The European Commission's President, Ursula von der Leyen, has initiated the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture. This should help in developing a collective vision for the EU's agricultural and food system.
Outlined in the President's 2023 State of the Union address, the Strategic Dialogue will tackle challenges and opportunities identified by its participants. The forum aims to ensure a fair standard of living for farmers and rural communities, support sustainable agriculture, leverage technological innovation, and promote a prosperous future for the EU's food system.
Professor Peter Strohschneider, known for his role as chair of Germany's "Commission for the Future of Agriculture," has been appointed as the chair. The forum will consist of key stakeholders from the agri-food chain, non-governmental organizations, financial institutions, and academia. Thematic meetings will follow the inaugural meeting in 2024.
The Dialogue seeks to generate new solutions by combining diverse perspectives, with the goal of forming a shared vision for the EU agriculture and food sector by summer 2024. The chair, in collaboration with the participants, will define the final format of the conclusions.
President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the need for a new consensus on food and farming, acknowledging the challenges faced by the sector, including climate change, inflation, and volatile market impacts. The Strategic Dialogue is expected to strengthen understanding of these challenges and provide a platform for targeted discussions on the future of the Union's agri-food sector.
Source: ec.europa.eu