Farmers and organisations have underlined at this year’s Green Week workshop the key role of the sector to ensure sustainable rural areas for future generations by investing in resource efficiency and ecosystem services.
Farmers and agri-cooperatives presented their commitments to ensure this by presenting numerous innovative projects and initiatives.
The innovative projects aimed to ensure greener growth, resource efficiency and promote better communication and cooperation between various stakeholders.
The Workshop provided an excellent opportunity to debate good agricultural practices with representatives from the EU institutions, researchers, farmers, the public, showing our contribution to creating a sustainable agriculture sector for future generations.
'Dynamic networks' needed to deal with challenges
Speaking at the event, EU co-operative Copa & Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said: "The EU agriculture sector plays a key role in feeding a growing population at the same time as dealing with environmental and climate challenges.
"But to maximize our potential, farmers need training and advice and dynamic networks to increase their investments and to implement innovative solutions."
At the event, the NFU presented a new Campaign for the Farmed Environment which includes events and advice on enhancing land for on-farm biodiversity, protecting and utilising natural resources.
Whilst Coop de France presented a project to cut greenhouse gas emissions from French dairy farmers by 20% per litre of milk produced.
The Belgian Wallonian Farm Group (FWA) meanwhile showcased a project which intends to set up sustainable food chains by creating new cooperation models between all actors involved in the Walloniana gri-food industry.
In Finland the project supported by MTK recycles alkaline batteries to produce cost-effective fertilizers.
The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture presented a multiannual campaign to enhance agricultural practices in favour of biodiversity and the Baltic farmers showcased a project looking at the Baltic Sea Region sustainably producing daily food at the same time as preserving the Baltic Sea.
From Spain, Italy, Portugal and France, the agri-cooperatives displayed a project to extend the best available practices to propose solutions to ensure energy efficiency at cooperative level.
