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ARC Conference renews call for paradigm shift and
rural renaissance
July 13 2011
Brussels, Belgium
The
second conference of the Agricultural and Rural Convention (ARC 2020)
was held in Brussels on 13 July 2011. The aim of the conference was to
reflect on the influence of ARC in communicating its position on reform
and how best to proceed over the next year. Prior to the conference a
gathering of ARC members, including Antje Kölling, Policy Coordinator at
IFOAM EU Group, explored a number of issues linked to reform of the CAP
including market measures, direct payments, sustainable farming,
greening of the CAP, public health and international and rural
development. With current proposals for the CAP failing to live up the
ARC’s aspirations for a paradigm shift in agriculture and food systems
and a rural renaissance, the gathering discussed the need for ARC to be
bolder in advocating a more holistic approach to agriculture and rural
development that addresses the social and economic needs and
environmental and developmental obligations of the European Union. To
this end members agreed that the ARC should continue its activities to
influence the legislative process over the next year.
During the
conference, attended by over two hundred people representing civil
society organisations, members of the European Parliament and other
interested individuals and organisations, delegates heard from key
experts about the future of agriculture and rural development policy.
Outlining the policy challenges and attitudes globally, Jim Harkness,
President of the Institute for Trade and Development Policy (IATP),
commended the work of European civil society organisations in pushing
for a paradigm shift and suggested that international alliances had much
potential for exchanging ideas and building sustainable food systems
globally. Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University London,
argued that it is critical that agriculture and food systems are linked
to public health, with greater attention directed towards the food
quality, dietary health and well-being issues. Finally, Erik Mathijs,
Professor of Agriculture and Food Economics at K.U. Leuven, outlined the
findings of the Report of the 3rd SCAR Foresight Exercise which points
to the need to move away from the narrative of ‘productivism’ to one of
‘sufficiency’ in farming and food consumption.
In the final
session of the conference delegates were addressed by key policy-makers
and legislators from the EU Institutions. Commissioner for Agriculture
and Rural Development, Dacian Cioloş outlined the importance of civil
society making its voice heard in the reform of the CAP and encouraged
the ARC to continue to engage with the legislative process following the
publication of the Commission’s legislative proposals. Rapporteur of
the European Parliament’s CAP towards 2020 report, Albert Deß stressed
the importance of retaining funding at current levels. While welcoming
the greening of direct payments he argued that this should be done
without creating added bureaucratic burdens for farmers. Polish
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister representing the EU
Presidency, Marek Sawicki, stressed the need for equity of funding
across the member states. The Commission is due to publish its
legislative proposals in the Autumn.
http://www.arc2020.eu/ |
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