When focussing on indicators used in different agri-environmental indicator frameworks we can conclude that there is no EU wide indicator for ecologically valuable grassland available. However, there are several indicators that do have a strong link as they include (among others) EVG areas or are based on species monitoring data...

The study aims to gain more knowledge of the environmental effects of farmland afforestation in order to better understand the factors behind successful afforestation in rural development programmes, and the pitfalls to avoid. Minor references are made to related measures such as afforestation of non-agricultural land and forestry measures for...

In the world, more than 80 per cent of farms are family farms – in total more than 500 million economic and social entities. In Europe 25 million people, 172 million hectares of agricultural land and 12 million farms are involved in EU agricultural production. A vast majority of these...

This note discusses the definitions, challenges and future prospects of family farming in the EU. Some challenges, such as market volatility and climate change, are general for all EU farm structures, but some are specific to family farmers: their smallness, lack of power within the food chain, and intergenerational farm succession. However, family farming...

Small farms have always been a cornerstone of agriculture in the EU. They play a significant role in supporting rural employment, contributing to territorial development. They are important for production, particularly in the form of local specialist products and provide important social, cultural and environmental services.  The last enlargements in 2004...

The European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is one of the EU’s oldest policies, and is a cornerstone of European cooperation. After more than a decade of post-World War II food shortages and hunger, CAP was originally intended to increase agricultural production, ensure food security, protect farmers’ quality of life...

Smallholder and family farming has come to dominate agriculture in the lower and middle-income countries of Europe and Central Asia as a result of the land reforms implemented in the 1990s. Food security in the region is under threat as many of the small farm units are presently not economically...

Shortly after the end of the Second World War, the six founding countries of the European Union implemented a common agricultural policy (CAP) with a view to increasing productivity, ensuring a fair standard of living for the agricultural community, stabilising markets, guaranteeing food supply and ensuring reasonable prices for consumers....

Small farms are an important rural reality in Europe. With an average area of 14 hectares, small holdings remain the ruling type of farms in the EU27. They represent richness by its multifonctionality” for the farming economy and the whole society in terms of territories occupation, maintaining biodiversity maintaining, landscapes,...

The contribution of family farms and in particular smallholder farms to food and nutrition security (FNS) has been gaining global attention, both in Europe and in the context of less developed countries. While small farms, as well as other small and micro-sized food businesses, have an important role to play...

There are many different combinations such as partnerships (GbR, OHG, KG), registered cooperatives (eG), limited liability companies (GmbH), investment companies, producer groups, purchasing groups, joint management, even cooperatives that concentrate on urban farming and other – with and without family farmers. There are many more differences between the legal basis...

Agriculture in the South-eastern European countries (SEEs) is very diverse in terms of natural and structural conditions, development status, and the manifold production potentials. It carries prominent historical and social components and great economic importance to rural development. There are noticeable structural and technological deficiencies. Another significant factor is the...

All families have stories. This is ours. It covers the last 50 years – hard times to start with, but better now. Farmers were almost a dying breed. Europe came to our rescue. The EU gave us incentives and provided a financial safety net. But we have earned every cent...

The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy adopted in December 2013 will make Europe's agricultural sector greener and more sustainable and provide it with a reliable and stable basis for the years to come. The funds made available via the Common Agricultural Policy support both farmers and rural areas. A total...

Even though Croatia is a small country (56 594 km2 ), it has very diverse topography; from Mediterranean, through Central European, mountainous and flat, to coastal and continental. It ranks as one of the top five European countries with regard to biodiversity, with some parts being among the richest areas...

In the EU, the peasant family agriculture is the major component of agricultural production, but it remains difficult to give an exact definition. A clear reference - not exclusive and must be applied in a specific way in each country - is the economic and territorial dimension of a farm....

Extended analyses and latest results of the Horticulture Network you find in the Horticulture Report 2014.

Recently, family farming has become a central element in the public debate over its fundamental role in rural areas. Family farms ensure agricultural and forestry production, as well as fishing and grazing, managed by a family that mostly depends on unpaid family labour, both women and men. From the 570 million...

The celebration of the IYFF (International Year of Family Farming 2014) gave impetus to a group of foundations to launch the European Foundations for Family Farming (E4F) initiative, with the support of the European Foundation Centre (EFC). This initiative seeks to raise the visibility of the family farming agenda among...

The paper analyses the manner in which organic agriculture has developed in the emerging countries of the European Union, in particular during the current economic crisis. Organic agriculture represents a continuously expanding sector in the European Union. In the period 2000-2012, the total utilized area for organic production increased by...