Former European Commissioner for Agriculture Franz Fischler has criticised European farmers for using global food security concerns in the debate on emissions targets.

He said that “very often” he sees farm organisations saying “we must produce more food for Africa”, but that he doesn’t “believe in this”.

The Austrian politician said that rather than seeking to feed people in Africa, European countries should be working to support countries on the continent produce their own food themselves.

Fischler, who was agriculture commissioner in Brussels from 1995 to 2004, was speaking at the Irish Farmers Journal Future of Europe conference on Friday.

However, on the impact of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 and concerns it will curtail European food production, the former commissioner said he’s a “believer in midterm reviews”.

He called on policy makers to “think about what way a midterm review of the CAP could be used”.

Rural development

Fischler also described how a cross-policy approach to rural development is required across Europe.

He said that in Europe, “the rural world is dramatically decreasing” and warned that “you cannot solve this problem only with agricultural policy”.

He said a “holistic” approach requires a combination of social and economic with agricultural policy instead.

Also speaking at the Future of Europe conference, Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan also focused on the importance of a midterm review of the CAP Strategic Plan.

He highlighted that “economically, [the CAP] is going to leave a cohort of farmers behind” and described examples of the impact on and current situation of the suckler and pig sectors.

Examining the extent of this impact, he said, will be “critical” in any midterm review.

Sectoral approach

Fischler and Cullinan were joined by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and head of unit at the European Commission Director General Climate Christian Holzleitner.

Discussing the road ahead for emissions reduction from agriculture, Minister McConalogue said “all aspects of the agri-food sector have to stick to one another” and “back up the same policy”.

He was pushed on the emissions reduction target to be set for Irish agriculture, currently under negotiation with his cabinet colleague Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan.

Minister McConalogue said his objective is to secure an emissions reduction target for the farm sector, which won’t “force anyone to reduce the national herd”, something he said he has been “very clear on”.

The Minister said he is working to secure an emissions reduction target which is “ambitious”, but which enables Ireland to continue to produce food sustainably.

Baseline emissions

Holzleitner suggested that the “first thing we need is to be able to calculate and monitor” carbon emissions.

He said all the “additional capabilities” when it comes to reducing emissions from agriculture make “no sense” if we’re not able to establish this baseline.

When it was suggested that the Department of Agriculture hasn’t done enough to establish carbon sequestration and baseline levels on Irish farms, Minister McConalogue said he “wouldn’t agree” with this.

He claimed that the Department is “investing very significantly” in “having verifiable and credible mechanisms of doing that” and used research and measurement being carried out by Teagasc as an example.

He said he is happy that Irish farmers will be able to measure their carbon baselines in five years and highlighted the environmental and policy assessment this will enable.

Tim Cullinan was less optimistic on the area of carbon measurement and suggested that progress is “going to take quite a while”.

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