Exploring the Links Between the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Land Issues
The report “Exploring the Links Between the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Land Issues” offers a critical examination of how CAP policies since the 1960s have shaped agricultural land use, prices, and structures in Europe. It highlights the impacts of CAP reforms, such as the shift towards “cerealisation” (increasing cereal cultivation at the expense of grasslands), and the unintended consequences of subsidy capitalisation into land prices. These processes have contributed to rising land concentration and made access to land increasingly challenging for small-scale and new farmers.
Find out more about the document, which underscores the generational crisis in European farming, with a significant percentage of farmers nearing retirement and no clear successors. This demographic shift raises urgent questions about land transfers and the potential for either intensified industrial farming or a transition to agroecology. While CAP reforms have introduced mechanisms such as subsidies for young farmers and eco-schemes promoting sustainable practices, their effectiveness is often limited by inconsistencies in implementation across EU Member States.
- Key recommendations include:
- Reallocating subsidies per farm worker rather than per hectare,
- Expanding support for agroecological transition, and
- Aligning national land policies more closely with CAP objectives to address environmental, social, and economic challenges.
The report calls for a balanced approach that fosters generational renewal in farming,Secures land for agroecology and promotes fair and sustainable agricultural practices.