Nearly 38 million people in the European Union (EU) do not have access to sufficiently healthy and sustainable food, the non-governmental organization (NGO) WWF warned this Wednesday, assuring that it is a trend that has been growing since 2015.
In a report published on Wednesday, WWF declared that the current EU food system is a threat, as it relies heavily on the import of “expensive” agricultural raw materials – such as fertilizers – to support intensive agriculture, “encouraging a low healthy consumption”. .
“The EU food system is causing biodiversity loss and, at the same time, climate change is making it extremely difficult for many citizens to access healthy and sustainable food,” said Giulia Riedo, WWF’s Head of Sustainable Food and Agriculture Policies. .
In Europe, the proportion of arable land used to feed livestock is higher than the world average, as more animal products are consumed per capita and there is a strong export market for animal products, according to the document.
The NGO noted that if plant-based crop production is promoted and meat consumption is reduced, feed imports and fertilizer use would decrease by 23.4% and, with cost reduction, healthy eating. it would be more accessible.
In addition, the report noted that the EU is particularly “vulnerable” to distortions in the fertilizer market, as they account for 18% of raw material costs for crops.
In the EU countries there are 179.9 million hectares of agricultural land, of which 74% is fertilized.
WWF ensures that reducing feed consumption by animals, particularly feed from intensive factory farming systems, which are highly dependent on imported feed and fertilizers, would reduce the total amount of land needed and would have beneficial effects on the environment. environment, human well-being and well-being. and human health.
“Food and fertilizer imports disrupt nutrient cycles, are an inefficient use of calories and have significant environmental impacts,” WWF noted.
The EU legislative framework for sustainable food systems, the organization noted, must set out a vision for 2050 and ensure coherence between food-related policies.
The report considered that this community policy must include binding intermediate and final goals that apply to the entire food system, from production to consumption, and include an evaluation mechanism that monitors all progress.
According to WWF, the European Commission’s “Farm to Fork” strategy gives Europe “the opportunity to be a net exporter of calories, nutrients and protein while improving food security and long-term resilience.”
Source: TSF
