From the Common Agricultural Policy to Sustainable Food Systems

The author criticizes the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as an unequal and unsustainable system that prioritizes industrial production over environmental health and small-scale farming. The text advocates for a shift toward 'sustainable food systems'—defined as those guaranteeing food sovereignty and internalizing environmental costs—and highlights the role of the Greens in Belgium in promoting short supply chains, urban agriculture, and the relocalisation of food production to protect rural social fabrics.

• The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is characterized as an unfair and inefficient system that benefits landowners and large corporations rather than increasing farmer incomes. Evidence of this inequality is seen in the 2010 average payments, where old Member States received €7,486 compared to €1,552 for new Member States.
• The CAP has contributed to significant environmental degradation, including the loss of biodiversity and the pollution of air, soil, and water.
• The CAP represents a massive financial commitment, accounting for 40% of the EU budget, with €373,179 million allocated for the 2014-2020 period.
• The Greens advocate for a transition from a production-focused policy to an all-encompassing food policy that supports small farmers, young farmers, and urban farmers who avoid the industrial path.
• A sustainable food system is defined by the Conseil Fédéral du Développement Durable (CFDD) in Belgium as one that ensures the right to food and food sovereignty, provides affordable healthy food, and internalizes environmental and social costs in end prices.
• The industrialization of the agro-food sector has created a gap between producers and consumers, leading to long supply chains with negative environmental and social impacts. The Greens propose mitigating this through short supply chains and urban agriculture.
• Belgium has experienced a severe decline in its agricultural landscape between 1980 and 2010, losing 63% of its farms and 45% of its farmers, while the average size of farmland more than doubled.

APA

Knops, L. (2013). From the Common Agricultural Policy to Sustainable Food Systems. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/from-the-common-agricultural-policy-to-sustainable-food-systems/

Chicago

Knops, Louise. From the Common Agricultural Policy to Sustainable Food Systems. Green European Journal, 2013. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/from-the-common-agricultural-policy-to-sustainable-food-systems/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Knops |first1=Louise |title=From the Common Agricultural Policy to Sustainable Food Systems |publisher=Green European Journal |date=1 March 2013 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/from-the-common-agricultural-policy-to-sustainable-food-systems/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{knops2013from, author = {Knops, Louise}, title = {{From the Common Agricultural Policy to Sustainable Food Systems}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2013}, month = mar, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/from-the-common-agricultural-policy-to-sustainable-food-systems/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }