Towards healthier, more sustainable CAP - challenges and opportunities for Poland

On the 18th of November, a seminar dedicated to a theme of agriculture and public health took place in Warsaw, Poland. The seminar, co-organised by the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and the European Public Health and Agriculture Consortium (EPHAC), and hosted by the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, brought together multi-sectoral stakeholders with a purpose to debate contribution of European - and in particular Polish - agriculture to public health outcomes.

On the eve of the release of the European Commission Communication "The CAP towards 2020: Meeting the food, natural resources and territorial challenges of the future", a jointly organised seminar "Towards a healthier, sustainable CAP - challenges and opportunities in Poland" of EPHA and EPHAC took place.

In her very warm welcome, Professor Joanna Gromadzka-Ostrowska, the dean of the Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences (WULS), underlined that the theme of the seminar - a healthier and more sustainable Common Agricultural Policy for Poland - fit perfectly into the scope of practical and theoretical interest and activities of both the university and her faculty.

Following this, Monika Kosinska, Secretary General of EPHA, outlined the importance of agriculture for public health in light of EPHA’s priorities. She stated that the largest challenge is a current "detached" approach towards agriculture and this should change considering the EU drive towards more policy coherence and holistic approach, also employed by EPHA in its policy and advocacy activities. As Poland had no chance to participate both in the creation and the latest reform of the CAP, it is the time and huge opportunity for Poland to shape the future CAP, ensure rural development, healthy agriculture and a good level of engagement between consumers and producers.

The seminar’s first keynote speaker - Jerzy Plewa, EC Deputy Director-General for Agriculture and Rural Development - gave a presentation on "Challenges and Opportunities for European Agriculture - Polish agriculture in the context of the European agriculture". In his presentation Mr Plewa outlined historical background of the CAP in Europe, what changes occured in the last decennia to European food demand and production. As a result, European agriculture and the CAP needed to change as well. Mr Plewa presented the changes which took place during that period. In addtion to that, Mr Plewa invited all stakeholders to contribute to the planned public consultation on the impact assessment (launched on 23 November), particularly because the results would be presented during the Polish EU presidency in the second half of 2011.

A discussion with the audience was opended during which the role of agriculture to public health was debated. It was underlined that in the main areas of EU agriculture health is not taken into account very much, although there is some indication for activities where agriculture can promote healthy food production. There would be rather some cost-effective initiatives. Herein Mr Plewa especially stessed out the role for non-governmental organisations in shaping and educating food consumers. Focusing and pushing at the level of food producers solely would not solve the problem, according to him. The school fruit programme, milk scheme and most deprived persons food programme were all identified as pro-health initiatives from DG Agriculture and Rural Development, as Mr Plewa said.

Following that, a question arose from the floor on the issue of future food security and challenges which we face were asked about. It was suggested that instead of "make us - EU - more competitive" to "make us more cooperative". We all should cooperate in order to bring our demands and a solution closer, to share a common vision and go towards a common goal.

The second part of the seminar was dedicated to elaborating on the CAP after 2013 and the challenges for public health. Dr Ewa Halicka , Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences of WULS gave a presentation on "Understanding the links between agriculture and health in Poland", in which historical and current market transformations, dietary habits in Poland, health status of Polish population, as well as food production were discussed.

Rober Pederson (EPHAC) presented a cvil society perspective on interlinkages between health and agriculture. He put the European challenges and changes in a global perspective. He identified importance for building coalitions as one of the most essential challenges for the future of the CAP.

Subsequently, Monika Niewiarowska (Polish Agricultural Market Agency) gave an overview on the Polish implementation of the School Fruit Programme, which is in its second year of delivery. A special focus was put on the target population of the programme - children aged 6-9 years old - pro-health accompanying initiatives, level of local implementation and communication. It was stated that giving individuals free choice in food purchasing and consumption will not raise necessary health improvements on its own. Rather, local governement, civil society and local media need to get more involved - as evidence from some Western European countries also demonstrates.

In the afternoon session, the second key note speaker Geoff Tansey (Joseph Rowntree Visionary) introduced participants to "A sustainable food system - linking health, sustainability and equity" in order to build a food and agriculture policy fit for the 21st century. We need to understand what "choice" really is, what lies behind people’s choices, and where power to decide comes from. Monika Kosinska mentioned that evidence demonstrates that once market-oriented initiatives and policies (prices, taxation, food supply chain) are the most behaviour-influencing policies for governments to put in place, whereas direct public health interventions only have the potential to influence 20% of food consumers. She stressed that also, there will be always approximately 4% of citizens whose food behaviour we will not be able to change.

The main recommendations and observations from the meeting could be as follows:

make the best use of the already existing and implemented pro-health initiatives in the field of agriculture (European and national level);
support small and medium-size farming entrepreneurs;
shorten food supply chain to promote direct producer-consumer relationship;
civil society and intitutions to support shaping of pro-health food choices;
bring research and development closer in order to improve food security;
go beyond borders in development and implementation of food production, delivery and consumption patterns;
civil society organisations should coordinate their "voice" in talks with national and European actors;
more research is considered to monitor food consumption changes, especially in the new Member States and countries in transition;
there is a need for more education regarding the CAP in Poland, human nutrition and food production to be understood by regular consumers;
re-evaluate, re-think, and re-dress the current model of food, agriculture, social and policitica power perception. It is necessary to realise th ecurrent way of global modus operandi is unsustainable, unrealisitc, and unfair.

On 19 November, EPHA and EPHAC organised a field visit to one of the Warsaw schools participating in the EC-supported School Fruit Programme. The visit was an excellent opportunity for civil society and EU as well as Polish national policy-makers to understand and put some "flesh to bones" of EU policy making.