European farmers call for stronger support to unlock the potential of protein diversification
Last week at the European Parliament, farmers, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and civil society came together to discuss a question that is becoming increasingly important for Europe’s agricultural future. What will it take to make agricultural diversification work in practice?
At the event ‘Grown in the EU: What Farmers Need to Make Diversification Work’, co-organized by the Coalition for an EU Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods, one message came through clearly. Farmers see protein diversification as an opportunity to strengthen resilience, create new business opportunities, support Europe’s food security, and build a more competitive agricultural sector, but they need the right support to unlock it.
The discussion also marked the launch of Growing Resilience: Farm diversification stories from across the EU, a new report based on interviews with 33 farmers across 18 EU Member States. Together, their experiences offer a practical snapshot of what diversification looks like on the ground and what conditions are needed for it to succeed.
Diversification is already creating value on farms
The report shows that many farmers who are diversifying are already seeing benefits. Two-thirds (66.7%) of interviewed farmers reported a positive impact on their quality of life, while 42.5% reported positive economic outcomes. Many noted they are still in the early investment phase of their diversification journeys, suggesting further benefits may emerge over time.
Examples shared during the event showed how diversification can open new revenue streams, increase flexibility, and create stronger connections to local markets and consumers.
Diversification is attracting the next generation of farmers
One of the strongest signals from the report came from who is already leading change.
More than half (51.5%) of participating farmers were under 40 years old, compared with an EU average farmer age of 57.
This positions diversification not only as an economic opportunity today, but also as part of a broader conversation about generational renewal and the long-term attractiveness of farming in Europe.
Farmers need practical support, not just ambition
Throughout the discussions and interviews, one message surfaced repeatedly – that diversification requires enabling conditions.
Farmers highlighted barriers including access to investment, lack of local processing infrastructure, training and technical knowledge, reliable market access, market certainty, and stronger supply-chain partnerships.
Their recommendations and policy asks focused on practical solutions across the value chain, including:
- Expanding training and farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchange
- Supporting research and field trials for protein crops
- Investing in local processing capacity
- Strengthening long-term partnerships between producers and food companies
- Improving routes to market and public procurement opportunities
- Strengthening support through the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
“I am being more productive by being more diverse. We still need more support from policymakers to protect, encourage, and support a shift in farming.”
Why this matters now
The conversation comes at a critical moment.
Negotiations on the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), revisions to the Common Market Organization (CMO), and the European Commission’s upcoming protein plan all represent opportunities to strengthen Europe’s agricultural resilience and competitiveness.
For ProVeg, supporting protein diversification means working alongside farmers, policymakers, and businesses to identify practical solutions grounded in evidence and implementation experience.
Europe’s farmers are already demonstrating what diversification can look like in practice. The next step is ensuring that policy and market conditions help scale those opportunities.
“We need to support farmers who are making EU agriculture more resilient through diversity. The next CAP, the CMO, and the soon-to-be-published Protein Plan will support this process. The political direction is clear.”
Explore the findings
Read the full report, Growing Resilience: Farm diversification stories from across the EU, now.
Discover insights from 33 farmers across 18 EU countries, explore real-world examples of diversification in practice, and learn what support farmers say is needed to unlock future opportunities.
- Download the report
- Follow ProVeg’s policy work for future insights on protein diversification and resilient food systems
Gemma Tadman
Business Communications Manager
