Actions to strengthen the contribution of small farms and small food businesses to food security in Europe

Olga M Moreno-Pérez (1) , Laura Arnalte-Mur (1) , Pedro Cerrada-Serra (1) , Victor Martinez-Gomez (1) , Anda Adamsone-Fiskovica (2) , H. Bjørkhaug (3) , Gianluca Brunori (4) , Marta Czekaj (5) , Dominic Duckett (6) , Paola A Hernández (7) , Christina Noble (8) , Teresa Pinto-Correia (7) , Aleksandra Płonka (5) , Paolo Prosperi (9, 10) , Mark Redman (11) , Maria Rivera (7) , Sandra Šūmane (12) , Dionisio Ortiz-Miranda (1)

1 UPV - Universitat Politècnica de València = Universitad Politecnica de Valencia = Polytechnic University of Valencia
2 Baltic Studies Centre
3 RURALIS - Institute for Rural and Regional Research
4 University of Pisa - Università di Pisa
5 University of Agriculture in Krakow
6 GCU - Glasgow Caledonian University
7 University of Évora [Portugal]
8 The James Hutton Institute
9 CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier
10 UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences)
11 Highclere Consulting
12 baltic studies centre

This study stems from a participatory foresight exercise conducted in nine Mediterranean, Baltic, Nordic and Eastern European regions, aiming to strengthen the role of small farms and small food businesses in ensuring food security. A wide range of stakeholders participated by attending workshops. They represented farmers’ organisations, food businesses, consumers’ organisations, NGOs, researchers, extension services, professional groups, and administration and public bodies. The actions proposed by participants are scanned and categorised around six broad objectives, stakeholders’ priorities and their underlying beliefs and preconceptions are discussed around the current debates of the literature, and the drivers that influence the feasibility of the proposed actions are discussed. Furthermore, the alignment of stakeholders’ -driven objectives with the European Strategies on food, agriculture, and rural areas is examined, with a focus on: (i) the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, (ii) the Rural Action Plan contained in the Long-Term Vision of Rural Areas developed by the EU Commission, and (iii) the Common Agricultural Policy in force since January 2023.

Keywords: SMALL FARMS; SME; FOOD INDUSTRY; STAKEHOLDERS; FOOD SECURITY; CAP; FORECASTING; STRATEGY; EUROPEAN UNION; EUROPE; EASTERN EUROPE; NORTHERN EUROPE; BALKANS

Keywords: PETITE EXPLOITATION AGRICOLE; PME; INDUSTRIE ALIMENTAIRE; PARTIE INTERESSEE; SECURITE ALIMENTAIRE; PAC; PROSPECTIVE; STRATEGIE; UNION EUROPEENNE; EUROPE; EUROPE ORIENTALE; EUROPE DU NORD; BALKANS

Domains: Agriculture, economy and politics

Olga M Moreno-Pérez, Laura Arnalte-Mur, Pedro Cerrada-Serra, Victor Martinez-Gomez, Anda Adamsone-Fiskovica, et al.. Actions to strengthen the contribution of small farms and small food businesses to food security in Europe. Food Security, 2024, 16 (1), pp.243 - 259. ⟨10.1007/s12571-023-01421-0⟩. ⟨hal-04512746⟩