Policy brief: EU agri-food policies need better indicators [read the full report]
Evidence from scientific literature and agroecology practitioners
Agroecology-TRANSECT is a Horizon Europe project co-financed by the European Commission, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The project has explored the co-creation of knowledge to support agroecological transitions and, by engaging directly with on-the-ground actors, has gathered key insights about agroecological transformations.
This policy brief examines how effectively key EU agri-food policies measure progress towards agroecological goals. By comparing indicators used in four major EU policies with those identified as important by agroecology practitioners and the scientific literature, the study finds significant gaps in current monitoring frameworks.
The report concludes that while policy indicators cover most themes, many important measures are missing or are assessed using definitions and scales that practitioners consider inadequate.
It recommends introducing 16 new indicators and revising 6 existing ones to better capture farm resilience, biodiversity, climate impacts, farmer wellbeing and sustainability outcomes. Strengthening these indicators would improve policy effectiveness, transparency and support the wider adoption of agroecological farming across Europe.
Keywords: Agri-food policy, biodiversity, climate adaptation, farm resilience, food sovereignty, agricultural indicators, sustainability assessment.
Country: EU, Other, Global, Pan-Europe