On July 15th, Commons Network co-hosted an online panel discussion on the topic of a just agricultural transition beyond growth. In this blog, we share takeaways on the needed practices and policy reforms for creating a post-growth food system. How does the growth imperative take shape in farming practices and European policies, and what are the environmental and social impacts of such a food system? What kind of practices are flourishing to combat this, and how should policies such as the CAP be reformed to meet social and ecological objectives? You can watch the recording of the event and stay tuned on our website for our upcoming publications on postgrowth.
The panel discussion
This event was organized in collaboration with Oxfam Novib, Friends of the Earth Europe, Wellbeing Economy Alliance, and the European Environmental Bureau. The panel discussion, moderated by our director Sophie Bloemen, brought together politicians, farmers union representatives and members of civil society from all over Europe. We were joined by Andreas Lackner, member of regional parliament and chairman of the Green Farmers in Austria; Natalie Bennett, member of the House of Lords from the British Green party; Ivan Ivanov, from the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT); Ajda Pistotnik, researcher and director of the PolicyLab in Slovenia; as well as two farmers and youth organizers from La Via Campesina Europe, Paola Laini from Italy & Jean Matthieu Thévenot from France.
During the discussion, Natalie Bennett described the British government’s push for industrial monoculture, a food production system where profit rules over quality, at the cost of human health and biodiversity. She argues that we need a turn around: to encourage small farming, crop diversity and local distribution. Jean Matthieu Thévenot criticized the commodification of food on international trade markets, and Paola Laini highlighted the lack of democratic involvement of farmers and rural communities in decision-making. Food sovereignty, as conceptualized by La Via Campesina, stands for “the possibility for a territory to decide collectively and democratically how food should be produced and distributed”. On the other hand, Andreas Lackner underscored the extinction of small farmers as the direct result of this growth-based model, which is also inscribed in the CAP subsidies, and urged for European labour regulations to stop the exploitation of farm workers. The land concentration effect of the CAP were also discussed by Ajda Pistotnik, who studied this phenomenon from the European periphery, where small farmers have to develop strategies such as community supported agriculture schemes to survive. Lastly, Ivan Ivanov criticized the lack of social and ecological indicators related to CAP subsidies, and linked the systematic exploitation of farm workers to the power of big retailers and financial investors in the agricultural sector.
Watch the recording of the event here:
Postgrowth approaches to food system change
The post-growth critique puts forth that our food system is plagued by the growth imperative and the concentration of market power, and that we need to democratically reclaim and reorganize it in order to meet social and ecological objectives. Indeed, the model of industrial monoculture causes the depletion and poisoning of our soils; it is organized to produce ever-more from a parcel for short-term profits.
This ‘race to the bottom’ is also fueling exploitation in the agricultural sector and the extinction of small-scale and ecological farming in Europe. Furthermore, the concentration of power in the hands of multinational corporations, retailers and investors across the food production chain enables the exploitation of small farmers and farm workers in Europe and globally. This system creates huge profits for big agribusinesses, but comes at the expense of small farmers, farm workers and peasant communities; of environmental protection and biodiversity; and of the access to healthy foods for all.
Which farming & food system practices should we embrace for postgrowth agricultural transition?
- Food sovereignty: In the definition of La Via Campesina, food sovereignty is the possibility for a territory to decide collectively and democratically how food should be produced and distributed.
- Small-scale farming: We need to foster small-scale farming as opposed to the concentration of land ownership in the hands of big agribusinesses.
- Crop diversity:The current model of industrial monoculture destroys the environment. Instead, the diversity of crops enables a greater regeneration of our soils and flourishing ecosystems.
- Local distribution systems: E.g. Community Supported Agriculture schemes, by which farmers receive a stable income and are anchored in the local and nearby urban communities.
How should we reform current European policies such as the CAP to meet ecological and social objectives?
- Changing hectare-based payment system (CAP Reform)
We should reform the hectare-based payment system, subsidize the first 20 hectares on a higher level and put a ceiling on direct payments, in order to support small farmers and reduce subsidies to big landowners.
- Social conditionality (CAP Reform)
We need to include social and ecological indicators in the CAP subsidies, to reward farmers who respect the environment, workers and local communities, for e.g. by creating good employment in rural areas.
- Social security schemes for the transition (CAP Reform)
Instead of direct payments, the CAP should be used for paid training and generational renewal, enabling farmers to anticipate and participate in the transition.
- Other policies: Stronger European market regulations for imports; Public stockholding; Implementation of European standards for labour regulations; stronger environmental regulation instead of Carbon farming credits/ETS.
Upcoming publications on postgrowth
As part of the Postgrowth pan-European network project, Commons Network and Oxfam Novib are developing a series of ‘Explainers’ on postgrowth, zooming in on specific sectors. We aim to make the knowledge exchanged in our events accessible and concrete, to create systemic change. In the upcoming Explainer on Food, we will delve deeper into post-growth approaches to food, and share insights on strategy and policies to build a food system beyond growth. These ‘Explainers’ will be published in the spring, so stay tuned on our website and social media!