The Future of Food and Farming
Commission, 2017 COM(2017) 713 final
Friday 2 February 2018, by Carlos San Juan
The EU’s farm sector and rural areas are major players in terms of the Union’s well-being
and its future. EU agriculture is one of the world’s leading producers of food, and
guarantees food security for over 500 million European citizens. The EU’s farmers are
also the first stewards of the natural environment, as they care for the natural resources
of soil, water, air and biodiversity on 48% of the EU’s land (foresters a further 36%)
and provide essential carbon sinks and the supply of renewable resources for
industry and energy. They also depend directly on these natural resources. Large
numbers of jobs depend on farming, either within the sector itself (which provides
regular work for 22 million persons) or within the wider food sector (farming, food
processing and related retail and services together provide around 44 million jobs). The
EU’s rural areas as a whole are home to 55% of its citizens1 while serving as major
bases for employment, recreation and tourism.