The European Policy Context — and Why It Matters for You
In recent years, the European Union has launched a major strategy to transform how we produce food and manage land. It is called the European Green Deal, and it sets a clear goal: make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
We know that for many farmers, words like "Green Deal" or "Farm to Fork" can sound like more paperwork, more rules, more obligations handed down from Brussels. And that frustration is entirely understandable — farming is already hard work, and change is never easy.
But here is the honest picture: the transition is happening regardless. The question is not whether the rules will change — they already are. The question is whether farmers will be on the receiving end of those changes, or whether they will be ahead of the curve, taking advantage of what is on offer.
Because there is quite a lot on offer. The EU has committed real money and real support to help farmers make this shift. Let us explain what these policies actually mean in practice.
The Farm to Fork Strategy
This strategy sets concrete targets for European agriculture by 2030:
- Reduce the use of chemical pesticides by 50%
- Reduce fertiliser use by 20%
- Bring at least 25% of EU farmland under organic farming
- Restore natural habitats and support pollinators on and around farmland
These are not optional suggestions. But they come with support. Farmers who move in this direction early can access direct payments, eco-scheme bonuses, and investment grants under the Common Agricultural Policy — money that rewards you for doing the right thing for your land.
The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030
This strategy focuses on restoring natural ecosystems, protecting pollinators like bees and butterflies, and maintaining diverse, healthy soils. For farmers, this is not just about nature for nature's sake: pollinators are essential for crop yields; healthy soils mean lower fertiliser costs; and diverse farming systems are more resilient to drought, floods, and market shocks.
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027
The CAP is the EU's main funding mechanism for agriculture — and it has been redesigned to make sustainability pay. Key elements include:
- Eco-schemes: voluntary programmes within the CAP that provide additional payments to farmers who adopt specific sustainable practices, such as no-till farming, cover cropping, or creating habitat strips.
- Rural development funds: grants for investments in equipment, training, renewable energy, and farm diversification.
- Agri-environment payments: long-term contracts that reward farmers for maintaining biodiversity and protecting natural resources on their land.
In short: the CAP is now designed to put money in your pocket for farming in a more sustainable way. The sooner you understand what is available, the better positioned you are to access it.
Agriculture Is Part of the Solution
The Green Deal is not built on the assumption that farmers are the problem. It is built on the recognition that farmers are the solution — and that without the active participation of the agricultural community, none of Europe's environmental goals can be achieved.
Farmers manage more than 40% of the land in the EU. They are the custodians of soil, water, biodiversity, and landscape. No regulation from Brussels can protect those resources as effectively as a well-informed, motivated farmer who understands both the ecological and the economic value of what they manage.
This is why the AgriGreenSkills project exists: not to lecture farmers about what they are doing wrong, but to share practical knowledge, real examples from farms across Europe, and concrete tools that help you farm better, more efficiently, and more profitably — while also meeting the environmental standards that the market and society increasingly expect.
Who These Modules Are For
The AgriGreenSkills training modules are designed primarily for:
- Small and medium-sized farmers who want to adopt more sustainable, resource-efficient, and economically resilient farming practices — including those with limited formal educational backgrounds or limited experience with digital tools.
- VET providers, agricultural trainers, and farm advisors who support farmers in navigating the green transition and need up-to-date, practical training materials to work with.
Each module is designed for approximately 30 hours of learning, combining clear theoretical explanations with practical guidance, European case studies, and exercises directly applicable to farm conditions.
Structure of the Training Programme
The AgriGreenSkills programme is organised into three complementary modules, each developed by a specialist partner:
- Module 1 — Sustainable Agriculture (developed by AEGILOPS, Greece): agroecological farming practices, biodiversity conservation, soil health, and resource efficiency.
- Module 2 — Green Technologies (developed by PFATC, Poland): water management, soil and water conservation, smart irrigation, and climate-smart farming tools.
- Module 3 — Economic Sustainability (developed by AGROLINK, Bulgaria): sustainable business models, long-term farm planning, diversification strategies, and cooperative approaches.
Together, the three modules provide a complete pathway — from the ecological foundations of sustainable farming, through the technologies that make it efficient, to the business strategies that make it economically viable.
Further reading links
The European Green Deal — official European Commission page https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en
The Farm to Fork Strategy — official EU page (Council of the European Union) https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/from-farm-to-fork/
Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 — official European Commission page https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/biodiversity-strategy-2030_en
CAP at a glance — general overview of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/cap-overview/cap-glance_en
Eco-schemes — practical explanation of agri-environmental payments, particularly useful for the paragraph on "direct payments, eco-scheme bonuses, investment grants" https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/income-support/eco-schemes_en
References
European Commission. (2019). Communication on the European Green Deal (COM(2019) 640 final). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52019DC0640
European Commission. (2020a). EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 — Bringing nature back into our lives (COM(2020) 380 final). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/eu-biodiversity-strategy-for-2030.html
European Commission. (2020b). A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system (COM(2020) 381 final). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/farm-to-fork-strategy-for-a-fair-healthy-and-environmentally-friendly-food-system.html
European Parliament & Council of the European Union. (2021). Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 establishing rules on support for CAP Strategic Plans. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2115
