Farm to Fork's targets well within reach, confirms JRC study

03 August 2021
by WWF -- last modified 03 August 2021

A new assessment by the European Commission's in-house scientists shows that well-designed CAP strategic plans will be instrumental to accelerate the sustainability transition and minimise trade-offs.

What would Europe's agricultural production and markets look like in 2030 if the targets set out in the Farm to Fork Strategy [1] were achieved? Last week, the European Commission released its long-awaited report that provides some encouraging insights.

The report by the scientists from the Commission's Joint Research Centre suggests that, contrary to much of the criticism by Member States, the Farm to Fork targets of boosting organic farming and reducing the use of agrochemicals are well within reach – especially if the national Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans are smartly designed and support the adoption and upscaling of climate and nature-friendly agricultural practices. The modelling study also foresees a 20% reduction in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions – and up to 30% if Member States realise the potential of their CAP strategic plans.

"This report puts the ball back in the Member States' court," said Jabier Ruiz, Senior Policy Officer for Agriculture at WWF's European Policy Office. "The study clearly demonstrates that the Farm to Fork targets are realistic, provided that the political will is there to make them happen. It's now up to Member States to design good CAP strategic plans with ambitious eco-schemes."

Some opponents of the Farm to Fork's targets have focused on their potential impact on food security in Europe. While it is true that a decreased use of chemical inputs, such as fertilisers and pesticides, could somewhat reduce agricultural yields, this reduction would be negligible in the context of the EU's overall consumption and production. In addition, other Farm to Fork actions, such as the reduction of food waste and a move to more sustainable diets, would serve to counterbalance any decrease in yields.

"Let's remember that one-fifth of EU food goes to waste and two-thirds of our cereal production is used for animal feed, so this trade-off could be easily absorbed without significant impacts on the food system," Jabier Ruiz said. "At the farm level, an increase in the CAP subsidies received for delivering on the targets would also help balance out any potential loss of income from markets".

WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. The European Policy Office contributes to this by advocating for strong EU environmental policies on sustainable development, nature conservation, climate and energy, marine protection, sustainable finance and external action.

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