Future farming

The Central- and Eastern European region (CEE) covers Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Ukraine. Today the CEE-region stands for around 11 % of the EU’s total agricultural output. The agricultural sector
is for all countries a vital part of their economy. The sector has compared to Western Europe a lower productivity and automation and the growing interest and demand for sustainable agricultural practices. Solutions that can pave the way and handle the risk of drought in relation to water resources and CO2 emissions from barns that challenge the countries.   

The CEE countries are receivers of funds under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2021-2027, but also the founding from the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is expected to support the business opportunities in the agricultural sector. Ukraine who is not an EU member has also allocated earmarked founding to support the agriculture. 

 "The RRF is a centrepiece in the NextGenerationEU with 723, 8 billion EUR in loan and grants and therefore offers huge opportunities for all countries. It combines investment for the green and digital transition.
The financing will support the implementation of the needed investments and reform measures outlined in the CEE countries´ Recovery and Resilience Plan. It will also play a key role in enabling the CEE-region to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic,” explains Jeppe Juul Petersen.   

"There is a huge untapped potential to bring Danish technological solutions and gained experiences and knowledge on producing more with less to the region´s agricultural sector. It is a prerequisite that RRF
- initiatives support climate investment and reforms and promote digital transitions. This is in line with the general labour shortage, both due to low unemployment and lack of skilled labour force. Due to the pandemic, there is also an enhanced focus on becoming more self-sufficient. The Danish agriculture has for a long time been responding to these challenges, while it is not nearly as widespread in the CEE-region. They look to Denmark for inspiration for sustainable agricultural practices, technological solutions, but also organic production," says Jeppe Juul Petersen.

The CEE-region requires similar solutions across the countries within
the primary agriculture. The business and market opportunities for Danish companies in the agriculture sector follows:

• Sustainability: Solutions that contribute to making agriculture more sustainable, by reducing pesticides in crops and CO2 emissions from barns, potential for sustainable feeding solutions.
• Digitalisation and automation: Increase efficiency and productivity for workers. E.g. farm management systems and automated agriculture machines such as drones and field robots. In addition, similar solutions can be applied to precision farming to increase yield of crops.
• Barn technology for animal livestock: Increasing self-sufficiency where the focus is on animal production, and making barns smarter
  and more sustainable with technologies such as sensors and computer software for monitoring of livestock as well as robotic milkers, automatic feeders, etc.
• Water: Reduce water usage in agriculture or promote water recycling
  to combat the risk of drought in the region.
• Feeding: Potential for sustainable feeding as an alternative to, for example, soya feed to feed pigs as this has a big CO2 mark as the feed
  is imported from South America.

Jeppe Juul Petersen points out that the CEE-region is in many ways signifies an underestimated market.

We do not look enough at the CEE-region, as we tend to look more at our established export markets in the EU where we are already present.

The Trade Council has been upgrading the CEE-regions embassies to work and conduct strategic alliances with the Danish businesses and explore new opportunities. Not only here and now, but too on the long-term market representation in the CEE-Region. In many ways, the upgrading gives weight and credibility for a company to enter a new market with the Trade Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs behind it," says Jeppe Juul Petersen.

“The embassies in the CEE-region will support Danish companies to enter the market and facilitate strategic alliances. My local colleagues know the market and who to approach. And so, It's a really good asset to have as a company and the whole regional collaboration.”

Jeppe Juul Petersen, Regional Coordinator in Central Eastern Europe for Food and Agriculture

If you are curious about export and market opportunities in CEE-region within the agricultural sector, contact Jeppe Juul Petersen from the Trade Council email: [email protected]

USE THE EMBASSIES FOR YOUR PROMOTION IN CEE-REGION

The Danish embassies in CEE-region offers Danish companies the opportunity to collaborate on export efforts

In cooperation with The Trade Council and partners, it is possible
to organise larger and smaller events at the embassies to support your company's business development

Facilitate tailor-made solutions such as a roundtable or a product launch
to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with customers and authorities

As co-host, the embassies thus helps to create successful events by supporting in attracting high-level decision-makers and providing
a platform where we help to generate publicity through the press and social media

Events can be held in the embassies meeting rooms, courtyard as well as the Ambassador's residence as part of a strategic collaboration to promote companies' exports and business in the Central- and Eastern European countries.