The European VISIONARY project is advancing in Budapest toward more sustainable and low-carbon agriculture.

Source: Agro-Food Cooperatives of Spain.

A new meeting of the European VISIONARY project , of which the Agro-Food Cooperatives of Spain is a part, was held in Budapest on September 8, 9 and 10.

VISIONARY 's main objective is to explore tools in agri-food markets that promote sustainable and climate-neutral agricultural systems, promoting environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially appropriate food production practices.

At the meeting, the project consortium presented some of the main results achieved so far:

• Carbon farming in Italy : The University of Trento concluded that farmers show a high willingness to adopt carbon farming measures. They rely more on public incentives than voluntary markets, although they consider a combination of both financing instruments useful.
• CO₂ tax in Denmark : The need for clear communication and tailoring strategies to farm size and type was noted, with farmers and cooperatives being included in the co-design of measures.
• Agri-environmental labeling in Germany, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom : The feasibility of labels reflecting commitment to biodiversity was analyzed. Farmers prefer government-origin certifications tailored to each country, although there is some concern about the bureaucratic burden this may entail.
• Supermarket interventions : A preliminary study by the University of Trento and Copenhagen Business School reveals that carbon footprint labeling on food can reduce consumption of products with higher emissions, although not eliminate them entirely.
• Organic farming in the EU : In Germany, Hungary, Poland, and the United Kingdom, the perception of measures to achieve 25% organic land area by 2030 was assessed. The most widely supported instrument is public funding, complemented by advisory programs and value chain development.

During the meeting held in Budapest, the importance of continuing to work on identifying and evaluating tools that facilitate the agri-food sector's transition toward a more sustainable model was highlighted.

In this regard, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España will continue its case study focused on the dairy sector through the '30 by 30 Alliance' , a commitment by eight cooperatives to reduce their emissions by 30% by 2030. This initiative underscores the key role of cooperatives in decarbonizing the sector and supporting their members in moving toward low-carbon production.