EU experts discuss plans to increase self-sufficiency in protein production
(Left to right) Amy O’Leary, research officer with Teagasc, Francisco Castro Alves, DG Agri, Maeve Henchion principal research officer with Teagasc and Ewen Mullins head of Crops Department at Teagasc and VALPRO Path co-ordinator at the meeting in Brussels.
Senior EU-level stakeholders from policy, regulation, research, business and civil society have got together for a high-level roundtable in Brussels to chart Europe’s protein future.
The Teagasc-led event focused on identifying ways to increase self-sufficiency in protein, and forms part of VALPRO Path, a four-year EU-funded project to conduct research and pilot initiatives in this space.
VALPRO Path has already identified critical gaps in Europe’s plant protein value chain and has carried out pilot experiments on farms demonstrating practical ways to increase plant protein production to return added value back to the farmer.
The insights from the roundtable to be used to inform a policy brief aimed at EU institutions and national governments.
VALPRO Path project co-ordinator Dr Ewen Mullins from Teagasc said: “This is not about turning away from animal-based protein. It’s about diversification and expanding options available to farmers and processors.
"Climate change is opening the door to new crop opportunities, while global markets are shifting rapidly. We want Irish and European farmers to be positioned to benefit from those changes, not to be left to react to them.”
Practical recommendations ranged from establishing public-private partnerships to support breeding initiatives for locally adapted varieties for greater stress resilience, considering the role of short food supply chains in a regional context, and delivering dietary guidelines that address affordability as well as health and nutrition.
