The European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) has called on EU institutions to consider introducing crisis response measures to stabilise agri-food markets and ensure consumers have sufficient access to food.

The Russian incursions into Ukraine have resulted in the “food security of millions of people now [being] under threat”, according to CEJA, the grouping to which Macra na Feirme belongs.

The conflict in Ukraine has implications for not only those in the regions directly affected by the military situation, but also for those across Europe and the rest of the world, the group also stated.

European food prices have seen “serious” increases across the EU in recent hours, CEJA president Diana Lenzi has claimed.

Access to food

These increases may threaten some consumers’ access to food should the EU fail to address food security issues resulting from the conflict.

“Given the consequences that the conflict is already having on food security, likely to worsen in the coming days, we call on EU institutions to take the necessary steps to address the resulting threats affecting our food systems, including the serious price inflation showing in the last hours, and to provide emergency food stocks to those in need,” stated Lenzi.

“As young farmers and young EU citizens, our hearts sink to the vision of the conflict that is now affecting Ukraine and its people,” she said.

Crisis preparedness

The group went on to call for an acceleration of the roll-out of the European food security crisis preparedness and response mechanism (EFSCM).

This mechanism was proposed in the Farm to Fork strategy to function as “a group of food supply chain experts co-ordinated by the [European] Commission to exchange data, practices and strengthen co-ordination”.

According to CEJA, the establishment of this mechanism would guarantee the “full co-operation between EU member states and sectorial representatives” when assessing food price inflation and possible threats to food security.