CAP's Role in Supporting Sustainable and Competitive Livestock Systems: Reflections from the EU CAP Network Thematic Group meetings
- MaYA Foundation
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
On 29 January and 15 & 16 April 2026, Neil had the opportunity to represent MaYA at the EU CAP Network Thematic Group (TG) meetings on “The CAP’s Role in Supporting Sustainable and Competitive Livestock Systems”, held in Brussels and Lisbon.
The group brought together 40 selected participants from 18 Member States, consisting of farmers, cooperatives, researchers, advisors, civil society organisations and public authorities. The objective of the Thematic Group is to explore how CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs) can better support transitions towards livestock systems that are environmentally sustainable, economically competitive and socially resilient, while fully respecting the diversity that characterises agriculture across the EU.
Malta’s Livestock Reality
For Malta, these discussions are particularly relevant because the local context differs significantly from that of many larger EU Member States. Limited land availability, high land fragmentation and environmental constraints mean that livestock systems in Malta operate under very different realities.
While discussions in some countries focus heavily on extensive grazing systems, this model is often not feasible in Malta at scale. Therefore, improving sustainability in the Maltese livestock sector requires different approaches, including better nutrient management, stronger data collection, innovation, improved efficiency and more targeted research that reflects local realities.
At the same time, having stronger baseline data and more locally focused research remains essential to better understand where the sector currently stands and how it can continue improving sustainably in the future.
During the discussion the “one-size-fits-all” approach to sustainable livestock farming was mentioned, that this is neither realistic nor effective. Sustainability must be framed in a way that recognises territorial specificities. What works in mountain regions, for example, may not be directly transferable to intensive lowland systems, and vice versa.
At the same time, despite this diversity, many of the pressures farmers face are remarkably similar across Europe.
Shared Challenges Across Systems
Participants identified a wide range of challenges affecting livestock farming, including:
Profitability constraints and volatile markets
Rising land prices and limited access to land
Administrative burden and regulatory complexity
High investment costs linked to innovation and animal welfare
Climate and environmental performance requirements
Data collection and monitoring obligations
Negative public perceptions of livestock farming
A recurring theme was the need to balance sustainability with competitiveness and resilience. Livestock systems must reduce their environmental footprint while remaining economically viable and capable of withstanding climatic, geopolitical and market-related shocks.
Importantly, sustainability was not described as a fixed endpoint, but as a continuous process of adaptation and improvement.
Insights from Policy, Research and Practice
The meetings were enriched by contributions from European Commission representatives, researchers involved in Horizon-funded projects, and farmers sharing practical on-the-ground experiences. This combination of policy, science and practice ensured that discussions remained both strategic and realistic.
Examples shared ranged from extensive mountain farming and cooperative models to innovative approaches integrating diversification, circularity, animal welfare and emissions reduction. Across the different production models discussed, including extensive, intensive and mixed systems, several common priorities clearly emerged.
These included:
Greater cooperation between stakeholders
Product valorisation and market differentiation
Effective and transparent use of data
Stronger communication with consumers
Recognition of livestock farming’s role in supporting rural vitality and landscapes
These elements are central to building systems that are not only environmentally sound but also economically and socially sustainable.
Meeting Follow-up
Following the Brussels meeting, TG members continued discussions during two online sessions held in February and March 2026. These focused respectively on the environmental performance of livestock systems and on alternative routes to markets, diversification and green credentials.
The second in-person meeting of the Thematic Group then took place on 15–16 April 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. Building on the pathways and challenges identified in Brussels, discussions focused more concretely on the actions and policy tools needed to support sustainable livestock systems across the EU.
Among the key themes discussed were strengthening value chains and market transparency, improving sustainability metrics and data systems, supporting circularity and cooperation between sectors, encouraging generational renewal, and ensuring that CAP measures are better aligned with broader environmental and rural development objectives.
Participants also visited Companhia das Lezírias, where examples of extensive livestock management integrated with agroforestry and crop production demonstrated how livestock systems can contribute to biodiversity, landscape management and rural sustainability.
Concluding Reflections
This Thematic Group provided an important platform for open, cross-sector dialogue at EU level. It reinforced that Europe’s livestock sector is highly diverse, yet interconnected by common challenges.
If meaningful progress is to be achieved, policies must remain flexible enough to respect regional realities while ambitious enough to drive environmental improvement and economic resilience. Sustainability and competitiveness are not opposing objectives; they must evolve together if livestock farming is to remain viable and valued across Europe.
For Malta, these discussions also highlight the importance of developing solutions that reflect the realities of small island agriculture, ensuring that sustainability pathways remain both practical and achievable within the local context.
Further information about the TG Sustainable Livestock, including presentations and background documents, is available on the official EU CAP Network event page.
The reports from these two in person events can be accessed from:
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