Sustainability is at the heart of so much of the food sector, with discussions often focussing on manufacturing processes, food waste, and meat and dairy alternatives.

But the most difficult sustainability challenges, and arguably the most impactful, are a step before any of that.

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, made in partnership with CropLife Europe, we focus on agriculture.

There is no getting away from the fact that farmers are under increasing pressure to feed a growing population, and doing so in a sustainable way adds another layer of complexity.

In Europe, the challenge has been set. The European Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy, which is a central part of the European Green Deal, calls for a major reduction in the use of chemical pesticides, while making sure the supermarket shelves remain fully stocked.

So, what are the challenges in meeting those goals? What, if anything, needs to change to make them more achievable? And what are some of the solutions being proposed?

Olivier de Matos, Director General, CropLife Europe

Bio to follow

CropLife Europe

CropLife Europe is the European organisation that represents the crop protection sector. Its members are global companies, small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), and national associations operating in conventional pesticides, biopesticides, plant biotechnology, and digital and precision agriculture.

The organisation embraces the ambitions of the EU Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy and believes Europe’s farmers must have access to a full toolbox of innovative crop protection solutions to maintain their production as they transition to a more resilient and sustainable farming system.