b"FRANCO'S AGRI NOTESBY: FRANCO BRAZZABENIAGAINST HUNGER AND FOOD POVERTYF ood remains a highly topical issue, fromFoodcard is an innovative solution that pro-any point of view.vides individuals with a card loaded with In poor developing countries, the Zerofunds to purchase food, ensuring a more Hunger goal, set by the FAO for 2030, isdignified way to access essential items. In still far from being achieved. Despite someOctober 2023, Estonia was the first coun-undeniable progress, hunger and malnutri- try in Europe to start using this social tool, tion rates remain at pre-Covid levels. which target are individuals experiencing But a new scenario is unfolding: inpoverty or social exclusion. Also, the Italian industrialized countries like the EU (andgovernment has initiated measures in this the U.S. as well), food security and sover- regard, such as food bonuses.eignty is no longer a given. Many EuropeanProbably good trials, but more is familieswe're talking about several mil- needed.lion peopleare at risk of food poverty.A long-term strategy is necessary to This means their family income doesn'tensure adequate food reserves and make allow them to purchase good-quality foodinternational markets more transparent in sufficient quantities.and stable. Furthermore, investing in resil-According to data from Eurostat,by 33%; in other words, European consum- ient agri-food systemsi.e., agriculture, approximately 10% of the EU populationers pay about a third more for a meal thanresearch and development, and logisticscurrently lacks access to a consistent supplybefore the pandemic. strengthens the sector's resilience to infla-of quality food, particularly meat, fish,First, COVID-19, then the Russiantion, as well as climate change. Also, the and vegetables. Some Eastern Europeaninvasion of Ukraine and the resultingseed world should be involved in this.countries are particularly affected by thisenergy crisis, and the climatic crisis have situation. led to this situation. The conflict in theWHAT ABOUT THE EU?The consequences impact not only theGaza Strip has also contributed, with theGiven all this, how is Europe planning for physical and mental health but also thelogistical crisis in the Red Sea area and thethe future? Looking at the facts, the current social status of the interested parties. Theincrease in transportation costs. Last butCommon Agricultural Policy 2023-2027, phenomenon is complex and dependent onnot least, large-scale speculative activities.along with the Green Deal, has introduced various factors, including revenues and eco- Amid global food inflation, wages havea series of measures, only partially revised, nomics, but also social and cultural dynam- grown much less and more slowly, both inwhose inevitable result is a reduction in the ics, climate change, ongoing conflicts andEurope and globally.productive capacity of agriculture. This will their consequences. This has led to many low-income fam- probably lead to a further increase of food ilies struggling to meet basic expenses.prices.THE FAO PICTURE Family shopping carts have therefore beenIn short, great attention has been paid The recent publication, The State of Foodemptied of essential items such as fruit andto environmental aspects, which are cer-Security 2025, published by the FAO in col- vegetables, with health consequences.tainly important, but economic sustaina-laboration with UNICEF and other leadingThose bearing the brunt of this arebility and ensuring food sovereignty, which institutions, presents a complex and diffi- low-income countries, rural areas, warshould be priorities, have been neglected or cult-to-interpret picture. The starting pointzones, women and children. not sufficiently considered. is that approximately 700 million peopleThe proposed new CAP, for the five-worldwide suffer from hunger: a stagger- POSSIBLE ACTIONS year period 2028-2034, is, if anything, ing figure, albeit a decrease of 22 millionThe FAO identifies a few policy measures toworse, with a significant cut in subsidies from two years ago. In addition, more thancombat inflation and support the most vul- and no mention of investment in the sector. two billion people experience food insecu- nerable areas and groups. These include taxAn anachronistic and damaging vision.rity, and this doesnt just concern the Thirdmeasures, with temporary relief on essential World, but also affects North Americagoods and social protection programs.Franco Brazzabeni is commercial and mar-and Europe. The main cause is rising foodThe Fund for European Aid to theketing consultant in the international agri-prices.Most Deprived (FEAD) supports EUbusiness, Member of the Board of Assosementi In the EU, from 2019 to Septembercountries in providing food and otherand of ISF Groups and writes a blog on 2025, the cost of essential food increasedbasic necessities to those most in need. Thewww.agrinotes.itNOVEMBER 2025|SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPEISEED WORLD EUROPE I 35"