European Food Forum

23. Hungry for attention to food poverty: how can the EU address rising food poverty while reaching its Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork objectives

Eff event n.3
Hosting MEPs: Mr. Petros Kokkalis Ms. Maria Soraya Rodriìguez Ramo Ms. Irene Tolleret Ms. Christine Schneider

Start

April 26, 2023 - 14:00

End

April 26, 2023 - 16:00

Hungry for attention to food poverty: how can the EU address rising food poverty while reaching its Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork objectives

 

 26 April 2023
14h00-16h00 CET
European Parliament

 

The EU launched its Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork Strategy at the beginning of its term to set out ambitious objectives to reach climate neutrality and to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly. In the meantime, global challenges have emerged. The COVID crisis has put unprecedented strain on Europe’s economic system, resulting in an increase in food insecurity. According to the FAO, in 2020 alone, an additional 14 million people became moderately or severely food insecure in Europe and Central Asia, meaning they lack access to safe, nutritious, and adequate food. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has added  additional inflationary pressures on businesses and households in Europe during the post-pandemic recovery.

The latest EUROSTAT data on poverty in Europe shows that 95.4 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2021. Additionally, new research from Kellogg Company has found that 30% of people across Europe are concerned about how they spend their money and if they can afford to feed their families. It is also clear that more people are seeking support from external agencies, such as food banks to help them manage the increasing costs.

Closing the food poverty gap while also achieving Europe’s ambitious sustainability objectives requires all actors to work together. There is a role to play for policymakers, for NGOs, and for the agro-food sector – which are all critical for achieving the EU’s Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork objectives and hunger relief efforts.

This event will explore the following questions:

  • What is the current status of food poverty in Europe?
  • What role do EU Member States and Regions see for the EU?
  • What is the role of food redistribution and programmes offering breakfast in schools and how can this further be supported by policy?
  • How can the EU tackle food poverty, not only through the lens of hunger relief, but also through a Green Deal Industrial Plan that helps ensure food accessibility and affordability for consumers on the one hand, and the climate and biodiversity commitments on the other?

 

Hosting MEPs:
Mr. Petros Kokkalis
Ms. Maria Soraya Rodriìguez Ramo
Ms. Irene Tolleret
Ms. Christine Schneider

 

Did you miss the event?

Watch here the recording!

You can also read the speeches:

Kellogg Hunger research – Kate Prince

FEBA – Angela Frigo

Eurochild presentation – Invisible Children Report – EP farm to fork – Zuzana Konradova

Restos du Coeur – Patrice Douret

METRO – Dr. Basak Babaoglu

Program Eff Event n.23

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