Farm to Fork: Can it lead to an SDG-supportive ‘gold-standard food system’ in Europe?

The European Commission, European Parliamentarians, Representatives from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), farmer representative organization Copa-Cogeca, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), joined in a debate organized by EURACTIV on the European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy.

The Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal, aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly. It is central to the EU Commission’s agenda to achieve the internationally-agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

After opening remarks by EURACTIV Journalist Dave Keating, Principal Advisor at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Rural Development and Agriculture (DG AGRI) Diego Canga Fano took the floor and explained that the Farm to Fork Strategy will serve a crucial purpose in making farming more sustainable. He highlighted that the EU will not and cannot succeed alone in transforming global food systems. “We need to convince the whole planet that fighting climate change is for the benefit of everyone, not only of the rich countries,” he explained.

Member of the European Parliament and the European Parliamentary Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition, Petros Kokkalis underlined the need to rethink how food is produced and consumed. He explained that all actors in the value chain must do their part to achieve more sustainable and circular food systems, from production to storage, conservation and transportation. “Farmers are not only the first responders, they are also frontline communities threatened by climate change. We need to help our farmers to build resilience,” he noted.

Speaking on behalf of FAO, Food Safety and Quality Officer at the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, Mary Kenny, congratulated the European Union on the ambitious Farm to Fork Strategy and pointed out that European Union policies can have a direct impact on neighboring countries, particularly in the Central Asia region. “The EU strongly contributes to global discussions in platforms such as the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), where the ideas of the Farm to Fork Strategy are discussed and promoted outside of the EU,” she remarked.