Agricultural and Rural Convention

The weather isn’t the only thing heating up over the next few months. Negotiations over the shapes of the EU’s farming subsidy programme will start firing on all cylinders in the second half of the year. Natasha Foote walks you through the latest from Brussels. 

Welcome back to Zsámboki Biokert, a market garden and alternative learning space, located close to Budapest. Young trainees flock here to learn how to work with nature and grow nutrient dense food. This knowledge-sharing is part of a broader strategy of resilience – for young people in pursuit of meaningful lifestyles grounded in wellbeing, but also for the farm team and wide...

The real threat to your dinner isn’t organic farming – it’s climate change (and the agroindustry lobby). In this op-ed Dr Andrea Beste calls for an approach to food security based on scientific facts and systemic sustainability.

Designed to bring the fruits of research, innovation and experimentation within reach of those who need it – farmers and rural actors – the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) is a powerful tool for climate adaptation and post-war recovery, and can support the process of European standards taking root. Anna Romandash reports from Ukraine.

Native to East Asia, the Goumi tree (Elaeagnus multiflora) is a rare find in Europe, which is a surprise considering its long list of desirable traits. Hardy and robust, the shrub requires almost no maintenance. It thrives in poor soil, which it helps enrich thanks to the nitrogen-fixing nodules on its roots. With pale green foliage, it produces fragrant white flowers, and sm...