February 2026 - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Agroecology has a PR problem. Here’s how we can solve it.

February 20, 2026 Robbie Blake

How accessible are conversations around transition? Good Food For All! – a European Citizens’ Initiative carried by a coalition of over 300+ civil society organisations across Europe, including ARC2020 – is taking important strides to help make the messages of the food sovereignty and agroecology movements heard. But the battle for hearts, minds and policies is far from won. In this op-ed, Robbie Blake of IPES-Food asks how these movements can tell better stories. […]

Why Mercosur hits a nerve in rural Poland – for farmers and the environment

February 17, 2026 Igor Tomasz Olech

One month after its signing by Mrs von der Leyen, the EU-Mercosur agreement remains contentious, with the European Parliament scrutinising its legality. In Poland – one of a handful of Member States that voted against the deal – it remains a lightning rod for farmers’ grievances. And it’s not just farmers who are unfairly expected to absorb risks: new research co-authored by Igor Olech for Poland’s Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics spotlights structural loopholes in Mercosur’s sustainability architecture. Igor Olech reports from Poland. […]

The Year of the CAP & Big Budget Overhaul – Key EU Policy Moments to Watch in 2026

February 16, 2026 Natasha Foote

Welcome to the Year of the CAP — but just how “common” will the EU’s next agricultural policy be? Could pensioners be excluded from direct payments? And will farmers finally get a day off? Meanwhile EU leaders are freewheeling in the direction of free-trade deals. We may remember 2026 as the year the floodgates were opened to new genetic technologies. Plus the future of seeds is at stake, with upcoming trilogues that will make or break the proposed overhaul of the EU’s Seed Law. But first, there’s a battle looming over the budget. Natasha Foote reports on a decisive year ahead for EU policy. […]

Visit from India: Natural Farming, A Women’s Agricultural Revolution of Diversity

February 13, 2026 ARC

India’s Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) initiative is arguably the world’s largest and fastest-growing agroecological movement. It is based on cultivating diversity, the targeted stimulation of the soil microbiome without the use of chemicals or genetic engineering, and solidarity among the women of the participating communities. Two young women farmers from the movement are touring Europe to share their natural farming approach. […]

Learning from Germany’s Decades of Public Biogas Support

February 13, 2026 Sophie Scherger

Ireland, Spain and Poland are among a number of Member States now looking to biogas to support the transition to sustainable energy systems. But is investing in biogas infrastructure a beneficial use of public funds? In new research, Sophie Scherger of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy lays out the lessons that can be learned from an early adopter of biogas: Germany. Op-ed by Sophie Scherger. […]

France | Breaking the Silence: Big Ag’s Grip on the Wellbeing of Rural Communities

February 6, 2026 Xavier Hamon

Without rebalancing power in our agri-food systems, how can we expect our rural communities to be well? Xavier Hamon is an artisan-cook who is keenly aware of how rural powerlessness can take a toll on mental health. Here is our conversation. […]