CAP reform: Premise of the balance between sustainable food systems, quality of life and conservation of territorial resources

Abstract: The agriculture of the future can only be achieved, in terms of sustainability, and this requires that any development that will be carried out in this area has to be performed in respect of the three pillars: economic, social and environmental. However, in the context of globalization, there are suffering all elements that define sustainable local development, these being the ones negatively affected from economically, socially and environmentally perspectives. Thus, from an economic point of view, local economies suffer from a competitive disadvantage with a devastating effect over time, on consumers, the environment, and local cultural values, due to the existence of more intermediaries on the food chain. In this respect, a certain reconfiguration in agriculture is imperative through the reform in order to support the creation of sustainable food systems that produce safe, nutritious, environmentally, friendly and affordable food. It must provide answers to consumers and farmers who demand high-quality food while meeting the environmental, social and economic challenges, including food waste. More and more, consumers are interested in knowing where the food comes from, especially in the case of processed foods. Economists regard the environment as a subsystem of the economy, while ecologists see the economy as a subsystem of the environment, thus creating a synchronicity between the economy and the ecosystem on which it depends. Nowadays, because profit has to be obtained at any cost, there are neglected environmental factors, and this negligence will cost future generations that will be private by the essential elements of life.