On Tuesday, June 25th, CEJA organized an afterwork in the framework of the COCOREADO Horizon 2020 project. The COCOREADO R&I Agrifood Afterwork brought together [young] farmers, researchers, agribusinesses, and policymakers to discuss the future of agricultural research and innovation in Europe, and how to use it to rebalance the position of farmers in value chains. The event started with a panel discussion composed of the following speakers:
• Diego Canga Fano, Director of DG Agriculture and Rural Development F – Outreach, Research & Geographical Indications
• Lisa van den Bossche, Researcher Associate at ILVO
• Lennart Nilsson, President of COGECA
• Peter Meedendorp, President of CEJA and Young farmer from the Netherlands
Diego Canga Fano, Director of DG AGRI’s Directorate F, echoed the importance of robust enforcement of the UTP Directive, emphasizing the need for tools to facilitate better cross-border enforcement. He highlighted significant budget allocations through the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), the European Innovation Partnership (EIP), and Horizon Europe for agriculture, environment, and bioeconomy, urging farmers to grasp bioeconomy opportunities to diversify income streams. He also recognized that some regulatory bottlenecks were still existing to fully unlock the sector’s potential.
Lisa van den Boosche, Research Associate for ILVO, focused on linking research to practical applications on the ground. Explaining how COCOREADO operated, she emphasised the importance of flexibility in grant agreements to tailor projects to the needs on the ground. She advocated for coherence between policy initiatives and research programming to align political discourse with practical support for farmers. Lisa described COCOREADO’s mission to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers, by leveraging feedback from project ambassadors to design practical solutions. She also highlighted the importance of ensuring public procurement is accessible to farmers to support local and sustainable agriculture.
Lennart Nilsson, President of COGECA, highlighted the pivotal role of cooperatives in empowering farmers and improving their positions within the value chain. He noted that cooperatives offer collective bargaining power, enabling farmers to secure better prices and a more balanced value chain. Nilsson also emphasized the importance of cooperatives investing in new technologies to meet evolving consumer demands, particularly in terms of traceability from farm to fork. These technological investments help consumers make informed choices and support small enterprises in achieving goals beyond individual farmers’ capabilities. Furthermore, Nilsson discussed the economic potential of bioeconomy projects, such as biorefineries, in adding value to agricultural production and promoting sustainability.
Peter Meedendorp, President of CEJA, emphasised the critical need to elevate farmers’ positions within the value chain to ensure long-term sustainability. He argued that secure contracts are vital for farmers to make substantial sustainability commitments, reducing their vulnerability and providing a stable foundation for future investments. Meedendorp also highlighted the importance of enforcing the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Directive across the EU, noting that fear of retaliation often prevents farmers from reporting abuses. He called for anonymity and effective cross-border enforcement to protect farmers and maintain a fair-trading environment. Additionally, he stressed that young farmers require genuine support, not just token inclusion in research projects, urging for a fundamental shift in programming policies to address their specific needs.
5 key takeaways for Future Research Programming
1. Utilise Research to strengthen the UTP Directive Enforcement: Use research models and data to prevent and detect unfair trading and improve the cross-border enforcement of the UTP Directive, providing support structures and anonymity to protect farmers from retaliation when reporting unfair practices.
2. Research in Long Value Chains: In research programming, it is important to consider the diversity of value chains especially when it comes to rebalancing the position of farmers for instance. Considering this diversity would ensure that research provides more accurate recommendations to policymakers.
3. Support Young Farmers to participate in EU Research Projects: Include young farmers as key stakeholders in research projects and not as tokens of the multi-factor approach, ensuring policies and initiatives are designed to support their unique needs and challenges.
4. Ensure Flexibility in Research Grants: Advocate for flexible grant agreements that allow for adjustments based on real-world feedback and practical insights like in the COCOREADO project.
5. Promote Policy-Research Coherence: Encourage research programmed in coherence with policies to provide a consistent and supportive framework for farmers.