The EU Farm to Fork Policy The COVID-19 pandemic has served as an eye opener on a number of key issues. It surely made us acutely aware of what we consume and how we consume it, be it material things for daily use and most importantly, food. Indeed, the pandemic did bring out the chef in most of us, but in turn, also made us realise the importance of healthy eating. From viral pasta dishes to internet-famous salads, clean eating is on the radar for us all. Clean eating also gives us a chance to purchase products that are ethical in nature. Such organically sourced products give us an insight into the transparent supply chains. This gave a push to what is known today as ‘Farm to Fork’. This concept means that the food that we eat and its ingredients has directly been sourced from the farm where it was produced. A principle who’s roots stretch back to the 1960s and 70s when Americans became increasingly dissatisfied with processed foods that they found bland, yet which has increased in importance and relevance following the COVID-19 pandemic. The fresh produce used in the farm to fork practice has a significantly lower carbon footprint since the produce is local, seasonal, and harvested directly from the farms, as per the demand. The produce incorporates food freshness, safety,
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seasonality, and sustainability. Farmers established in the Farm to Fork/ Farm to Table practice are mindful of crop rotation, soil nutrition, zero waste. Produce coming from these farms is far superior to those found in superstores, which are infused with chemicals to last longer and come from miles away. An importance which is also evident from the emphasis made by the European Union with its European Green Deal aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly. Food systems cannot be resilient to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic if they are not sustainable. We need to redesign our food systems which today account for nearly one-third of global GHG emissions, consume large amounts of natural resources, result in biodiversity loss and negative health impacts (due to both underand over-nutrition) and do not allow fair economic returns and livelihoods for all actors, in particular for primary producers.
Putting our food systems on a sustainable path also brings new opportunities for operators in the food value chain. New technologies and scientific discoveries, combined with increasing public awareness and demand for sustainable food, will benefit all stakeholders. The EU wants to address many food-related issues within a single framework. The main objectives of its policy include: Reducing food fraud in the supply chain (ensuring that consumers get the products that they pay for) Cutting down on good loss and waste (to enable the EU to meet its sustainability goals) Promoting the shift to healthy, local and more sustainable foods and reducing reliance on cheap staples that damage population health (such as refined sugars, flours and oils) Improving