News

23rd NRN Meeting: Highlights report and synthesis of session on CAP networks & innovation available!

The meeting report of the 23rd National Rural Networks Meeting (20 - 21 September 2022) is now available on the event page in English. On the same page you can find a synthesis of the session on CAP networks & innovation, as well as a summary of the field trips, presentations, videos and pictures of the day.

The ENRD Contact Point, jointly with the Dutch Rural Network, organised the 23rd National Rural Networks meeting in the Netherlands as part of the International Conference: It’s time to fly.

The aims of the meeting were to identify and discuss the role of the CAP networks in supporting green architecture of the CAP. It provided an opportunity to explore different approaches how can NSUs strengthen innovation support working with advisors, researchers, and practitioners on preparing innovative projects and to provide an update on rural networking activities carried out by the EU networks’ Support Units. A working session on specific networking activities, including the Rural Inspiration Awards Cluster vote took place too.

Read the highlights report to find out more about this event.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
27/01/2023

Workshop on Implementing the CAP Green Architecture: Meeting highlights

The highlights report of the Workshop on Implementing the CAP Green Architecture (20 September 2022) is now available.

Participants met in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, to explore approaches and possible solutions for maximising environmental and climate ambition through the range of interventions Member States are planning to use within their CSPs.

This workshop was part of the International Conference ‘It’s time to fly’, hosted by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
02/12/2022

2nd meeting of the Thematic Group on Sustainability Agreements - report available

The highlights report of the 2nd meeting of the Thematic Group (TG) on Sustainability Agreements (1 June 2022) is now published.

This second and final meeting built on the discussions flowing from the first meeting and the examples collected further exploring how the added value of Sustainability Agreements is being realised by businesses and consumers alike.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
04/10/2022

ENRD Workshop on Implementing the CAP Green Architecture - Presentations available

The ENRD Workshop on Implementing the CAP Green Architecture took place online on 20 and 21 September 2022. Presentations from the day are available on the event page. 

The aim of the workshop was to support the fine-tuning of relevant interventions within the new green architecture of the CAP, with a view to their effective implementation once the CAP Strategic Plans enter into force in January 2023.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
30/09/2022

Soil carbon: key messages

EU soils are losing carbon and a new briefing note from the European Environmental Agency (EEA) presents soil carbon information extracted from the 2021 national greenhouse gas inventories, as reported by Member States for the year 2019.

EEA analysis in the online briefing gives an overview on the status of soil carbon pools across Europe. It states that during 2019, Member States reported a loss of carbon from 17.8Mha of land with organic soil (4.2% of the total land area), corresponding to emissions of 108Mt CO2, while 387.6Mha of mineral soil secured net removals of 44Mt CO2. EEA also point out that trade-offs can occur in climate mitigation action including an increase in non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions, which can have negative consequences for biodiversity and food production. Thus, careful consideration of co-impacts should be considered when planning and implementing different land use practices.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
28/09/2022

Improving the monitoring of CAP’s Green Architecture

The European Evaluation Helpdesk for Rural Development has highlighted recent research that shows how machine learning can help birdlife monitoring in grasslands receiving CAP support.

This automated methodology is capable of monitoring CAP’s success in protecting steppe birds through Green Architecture schemes that aim to improve feeding and breeding conditions of these species. It applies satellite data from the EU’s Earth observation programme (Copernicus) in a tool that continuously monitors 100% of a specified area continuously over time. This helps optimise administrative resources and provides an effective picture of biodiversity habitat conditions.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
28/09/2022

Operational Group projects from Romania, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands

Several new and updated projects from Operational Groups in Romania, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands have been published on the EIP-AGRI Support Facility’s website.

The list of the new and updated innovative projects covers a broad collection of different topics including innovative bioproducts for fruit protection; short-supply chains; livestock management; climate action; agri equipment; and much more. See the newly published Operational Groups’ projects, as well as the full list of over 2 300 Operational Groups’ actions, on the EIP-AGRI Support Facility’s website.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
28/09/2022

EU banana production benefits from CAP funding

Bananas might not be thought of as a common EU crop, but banana production supports the livelihoods of many farming families in Member States and new report highlights how important CAP support is for the EU’s banana sector.

Bananas are one of the most important crops in the EU outermost regions where the largest producers are found in Spain (Canary Islands), France (Martinique and Guadeloupe) and Portugal (Madeira and Azores). CAP supports the competitiveness of these EU banana farms and their partners in food value chains through rural development funding and POSEI aid. The name POSEI refers to the French acronym Programme d'Options Spécifiques à l'Éloignement et l'insularité. POSEI uses the European Agricultural Guidance Fund to support specific measures for agriculture in the outermost regions.

Findings from the recent analysis of EU banana production show that the CAP’s funding has had a positive impact on the sector. Other observations note that EU trade policy has been able to achieve a good balance between different objectives by respecting the EU’s international obligations, maintaining a stable relationship with all EU trading partners and meeting the steadily increasing EU consumption.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
28/09/2022

Food labelling: consumer feedback studies

A suite of new evidence is available to help inform policy makers and practitioners involved with food information. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling, alcohol content, place of origin, and other labelling practices have been assessed by the Joint Research Council (JRC).

A synthesis of these research findings promoted this month indicates that information about both country of origin and place or region of origin is shown to have a substantial influence on consumers’ food choices. In addition, menu labels, shelf-labels, and point-of-sale signs, can be more effective at influencing consumers towards healthy behaviours, when compared to online means that require external tools (i.e. QR codes or website links) to access the information.

Consumers generally value front-of-pack nutrition labels as a quick and easy way to acquire nutrition information when making purchase decisions. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling also seems to provide incentives to food businesses to improve the nutritional quality of their products, such as by reducing added salt or sugars.

Source:
  • ENRD Contact Point
Publication date: 
28/09/2022

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