European Agricultural Forum 2024 took place in on March 19-20, 2024 at the G2A Arena Exhibition and Congress Center of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, which concerns the most important issues in the agri-food industry.
During the two days of the Forum, we hosted over 3000 participants. The Forum was attended not only by many representatives of rural communities – agrarians, agricultural advisers, producers and processors, members of agricultural unions, but also representatives of local government units, scientific and professional institutions from all over Europe as well as companies from the agri-food sector. The topics discussed during the Forum were also an inspiration for the most prominent media.
In 2024, the European Agricultural Forum gathered:
- over 3000 participants
- 50 speakers,
- over 60 partners and exhibitors
The 6th European Agricultural Forum became a meeting place for protesting farmers and government representatives, as well as a platform for discussions on the most pressing challenges facing both Polish and European agriculture. Close to the site where, more than forty years ago, an agreement was reached between the government of the Polish People’s Republic and striking members of farmers’ organizations—leading to the establishment of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarity” of Individual Farmers—an understanding was concluded between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and representatives of agricultural organizations and communities participating in the ongoing protests. We hope that this will mark the beginning of a path toward compromise and the signing of a final agreement satisfactory to farmers.
On the first day of the Forum, we invited the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Czesław Siekierski, to sit down at one table with representatives of farmers’ organizations participating in the protests. The meeting was attended by Władysław Serafin from the National Union of Farmers, Agricultural Circles and Agricultural Organizations, Wiesław Gryn representing the “Oszukana Wieś” movement, Artur Koncik, one of the protest leaders in Świecko, Roman Kondrów from Podkarpacka Oszukana Wieś, Tomasz Obszański from the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarity” of Individual Farmers, Filip Pawlik of AgroUnia, as well as Andrzej Sobociński, a protest representative from Żuławy. The debate was an effort to foster constructive dialogue and to seek compromise solutions concerning the import of agri-food products from Ukraine.
On the second day of the Forum, participants were informed about the arrangements reached between the Ministry and the protesting farmers, following many hours of negotiations. The agreement provides for maintaining the current embargo on agricultural products from Ukraine, which has been in force since mid-September last year. It covers, among others, wheat, maize, wheat flour, rapeseed and sunflower. Under the agreement, the Minister of Agriculture is also to submit a request to the Council of Ministers to suspend, as of 1 April this year, the transit of these products through the territory of Poland. In the signed document, both parties also recognize the need to develop detailed rules governing trade in agri-food products between Poland and Ukraine, while emphasizing that the difficult situation in agriculture is a consequence of Russia’s aggression against Kyiv.
The Forum also featured a wide range of substantive panels and discussions on the future of the agri-food sector, bringing together farmers, agricultural advisors, producers and processors, members of agricultural chambers and unions, representatives of public institutions and local governments, as well as scientific and industry institutions from across Europe and companies operating in the agri-food sector. On Tuesday, the first day of the European Agricultural Forum, expert panels addressed key topics such as regional policy for rural areas, food security in the era of globalization, the future of Polish agri-food exports, ESG-compliant investments, and whether times of crisis in agriculture are the right moment to invest in innovation. On the second day, discussions focused on the directions for the development of sustainable agriculture, green energy, and the role of women in the sector.
At the conclusion of the 6th edition of the European Agricultural Forum, awards were presented in the “Innovative Farmer” competition. A new feature of the Forum was the 1st Digital Agriculture Tournament, which offered an innovative way to engage young people just entering the agricultural sector in meaningful discussions about the future of farming. The program also included two dedicated panels with industry representatives and farmers, aimed at stimulating creativity among young participants and inspiring them to take action.