In this interview,
Guido Milana (IT/PES)
answers five questions on
Farm to Fork
, the new strategy for a fair, healthy and
environmentally-friendly food system in the EU. The
municipal councillor from Olevano Romano and former
Member of the European Parliament calls for a
radical change in food production and consumption,
starting with a shift to greener production systems
that respect biodiversity and ecology principles.
The rapporteur of the opinion
'From Farm to Fork: the local and regional
dimension
'
stresses that COVID-19 makes it even more urgent to
move towards a more sustainable and resilient food
system. The opinion is to be adopted during the
December 2020 plenary session
of the European Committee of the Regions.
The Farm to Fork strategy proposes ambitious
targets in terms of reducing the use of pesticides,
chemical fertilisers and antimicrobials, as well as
the objective of reaching 25 % of agricultural land
in organic farming to promote the transition to
sustainable food systems. Is this feasible taking
into account the projected population growth rate?
Food systems are responsible for about a third of
global greenhouse gas emissions, mostly generated by
agricultural production. Reducing carbon emissions from
agriculture is certainly the priority. However, we must
not overlook the climate impact of all the other areas
of food production, such as product packaging,
processing and distribution. It is therefore essential
that the Farm to Fork strategy proposes ambitious
targets for reducing pollutants. We need to steer
production systems effectively towards greener forms
that respect biodiversity and ecology principles. We
need a radical change in food production and
consumption and a strong alliance between producers and
consumers. However, we cannot bring about this shift
overnight, especially if we do not give existing
producers enough help to change current production
practices into more sustainable ones following new
agro-ecological practices. Above all, we must continue
funding streams supporting rural development to ensure
a sustainable transition. At the same time, we need a
strategic focus on research and development. In
essence, not only are penalties and constraints needed,
but also a package of coordinated policies to promote
environmentally- and socially- sustainable forms of
production, which are also properly remunerated.
How should the common agricultural policy support
the climate and environmental ambitions of the Farm
to Fork and biodiversity strategies?
The common agricultural policy (CAP)
is a key tool for implementing both the Farm to Fork
and the biodiversity strategies. The CAP is intended to
ensure that producers are protected economically and
facilitate safe access to agricultural land, in
particular for the more vulnerable small and
medium-sized producers. It is also supposed to provide
appropriate incentive schemes to motivate farmers to
move towards greener practices. The lack of ambition in
the recent CAP reform is regrettable, especially in the
light of the climate and environmental objectives of
the Farm to Fork strategy. The climate and
environmental objectives cannot be achieved without
adequate resources and major investment in sustainable
production. The CAP needs to be better aligned with the
Farm to Fork strategy, not only environmentally but
also in terms of international trade and sectorial
policies and instruments. In addition, we must also
review the objectives of the common fisheries policy
(CFP) in order to change the levy system and start
considering the sea as a major area to be cultivated
rather than a mine from which fishing resources are
simply removed.
How can local and regional governments contribute
to building more sustainable food systems? Could
you share any examples of initiatives launched at
local level?
The local and regional levels of governance are fertile
testing beds. They have traditionally been ahead of
Europe-wide strategies and deserve to be more involved
now. Local and regional bodies across the EU and
internationally have been actively delivering local
food policies for decades, setting up food policy
councils or even bioregions. Cities and regions have
shown that they can use local and regional planning
tools and integrated local policies to encourage forms
of urban agriculture, short supply chains and regional
markets, initiating sustainable food procurement for
local, seasonal and organic food in public canteens in
addition to education and public awareness initiatives
to improve local food systems. The Member States and
the EU should follow their example and work together
with cities and regions to spread emerging good
practices at local level. Communication, support and
mutual learning between all levels of government are
more necessary than ever. For instance, we would like
that the strategy proposed by the European Commission
draws on the example of participatory models such as
the food policy councils that have been set up in many
local and regional authorities.
Current patterns of food consumption are
unsustainable, from both a health and an
environmental perspective. How can this be
remedied? Is the onus purely on consumers to change
their diets?
Consumption practices are an important driver in the
transition of food systems. We can see that change is
already taking place. Many more consumers are more
attentive and critical in their consumption choices.
However, it is important that we move away from
catering just for a small section of the public and
ensure that healthy and culturally appropriate food
choices are accessible to all. It is not acceptable
that those who cannot afford to buy "healthy" food are
constrained to receive insufficient or highly-processed
food. We need to defend everyone’s right to access
healthy and sustainable food. Consumers, including the
most vulnerable and younger generations, need our
support, in the form of education and accurate,
transparent information, as well as incentives to
change consumption patterns. However, we must also
encourage and support change by taking a holistic view
of the food production system, encouraging the
production and market supply of healthy and affordable
food. Social protection measures are also needed to
enable the most vulnerable groups to make healthy food
choices on their own.
How is the pandemic affecting local and regional
food systems? What key initiatives and measures
have been put in place to strengthen local and
regional food systems in response to this crisis?
The pandemic has certainly led to fractures and short-
and long-term changes in local and global food systems.
There is much to say about the effects of the crisis.
One of the most important consequences is greater
inequalities in terms of accessing food and an
exponential increase in the number of citizens
suffering from economic poverty. This situation
definitely requires urgent measures, including action
by local authorities and the third sector to ensure
food security. As we saw during the 2008 financial
crisis, food systems are subject to crisis cycles that
test their resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic makes it
even more urgent to work towards a more sustainable and
resilient food system. In the short term, we need to
bring funding and support to recover from the crisis in
a targeted and strategic way, but we must not forget
the need for a long-term vision to deliver change. We
firmly believe that there are valuable lessons to be
learned from the COVID-19 crisis. Local authorities
have shown that many citizens have benefited from short
supply chains and healthy food, and have spent more
time during the quarantine period on cooking and
preparing homemade recipes. We hope that these healthy
practices will continue and even increase after the
COVID-19 crisis.
Press Contact:
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