Debating the uncertain future of European agriculture

Questions remain over the future shape and purpose of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) beyond 2013.

In particular, agricultural policy will need to adapt to climate change, to the challenge of food security and above all it will need sufficient funding to do so. 

In addition to affecting agriculture, these issues are all important for health equity, as acknowledge by the WHO.

“Climate change, urbanization, rural development, agriculture, and food security are intertwined determinants of population health and health equity,” said a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

Health equity is therefore directly relevant to the agenda of workshops on the future of the CAP, such as that recently held by the European Parliament’s Agricultural and Rural Development Committee.
 
Paolo de Castro, chair of the committee, reminded people that change to the CAP is imminent given the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, which will give the European Parliament the power of co-decision over agricultural affairs and the EU Budget review.

Discussing the future priorities of the CAP and how these priorities should be funded, President of the Agriculture Council Eskil Erlandsson stressed that climate change considerations must be factored into future CAP priorities.
   
The challenge of food security was raised by Marianne Fischer Boel, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who said that “the predicted growth in the world population will lead to an increase in food production of about 70%-100% by 2050 and this will have a direct affect on dietary patterns due to the increase in meat consumption in Asia”.

There were others who were keen to push for a more health conscience CAP, where agricultural output reflects healthy eating patterns and includes dairy and meat produce with lower fat and saturated fat contents.

Public health organisations are also encouraging the European Commission to extend the Most Deprived Person scheme while also continuing to invest in the European School Milk Scheme and School Fruit Scheme.
   
The European Commission is expected to produce a “menu” of general options for discussion on CAP reform in the second half of 2010, with a view to presenting more concrete proposals in 2011.

Please follow these links for more information about the EU Common Agricultural Policy, the Most Deprived Persons Scheme and the European School Milk Scheme.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health is available here.

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