H2020 SMARTCHAIN Project: Towards innovation: smart and driven solutions in short food supply chains

Many agroecological futures are possible in Europe. New research demonstrates how sustainable agriculture not only benefits the environment but also empowers farmers and rural communities. For most of history, farming was a local affair, with farmers producing only enough food to feed their families or sustain the local community. But with industrialization, urbanization, and population growth, agriculture became increasingly intensive. While this led to lower costs and increased production, these achievements often came at the expense of the environment.

Now, as the world grapples with the effects of climate change, there is an urgent need to rebalance our agricultural system with the right mix of sustainability and productivity. "In this regard, increasing the implementation of agroecological approaches is critical to ensuring sustainable food production in the future," says Gerald Schwarz, a researcher at the Thünen Institute for Agricultural Economics. The EU-funded UNISECO (Understanding and Improving the Sustainability of Agro-ecological Farming Systems in the EU) project helps achieve this balance. "Our aim was to strengthen the sustainability of European farming systems by co-building improved strategies and incentives for transitions to agroecological farming," explains Schwarz, who coordinated the project.

Agroecology applies ecological concepts to agriculture. In particular, it promotes a type of farming that works to mitigate climate change, minimize the impact of agriculture on wildlife and nature, and empower farmers and communities to benefit from sustainability. Solutions tailored to local needs According to Schwarz, the main objective of the project was to identify a set of actions and policies for the transition to agroecology. "We wanted to provide concrete evidence of how agriculture can help Europe address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, while facilitating sustainable food production and promoting dynamic rural economies," she notes. To do so, the researchers conducted case studies in 15 different European countries, each with a distinct socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural context. They also studied the impact that the large-scale implementation of agroecological practices would have on both local agricultural economies and the European food system.

The UNISECO project concluded that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for the transition to sustainable agriculture. Instead, agroecology works best when tailored to local needs. “Our research showed that many agroecological futures are possible in Europe and, when integrated into broader changes in the food system, do not compromise our food security,” Schwarz adds. The project also demonstrated how agroecology can benefit the environment, for example, by increasing species and habitat diversity. “Agroecology can also help mitigate climate change and improve our capacity to adapt to its impacts by promoting, for example, humus formation and carbon sequestration in woody biomass,” Schwarz comments. Empowering rural communities.

In addition to demonstrating the environmental benefits of agroecology, the project also worked to share knowledge about the economic opportunities of sustainable agriculture through a dialogue between science, society, and policy. "For agroecology to be successful, we need to increase the capacity of local actors," says Schwarz. "While this starts with the farmer, it must also include landowners and other actors in rural communities and value chains."

Here, the project highlighted farmer collaboration in areas such as shared storage, processing, and marketing, and demonstrated community-level value chains that linked farmers with local restaurants, schools, and retailers. “With more skin in the game, farmers have a direct connection to the success of farming systems,” Schwarz adds. “They also benefit more, ensuring that agroecological systems can grow with limited public support.” Although the project itself has now ended, farmers and other stakeholders can continue to draw on the wealth of knowledge UNISECO produced through the Agroecological Knowledge Hub.