As the urgency to adapt our food systems grows, protein diversification becomes an increasingly important lever for meaningful food system change. Leguminous crops offer environmental benefits, support soil health, and provide new market opportunities for producers, providing a planet friendly source of protein. Yet, despite increasing political attention to sustainability and resilience, CAP financing remains structurally misaligned with food security, dietary guidance and climate objectives. A disproportionate share of support continues to flow toward emission-intensive animal farming systems.

Our new report ‘Protein Production in the EU: Policies, Gaps and Opportunities‘ by Rachel Gifford synthesises insights from CAP Strategic Plans and National Protein Strategies across selected Member States to examine how existing approaches support or constrain the diversification of protein crops in the EU, informing the development of an EU Protein Strategy and Action Plan. It distinguishes explicitly between protein crops used for animal consumption (feed) and human consumption (food) and evaluates how current policy frameworks can contribute to diversification efforts.

Read the full report here.