WORKING BREAKFAST

Growing the Future: Sustainable Agrifood in Europe

Date: 13 May 2025 

Time: 8:00 – 9:30

Venue: European Parliament

About the Working Breakfast

The upcoming event titled “Growing the Future: Sustainable Agriculture in Europe” will delve into the evolving landscape of the European Union’s agrifood policies. As Europe faces increasing environmental challenges and geopolitical uncertainties, the role of agriculture in ensuring food security and sustainability has never been more crucial. This event will provide a platform for policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss the evolving landscape of sustainable agriculture in Poland and across the EU. Sustainability in agrifood extends beyond environmental considerations—it is about ensuring economic viability and social resilience. In both Poland and the EU, sustainable agriculture requires balancing productivity with resource efficiency, biodiversity preservation, and climate adaptation. The discussion will explore national and EU-wide strategies to promote sustainable farming, addressing regulatory frameworks and best practices that support a resilient agrifood sector. Agriculture plays a critical role in meeting the EU’s ambitious climate and environmental goals under the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy. As the EU seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance biodiversity, and transition to climate-friendly food systems, farmers are at the forefront of implementing these changes. The session will examine the balance between sustainability goals and the competitiveness of European farmers in global markets. Innovation is key to achieving sustainability in agriculture. Precision farming, digital tools, AI-driven monitoring, carbon farming, and biotechnologies offer new opportunities to optimize production while reducing environmental impact how Poland and other EU countries can integrate these technologies into mainstream farming practices and ensure accessibility for small and medium-sized agricultural businesses. The transition to sustainable agriculture requires substantial investment. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) provides funding to support environmentally friendly farming, but are current subsidy structures sufficient to meet sustainability objectives? This discussion will assess the effectiveness of financial support mechanisms, including EU grants, national funding, and private investment incentives, in promoting sustainable agricultural practices across Europe. With ongoing climate change, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions, securing a stable food supply is a growing concern for Poland and the EU. From droughts to shifting trade policies, external shocks are testing the resilience of Europe’s agrifood sector. Experts will discuss strategies to strengthen supply chains, diversify import sources, and enhance domestic production capacity while maintaining economic and environmental sustainability. Changing weather patterns, extreme temperatures, and unpredictable rainfall threaten food production. As climate conditions shift, agricultural yields, soil health, and water availability are becoming critical factors in food security. This session will highlight the risks posed by climate change to European and Polish agriculture, discuss adaptation strategies, and explore policies that can safeguard long-term food production.

Contact person:

Agata Boutanos – Director of Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers Brussels Office: a.boutanos@zpp.net.pl

Seyide Direk – Policy Analyst, European Enterprise Alliance: direk@enterprisealliance.eu

Agenda: Growing the Future: Sustainable Agrifood in Europe

Register here:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqOfZEyi9Y0m8m1nloEQ8g4P0ibrZFPedNoS_DuQAMCIPk5w/viewform