More diverse local food production is needed to safeguard EU food security, the rapporteur of the opinion “Safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of the food system”, Piotr Calbecki has said.
The EU needs to fully exploit the potential of local and regional supply chains, and food public procurement, he said warning that the food crisis today will not be the last one.
Russia’s war on Ukraine further destabilised agricultural markets and drove up already high food and input prices, in addition to the impacts of the pandemic and the climate crisis.
The EU must better prepare for future crises, including those linked to climate change and biodiversity loss, and reduce its dependence on imported fertilisers and pesticides, he said.
Members of the European Committee of the Regions recently discussed how to make the EU food system more sustainable and prepared for future crises at the 152th plenary session in Brussels.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski said short-term challenges must be addressed while maintaining the transition towards sustainable and resilient food systems.
“We need to improve the sustainability of our food systems, not only for environmental and climate reasons, but also to ensure our strategic autonomy and to reduce our dependencies.
“Local and regional authorities have first-hand knowledge of these issues and the European Commission strongly welcomes their cooperation, contributions, and solutions,” the commissioner said.
Food security
In the adopted opinion, led by Calbecki, local and regional leaders called for the strengthening of organic farming as well as systemic action to reduce food waste.
Investment in sustainable and high-quality local production, the shortening of supply chains and the implementation of a long-term strategy to ensure EU food security have also been recommended.
Local food security contingency plans and strategies need to be developed, and agricultural markets must be regulated to build up agricultural stocks and avoid financial speculations, leaders said.
More offers instead of bans are needed for the agriculture sector, German MEP Marlene Mortler of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development added.
“Global food security is a major challenge. And global challenges need global answers.
“The question today and tomorrow is how can we produce enough biomass for food production for more people, on less available land, in a way that conserves resources and is therefore sustainable,” she said.