path toward more sustainable food system.
Wholesome whole grains: how to encourage uptake in the EU
This year has served as a stark reminder of the need for a resilient, sustainable, and healthy food system. As many consumers turn to healthier food options in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers continue to tackle the eternal...
EU agriculture and Mercosur: what is the state of play?
The entry into force of the Mercosur deal – set to forge a trade area between the EU27 and Mercosur countries, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – remains a controversial topic amongst agrifood stakeholders. The deal was struck in 2019,...
New terminologies in sustainable food systems
The recent drive for sustainability has seen the emergence of a number of new terminologies, including agroecology, agroforestry and urban farming. The adoption of these new notions into the sustainability discourse has been rapid and has sometimes made new concepts...