Samenvatting

The European Common Agricultural Policy is the only political project worldwide regulating and financially supporting food production transnationally, however there has been continued criticism regarding its impact on the environment and rural communities. This paper is concerned with evolution of the CAP in the context of the backlash against conventional agriculture and the emergence of more sustainable alternatives. As food production is only a fraction of the contemporary food regime, the question of a systemic change arises and is fed by a new school of thought, Degrowth. The development of an ecological type of agriculture rooted in the idea biophysical limits cannot compete with the fully-established production forms without challenging them. Furthermore, this paper is open to determine the likelihood of agroecology reaching the policy discussions in the context of a non-growth dependent strategy. Through the detailed examination of the current CAP debate and the wider implications for agroecology and degrowth, the research argues that despite climate emergency and rural socioeconomic realities, the European Commission lacks political will in properly addressing systemic failures. It does so in spite of strong public support in favour of radical reform. Moreover, this research further supports the benefits of
agroecology for a transition towards a more sustainable society beyond the growth paradigm. Lastly, it is concluded that the EU generally prioritizes economic interests rather than societal well-being. This calls for wider multi-level societal transition.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-maria-gatejel/