Sam is currently employed in the agricultural sector. We will guide you through the challenges that Sam is facing today and in the near future. ↓

The demand for cropland and grazing land for cattle has increased due to a growing population and a preference for meat-based diets. However, this exploitation of current land leads to harm to the soil's fertility, air and water pollution, and more greenhouse gases due to monoculture crops and the use of pesticides and fertilizers. The industrialization of land cultivation by fossil-fuelled processes further exacerbates the problem. The production of meat and other animal products has a significant environmental impact, as it requires croplands and harms grazing land by reducing biodiversity and causing erosion. Additionally, cattle produce large amounts of methane, further contributing to the problem.

The agriculture and food-related industries provide jobs for over 44 million people in the EU, with 20 million working in the agricultural sector alone. The EU is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of agricultural products due to its varied climate, fertile soil, technical skills of its farmers, and quality of its products.

DID YOU KNOW ?

  • In most regions of the world, over 70% of freshwater is used for agriculture.

  • Agriculture accounts for around 10% of total GHG emissions in the EU.

  • About half the area of the European Union is agricultural land.

CLIMATE CHANGE CONSEQUENCES ↓

  • Extreme weather conditions, including heatwaves, droughts, and floods, can severely disrupt farming cycles resulting in crop failures

  • Livestock can also be threatened by heat and drought, leading to stress, increased vulnerability to diseases, and decreased fertility.

  • Additionally, changes in temperature can impact the spread of insects and weeds, which can negatively affect crop productivity..

GREEN DEAL ↓

The EU Green Deal

The EU has developed a new growth strategy called the European Green Deal in response to the current environmental changes. This strategy aims to achieve a climate-neutral Europe by 2050 and zero net emissions of GHG. The Green Deal comprises 8 policy areas that cover all sectors and industries.

Agriculture > ‘Farm To Fork’ policy

These guidelines aim to assist the agricultural sector of the EU in becoming more competitive, resilient and enhance its environmental and climate performance. The policy intends to aid in the transition towards a sustainable food system where food security is guaranteed for everyone. Each actor in the food chain, particularly farmers and fishers who are at the beginning of the supply chain, will have a crucial part to play in this transition.

    • Sustainable Food Production

    • Sustainable Food Processing and Distribution

    • Sustainable Food Consumption

    • and Food Loss and Waste Prevention

    • Make 25% of EU agriculture organic, by the year 2030

    • Reduce by 50% the use of pesticides by the year 2030

    • Reduce the use of fertilizers by 20% by the year 2030

    • Reduce nutrient loss by at least 50%

    • Reduce the use of antimicrobials in agriculture by 50% by 2030

    • Create sustainable food labelling

    • Reduce food waste by 50% by 2030

    • Dedicate to Research & Innovation related to the issue of €10 billion

GOOD EXAMPLES ↓

Putting technology and innovation at the service of sustainable agriculture. Nordic Harvest is the largest vertical farm in Europe. Today, production is limited to salads and aromatic herbs, but the company also plans to produce berries within two years, and root vegetables within five to ten years.

Green transition - Danmark
Vertical farming

Belgian food tech startup Paleo has announced that it has raised €2 million in seed funding round. A specialist precision fermentation protein developer, Paleo has earmarked the funds for further product R&D and future facilities design. Their mission? To make animal proteins, without animals.

Green transition - Belgium
Precision fermentation

Save Soil is a global movement launched by Sadhguru, to address the soil crisis by bringing together people from around the world to stand up for Soil Health, and supporting leaders of all nations to institute national policies and actions toward increasing the organic content in cultivable Soil.

Green transition - Global movement
Save soil

FUNDING ↓

The "green direct payment" is meant for farmers who implement methods that align with environmental and climate objectives. Farmers are eligible for these payments when they adopt three mandatory practices that promote environmental benefits.

  • Greater crop diversity makes soils and ecosystems more resilient.

  • Grassland promotes carbon storage and protects biodiversity (habitats).

  • Area favourable to biodiversity, e.g., with trees and hedges, or fallow land, where special habitats can develop.

JUST TRANSITION
Discover which actions you can undertake ↓

  • The agricultural sector requires more focus on social dialogue. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) notes that rural workers are frequently left out of the social dialogue process and scope.

  • According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), social protection in agriculture is essential to break the cycle of poverty. Many farmers are aware that climate changes will affect their jobs. For instance, livestock farmers are concerned about the environmental impact of meat consumption. To encourage farmers to embrace the transition, a social safety net is necessary. However, the agriculture sector is currently facing labour rights issues. Forced and child labour are still prevalent in food chains. Social protection is needed to prevent these problems. Social protection has been shown to support productive investments that can help alleviate credit constraints and encourage risk-taking. Ultimately, this will promote entrepreneurship and productivity.

  • The agricultural sector is facing a challenge with the decreasing number of young farmers, which is causing the average age of farmers to rise. To address this issue and promote the green transition, the sector should adopt digitization and technologies. This will not only attract younger generations but also revitalize the agricultural industry. Additionally, organic farming requires more labour. A necessity for the survival of the sector is the diversification of activities and adaptation of new techniques.

  • To make a successful transition, farmers will need to adapt their practices, knowledge, and skills. It's important to provide training on low-impact methodologies and technologies to avoid losing competitiveness.

  • The use of digital technologies is increasing, and in some countries, drones are already being utilized to perform farm work. Other technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, machine learning, data collection, and computing will soon be introduced to improve the sector's efficiency and competitiveness. These advancements will assist farmers in enhancing their physical labour, decision-making, and monitoring capabilities.

  • It is important that the benefits of digital technologies and low-impact techniques are not limited only to wealthy farmers. Smaller and less financially capable farmers may struggle to keep up with these upgrades, resulting in them being left behind. It is not fair for farmers to bear the cost of reskilling. This issue is particularly prevalent in rural areas, where income levels can be more volatile. To ensure fairness between Member states, a support system for the necessary investments and infrastructure is required.

  • Diversifying operations into more climate-friendly activities that are more resilient to climate change. E.g. transitioning to climate-resilience rice varieties that are tolerant to extreme drought.

  • Using new techniques based on research and development to successfully grow the current crops in the new climate conditions.

  • Relying on digital technologies to conduct labour-intensive tasks. Adopting these technologies also reduces the exposure of farmers to extreme weather conditions.

  • Reducing herd sizes and making their feeding regimes more efficient to mitigate emissions.

  • Switching to renewable energy in vehicles, machinery, farms, and greenhouses.

  • Increasing focus on organic farming. This minimizes the use of fertilizers, antibiotics, and pesticides.

More specific actions ↓

GREEN TRANSITION
Discover which actions you can undertake ↓

  • To maintain the best possible condition of your land, it is important to diversify your crops. Greater crop diversity makes soils and ecosystems more resilient.

    If you are an agricultural and horticultural farmer declaring 10 ha or more of eligible arable land, you must grow at least 2 or 3 different main crops. (EU measure: green direct payment)

  • Vertical farming produces far greater crop yields than conventional farming methods without a large environmental footprint. Instead of being planted in soil, crops are plugged into a system of nutrient-rich water and kept at the optimal temperature, under specially designed lighting.

  • Have you ever considered the possibility of consuming meat that is produced without harming any animals? The traditional method of meat production involves breeding or inseminating animals, allowing them to grow and then slaughtering them to obtain meat and by-products. However, with the new technique, meat can be produced in a controlled environment using healthy cells from healthy animals. This results in a safer and hygienic process as the cells are not exposed to any pathogens or conditions that animals may be exposed to.

  • Farmers can gain valuable insights into their plots or livestock through data analysis. Real-time processing of this data can aid in better planning and anticipating risks related to weather, health, economics, and environment. Utilizing sensors in fields, collars for livestock, drones over crops, and various types of robots can significantly enhance on-farm monitoring.

    • Measurement of the quality and quantity of grass in the pasture for dairy cows

    • An overview of vegetation to be sprayed in the vineyard

    • Detection of pests in the agricultural plots

    • Determination of the best installation sites of traps

    • Survey of crop maturity, etc.

  • By observing and measuring farm locations and materials, the VRF method can be utilized. This falls under the category of precision agriculture, which involves fertilizing a field based on the precise location of the material or the specific qualities of the area requiring fertilization. This method can result in cost savings of up to €25 per acre.

  • The consumer preference towards alternative / plant proteins and dairy products has led to a significant increase in sales. It is projected that sales of alternative proteins will continue to increase by approximately one-third each year from 2018 to 2025.

    • Produce protein-rich animal feed: field beans, peas, local soya

    • Less import of alternative / plant proteins from the United States and South America.

    • Agriculture can not only produce more protein crops for animal consumption, but also for human consumption. For protein-rich crops such as soy and quinoa, new chains must therefore be developed that can offer farmers security of sale.

  • Storing carbon on the farm, for example in the soil or woody landscape elements, CO2 from the atmosphere is captured. Thus, agriculture makes a positive contribution in the fight against climate change.

    • Soil-friendly soil operations

    • Use of green cover crops

    • Crop rotation

    • Rotational grazing: Grasslands have a high but underutilised capacity to store carbon in the soil. To maximise this potential, it is essential that grasslands are well managed.

    • Conservation of permanent grassland: grassland promotes carbon storage and protects biodiversity (habitats)

QUIZ ↓