The role of producer cooperation in adapting to climate change

Abstract

The study explores the role of farmer cooperations in adapting to the negative consequences of climate change. International research shows that collective responses to the problems posed by climate change, based on farmer cooperation, are more effective, efficient and complex than farm-level interventions.

Despite the uniform regulations, there are significant differences in the specific forms of cooperation, fruit and vegetable producer organisations (FPOs), among the EU Member States, which is also confirmed by the significant variation (6.5-39.7%) in the resources allocated by producer organisations to environmental and climate protection. Analysis of available EU funding data on POs also shows that the climate change role of POs in previous programme periods has not shown a diversified adaptation to take account of territorial differences in climate vulnerability. Producer organisations recognised in the European Union have devoted over half of the operating support available under their operational programmes to integrated production that promotes the sustainable use of production resources. In addition, measures to protect biodiversity and soil conservation can be identified as having a significant impact.

In-depth analyses of the Hungarian producer organisations examined in the empirical research revealed that producer organisations primarily influence the outcome of adaptation to climate change challenges through knowledge transfer and awareness raising, while the coordination of asset-specific, more capital-intensive investments and developments is not yet a common feature of their activities. The new rural development instruments of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy from 2023 onwards could bring about a fundamental change in the engagement of producer organisations in relation to climate change, which will rely more on collective action by farmers to achieve environmental and climate objectives than in previous programming periods.