An informal meeting of the Council of Ministers for Agricultural of the European Union (EU) took place in Cordoba (Spain) from 3 to 5 September, where possible initiatives and necessary actions to accelerate introduction of new technologies into EU agriculture have been discussed.
Agriculture and food production are already adversely affected by climate change, but the UN forecasts that 9.7 billion people will need to be fed globally in 2050. This is a challenging task, as current agricultural production and food systems need to be transformed on a sustainable basis. At the same time, climate change must be slowed down and biodiversity preserved, and economic operators must remain able to earn money through agricultural and food production.
Spain, as the Presidency of the Council of the EU, considers that innovation and technology can become key drivers of the transformation of food systems. The Presidency encourages EU Member States to promote a dramatic modernisation of the agri-food industry and to use financial support from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as an instrument for this purpose. The introduction of precision technologies makes it possible to reduce the consumption of various resources, including plant protection products, thereby reducing environmental impacts and increasing productivity. Spain also encourages active innovation and gene modification in plant breeding.
At the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers for Agriculture, ZM said that introduction of state-of-the-art technologies and digitisation in production requires significant monetary resources. They can be provided either through regular income support or through regular market income. Technology, on the other hand, must be affordable and cost-effective. The technologies put in place must save resources, but not at the expense of productivity.
Improving of digital platforms, smart farming solutions, as well as artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms may prove important to ensure changes in agricultural and food production. E-commerce and direct sales should not be forgotten either, according to ZM. Access to information and innovative educational solutions are equally important, especially in the segment of small and medium-size enterprises.
In Cordoba, Ministers for Agriculture from EU Member States discussed the most appropriate and effective forms of action for the common changes in EU agriculture and food production. Ministers also discussed how to implement innovative methods and digital solutions most effectively for EU companies.