Latest from Brussels

Sustainable Food Systems Law – EU Food Policy Coalition’s Recommendations for a Meaningful Transition

 As the European Commission prepares for the launch of its proposal on the Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) Legislative Framework in late September, the EU Food Policy Coalition has published a joint report laying out clear policy recommendations for the SFS Law to ensure a meaningful transition to sustainable food systems across the European Union. Summary and report to download here. […]

Main stories

Are We Ready to Amend the CAP SP to Fit For 55?

Although the CAP Strategic Plans have been approved and are now being implemented, they are not closed files. Once a year, amendments can be proposed by Member States and, under specific conditions, other adaptations can be required. Recent readjustments of targets for climate mitigation in different legislations to meet the ambition of the Fit For 55 package should offer an opportunity to raise the ambition of CAP Strategic Plans on climate action. […]

Latest from EU Member States

Rural Resilience | A Collective Adventure

It’s a long road to building a new way of imagining life in the countryside. We are pleased to share with you ARC2020’s findings from the field in France: “Nos Campagnes en Résilience: Collective Reflections within Socio-Ecological Transition, 2020-2022” . Here we report on the journey so far for the people involved in this project, with an extract from the first chapter of the report: A Collective Adventure. By the “Nos Campagnes en Résilience” team. […]

Rural Resilience

Nos campagnes en résilience | Cogitations collectives au cœur de la transition socio-écologique

L’association ARC2020 vous invite à découvrir son analyse des recherches-actions menées sur le terrain en France : « Nos campagnes en résilience: Cogitations collectives au cœur de la transition socio-écologique, 2020-2022 », en publiant ici le premier chapitre de nos cogitations collectives : « La transition, une aventure collective ». Dès aujourd’hui, le rapport est disponible à télécharger gratuitement. […]

Latest from EU Member States

Feeding Ourselves 2023 – Diversified Diversification in Action

It’s good to be specific. It’s also good to be diverse. To be mixed and sometimes messy, to embed in a multiverse, a pluriverse, of things and people, of places and actions, of enabling infrastructure and strategic purpose. When it comes to making vibrant rural spaces, within our social and planetary boundaries, while living well, together…there’s a lot to be said for diversity – in its many, myriad forms. Welcome to Feeding Ourselves 2023 – a diversity love story. Words by Oliver Moore.  […]

Latest from EU Member States

Feeding Ourselves 2023 | Fertile Ground for System Change

Another rural is possible! ARC2020 and friends were in Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Ireland on March 25-26 for the annual Feeding Ourselves gathering, which takes food and farming as an entry point for moving towards fairer, more caring communities. What are the ingredients to cook up transformative system change? How can we build bridges between islands of practice? Why do we need to keep talking about gender? Louise Kelleher gives us a taste of conversations and connections at Feeding Ourselves 2023. […]

Latest from Brussels

CAP, the Commission and Livestock Supports – Money Matters

There is a perception that, when it comes to the farming end of the agri-food system, CAP is primarily about supporting land owners and family farms. Is this the case? And even if so, does the Commission sometimes use the basic underpinnings of CAP to gloss over what are in fact significant, embedded supports for the most intensive end of the farming systems, including livestock? What does this mean for other producers? We attended a webinar on livestock recently, and these questions came to the fore.  […]

Latest from EU Member States

Feeding Ourselves 2023 – Another Rural is Possible!

Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th March 2023, Cloughjordan, Ireland, where ARC2020 and friends come together to work on making another rural Ireland possible! This gathering is designed to facilitate community learning and movement building. It will be an opportunity to celebrate and connect to farming, food, our ecology and community, to learn more about practicing food sovereignty, seed sovereignty, agroecology, best policy and practice, the solidarity economy, rural inclusivity and diversity, and community-supported local food systems.  […]

Latest from Brussels

Excerpt | Arche Noah report on EU Seed Marketing Reform

In preparation of the Commission’s expected proposal for a new seed marketing legislation on June 7th, here we republish with permission an excerpt from the recent Arche Noah report called EU reform of seeds marketing rules: Which seeds for a just transition to agroecological and sustainable food systems? Th e full report delves into the details on the legislative process; here we introduce the general content with an excerpt on diverse seeds and on the EU seed market as it is.  […]

Latest from Brussels

“CAP is an Aberration in terms of Climate & Environmental Impact of Ag”

This weekend the Salon de l’Agriculture kicked off in Paris. Beyond the romanticised picture of farming presented at big agri-food fairs like this, the food and farming system shows no sign of change. So it is with the new CAP, which locks in unsustainable agricultural practices while eroding European cohesion. Carbon farming, offered as a solution, will change nothing in substance. Plus ça change, argues ARC2020 President Hannes Lorenzen in an Op-Ed for Le Monde. […]

Rural Resilience

Pollinisation croisée des idées du Portugal : Nos Campagnes en Résilience à Plessé

“Certaines des expériences partagées lors de cette rencontre sont tellement intéressantes et innovantes qu’elles méritent d’être reproduites au Portugal.” Ana Fonseca, de la communauté agroécologique Montado do Freixo do Meio au Portugal a rejoint le groupe et partage ses impressions sur la philosophie et la production alimentaire de l’événement sur la résilience rurale. […]

Latest from the ARC network

Cross-Pollinating Resilience From Portugal: Nos Campagnes en Resilience in Plessé

“Some of the experiences that were shared during this meeting are so interesting and innovative that they deserve to be replicated in Portugal.” Ana Fonseca, from the agro-ecological community Montado do Freixo do Meio in Portugal joined the cohort and shares her impressions on the philosophy and food production of the Rural Resilience event. […]