April 2026 - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Hungry for Democracy? Here’s a flavour of France’s local solutions for food sovereignty

April 30, 2026 Pauline Petit

If the French municipal elections this spring taught us anything, it’s that what’s on our plates is most certainly political. Food is about much more than farming. In rural areas especially, food directly impacts health, landscapes, and quality of life, and it was a topic on doorsteps all over France during the recent campaign. Right now a political window of opportunity is open: for communities to take the power back over their food systems. Pauline Petit reports. […]

« Une faim de démocratie ! » Pouvons-nous décider ensemble de ce que nous mangeons à l’échelle locale ?

April 30, 2026 Pauline Petit

À l’heure où un nouveau cycle municipal s’ouvre en France, il apparaît essentiel de saisir cette dynamique pour replacer l’alimentation et la citoyenneté au cœur des territoires. La question alimentaire ne peut plus rester cantonnée au seul secteur agricole. Elle doit devenir un sujet de débat public. Elle touche directement à la santé, aux paysages et au cadre de vie. Il s’agit donc ici de reprendre le pouvoir d’agir sur le système alimentaire et de sortir du simple acte d’achat. Rédaction : Pauline Petit. […]

How to Cultivate Knowledge for Seed Autonomy? Part 2 – From Niche Knowledge to Collective Capacity

April 24, 2026 Adèle Pautrat

The loss of knowledge around seed diversity has become so pervasive that its very absence seems to go unnoticed. Yet seed stewardship has always been inherent to working with agriculture and food; reintroducing this concept is crucial in building capacity for agroecological seed systems at regional levels. In this second of a two-part series, we examine the tools and approaches that could strengthen the transmission of alternative seed knowledge and know-how, as well as the pitfalls to avoid in order to ensure their social and economic relevance. By Adèle Pautrat. […]

Inside Brussels’ Eleventh-Hour Battle Over New GMOs

April 22, 2026 Natasha Foote

In a few short weeks, the European Parliament will have the power to open Europe’s farmgates and plates to new genetic technologies, without the guardrails of labelling, monitoring, or liability. But in Brussels, an eleventh-hour battle is brewing. So is this game, set and match? Or is there still something to play for? Natasha Foote brings you the latest from Brussels. […]

Coming Up: Decision Day for the Future of Seeds and New GMOs

April 17, 2026 Natasha Foote

April 21st will be the next (and perhaps final) milestone meeting for negotiators trying to seal a deal on the overhaul of the EU’s seed legislation. On the very same day, the Council is to vote on the EU’s proposal to loosen the rules around new genetic technologies. For the Seeds4All project, Natasha Foote explains what’s at stake in these two crucial files. […]

Who milks the cows when farmers fall sick?

April 10, 2026 Natasha Foote

Who milks the cows when the farmers fall sick? There is only one answer to that question for most: the farmers, or their families. But it is a very different story in two European countries—and while right now, access to sick leave and holidays is determined by postcode, this could soon start to change. Here, ARC2020’s Natasha Foote digs into how these farm relief services work in practice and what the ingredients for success look like for other countries that want to set up similar services for their farmers. […]

How Iran war exposes Europe’s dangerous dependency on fertilisers

April 8, 2026 Lena Luig

Four years ago, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent fertiliser prices soaring, exposing the true extent of just how reliant our food systems are on fossil fuels and the vulnerability of geopolitical chaos. When are we going to learn this lesson? Today, with conflict escalating in the Middle East, we are watching the same crisis unfold in real time. Op-ed by Lena Luig. […]