With around 70 per cent of Europe’s soils in poor health, the European Union has launched the EU Soil Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ to reverse this deterioration and make soils more sustainable across the continent. The European Commission’s effort to coordinate this vital work recognises soil as the essential...

As Europe's rural population ages and diminishes in size, Food for Europe looks at the EU's Long Term Vision for Rural Areas. The EU spends around a third of its budget to support farming, but agriculture is just one of many elements that must be present for rural communities to thrive....

gricultural land accounts for approximately 40% of the total Natura 2000 (N2K) network area. Therefore, many habitats and species protected under the Habitats and Birds Directives are dependent on or linked to agricultural practices. This implies that sustaining agriculture of a high natural value is a priority in achieving the...

Organic farming is a farming method that uses natural substances and processes to produce food. This means that organic farming has a low environmental impact. In accordance with the EU regulation for organic production, it is very restrictive on the use of different synthetic products and prohibits the use of...

Episode 18 of Food for Europe takes a long look at agriculture in the Czech Republic, following its assumption of the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. Like all EU member states, Czechia is trapped in a storm of events outside its control, with farmers badly hit...

The LIFE Olivares Vivos project developed an innovative model of olive growing that can be used elsewhere in Europe. Olive groves extend over nearly five million hectares of the EU. One of the main crops in Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, with nearly 1.9 million olive farms, the olive sector is...

This study focuses on how we can effectively maintain and enhance forest biodiversity in Europe. It looks at what is at stake, the current external and internal threats to forest biodiversity and makes recommendations for how we should respond – both in terms of forest management, and also in terms...

Agriculture is embedded in and interacts with both its ecological and social environments. Under the concept of ‘Multifunctional Agriculture’, these interactions receive attention from scientific and political communities in terms of societal functions that can be fulfilled by farms. The discourse has focused on ecological functions, while agriculture’s social contributions...

Agriculture needs to adapt to climate change to ensure food security. Agroforestry systems could help make farms more resilient, but they only constitute a fraction of farming in Europe. Is it time for change?

The past months were exciting for the ALL-Ready project and we have been working hard to prepare the future network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures. We are pleased to give you some insights on the project’s activities in this second edition of the ALL-Ready newsletter. Our recent activities...

Family farms’ support by legislative measures should be a crucial step for EU countries to ensure food security and a healthy environment in Europe. Therefore, the International conference - Increasing legislative support for family farms in the EU focuses on Family Farm Legislation and family farm policy at the EU member states’ level.

For many years, organic farming was and still is based on the use of the plow as the main tool for cultivating the soil. Plowing brings a considerable number of benefits to farmers, such as soil loosening and a phytosanitary effect - the regulation of diseases and pests as well as...

  The Roca brothers – Joan, Josep and Jordi – are third generation restaurateurs in their family who had a dream to start a new venture of their own. Their restaurant, Celler de Can Roca has been a great success, earning three Michelin stars and was named best restaurant in the world in...

Organic farming has countless benefits for the natural environment and society, but they are often overlooked. This article outlines some of the benefits of organic farming, exploring the role of science, consumers and research and innovation.

Ahead of the EU food initiatives such as the Sustainable food system law, Agroecology Europe proposes to adopt a food system approach on transition and to give more visibility to systemic solutions to transform our agriculture and food and make them more sustainable, healthy and fair. Among these solutions, increasing...

Pollinators, particularly bees, are essential constituents of our ecosystem, first of all as bioindicators of environmental health and second as providers of a variety in food production. They contribute to well-balanced diets and human health. In the EU around 80% of food crops, particularly fruits and vegetables, rely on animal...

“Rural Europe Takes Action – No more business as usual”, a policy guide for rural Europe by ARC2020 and Forum Synergies, launched in June 2022. Today’s extract from Rural Europe Takes Action tells the story of the Balkan Seeds Network, a network of scientists and seed savers’ organisations tapping into...

A profound transformation of agricultural production methods has become unavoidable due to the increase in the world’s population, and environmental and climatic challenges. Agroecology is now recognized as a challenging model for agricultural systems, promoting their diversification and adaptation to environmental and socio-economic contexts, with consequences for the entire agri-food...

Romeo Mikičić has been fishing in the azure waters of the Adriatic Sea for more than 40 years.The father of two is passionate about the sea and comes from generations of fishers who lived on the island of Cres, one of more than a thousand islands in the Republic of...

Many countries in Western Europe have a long tradition of applying land banking as part of the integrated toolbox of land management instruments. As with land consolidation, the traditional purpose of land banking has been to support agriculture and rural development by reducing land fragmentation and facilitating the enlargement of...