STEP UP partners interview #2: Country Perspective on Livestock Production
Welcome to our Blog Series on Country Perspectives in Livestock Production within STEP UP!
STEP UP is an ambitious Horizon Europe project running from January 2024 to December 2027, with a mission to revolutionize livestock production across Europe. By blending traditional farming practices with the latest innovations, our goal is to create a more sustainable future for animal husbandry. The project aims to integrate European Livestock Production Systems (ELPS) with Innovative Livestock Production Systems (ILPS), driving a transformation towards environmentally and economically sustainable practices.
Meet the STEP UP Team
The strength of the STEP UP project lies in its diverse and dynamic team of 16 partners from 10 European countries. In this blog series, we introduce you to our key contributors, offering a deep dive into the state of animal husbandry in their respective countries. We’ll uncover their perspectives on the challenges they face, their views on how STEP UP can make an impact, and their visions for a more resilient livestock sector.
In this second blog in the series, we bring you insights from Poland, featuring Dr Ewelina Marek-Andrzejewska from the Poznań University of Life Sciences (PULS). With her extensive background in socio-economic analysis and public policy, Dr Marek-Andrzejewska shares her expertise on the current status of livestock production in Poland, the challenges farmers are facing, and how she sees the STEP UP project paving the way for sustainable changes in the industry.
Let’s dive in and explore her unique perspective on sustainable livestock production in Poland!
Questions:
1. Could you share a bit about your background and the expertise you bring to the STEP UP project?
My name is Ewelina Marek-Andrzejewska, and currently, I am working as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economics at the Poznań University of Life Sciences (PULS) in Poland. I earned my PhD in economics and public policy from the University of Lyon (France) in 2016. I also hold two master’s degrees in environmental and resource economics and its application to public policy and economics of the agri-food sector from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart (Germany) and the Poznań University of Life Sciences (Poland), respectively. From 2008 to 2014, I worked at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, where I had the pleasure of collaborating with policymakers and other stakeholders, intending to develop the political agenda worldwide. I believe that with my strong background in socio-economic analysis and public policy, I will importantly contribute to the STEP UP project. I very much look forward to it.
My alma mater and current workplace – the Poznań University of Life Sciences (PULS) in Poland –is the 1st agricultural university in Poland that implements ca. 100 research projects annually (including the Horizon projects). The PULS’ Faculty of Economics gathers top researchers in the field of socio-economic sciences of the agri-food sector and rural areas. Its researchers provide advice and expertise to the European Commission, the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Supreme Audit Office. They take an interdisciplinary approach to the rapidly changing developments in the agri-food sector due to a collaboration with researchers from other disciplines, including lawyers and psychologists, who are also employed at the Faculty.
2. What inspired you to join the STEP UP project, and what do you hope to achieve?
I am delighted to be a part of such a distinguished group of researchers across Europe. I look forward to learning from them and sharing my knowledge, aiming to deliver high-quality data and policy recommendations for the European Commission. Furthermore, the STEP UP project is very inspiring and ambitious, because it covers crucial issues of environmental protection in the context of livestock production that have been at the heart of my research agenda for years. Yet, the STEP UP project takes a new-to-me approach to define a safe and just operating space for livestock production. This novelty was one of the main reasons I chose to be a part of the STEP UP project.
3. How would you describe the current state of livestock production in Poland? What trends have you observed?
Livestock production and other sectors of the Polish economy have undergone substantial structural changes in the past decades, starting with the shift in the market (from communism to capitalism) in 1989. Livestock production has moved from a centrally governed economy to a capitalistic market. This structural change required a lot of adjustments from various market actors, including farmers, meat producers and processors, resulting in opening up the market to foreign products, changes in the forms of land ownership and a reduction in the number of people employed in the sector.
Furthermore, 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Poland’s accession to the European Union. Thanks to the direct payments provided under the Common Agricultural Policy since 2004, Polish agriculture flourished, and meat production became more rentable, particularly for larger farms. In 2005, financial support for agriculture increased four times compared to 2003, and in 2010 – 15 times. Nowadays, Polish agriculture contributes around 3 per cent to the gross domestic product (above the EU average). It should be noted that livestock production amounts to around 60 per cent of Poland’s total agricultural production.
Moreover, the changes occurred also in terms of overall quantities and types of meat produced. Since 1989 the total livestock population has been decreasing in Poland. Among others, this trend is also in line with consumer expectations, who consume less meat, choose protein-alternative products and shift towards vegetarian diets. Yet, Poland is still one of the largest pork producers in the European Union and worldwide, although the production of pigs has been decreasing. Furthermore, the production of dairy cows has been decreasing as well, but milk production was increasing. Poland is the 3rd largest milk producer in the EU.
Additionally, Poland is one of the leaders in beef exports in Europe. 80% of the production is sold abroad. The domestic consumption is rather rare. Finally, poultry production has been increasing, because consumers have been showing a strong preference for poultry over pork. Consequently, the production of eggs has been growing over decades. Output of poultry and eggs significantly exceeds the domestic demand, and they are exported mainly to the EU markets, as well as to Africa and Asia.
4. What are the biggest challenges currently facing the livestock sector in Poland?
In 2022, the Polish economy was hit by a strong supply and demand shock related to the outbreak of war in Ukraine. This shock was stronger in Poland than in other EU countries which were not in Ukraine’s immediate vicinity. It harmed the GDP growth rate, thereby increasing uncertainty of consumer and business sentiment, and it caused a strong increase in inflation due to a significant increase in the prices of raw materials on the world market. For the agricultural market, it meant an increase in the costs of input materials, such as feed for animals and fertilisers. At the same time, the purchase prices of individual agricultural products were falling.
Furthermore, the European Union provided economic aid to Ukraine by introducing a free trade zone with it. As a result, the Polish agricultural market was facing an unprecedentedly large influx of cheap and lower-quality agricultural products (including pork, poultry, eggs, and milk) from Ukraine. An increase in the supply was surpassing the demand in Poland. That said, the situation of Polish farmers did not improve after the free zone was cancelled last year. The purchase prices are still decreasing so the economic situation of Polish farmers is getting worse.
Moreover, an implementation of the European Green Deal, as well as the new Common Agricultural Policy framework for the years 2023-2027 raised farmers’ protests across Europe in early 2024. Further protests are planned for autumn 2024 in Poland. Animal breeders complain that agricultural policies and regulations concerning animal breeding, both at the national and EU levels, are becoming increasingly restrictive. They impose additional (and costly) obligations on breeders without ensuring greater profits from livestock production. The new agri-environmental eco-scheme called Animal Welfare poses an additional burden on animal breeders with unsatisfactory conversion rates. Many farmers have withdrawn from this eco-scheme. Their decision shows that the new agri-eco schemes should be rethought to better meet farmers’ expectations and simultaneously ensure environmental protection.
Another important challenge for the agricultural sector, including livestock production, is related to the weather conditions in Poland. An increased frequency of extreme weather events such as drought, flooding or freezers are the main consequences of climate change. Southwestern Poland just experienced immense flooding in September 2024, where it dropped almost half a year’s worth of rain in three days. Due to enormous losses, the Prime Minister declared a state of natural disaster. Yet, Poland is classified as a country with poor water resources and is characterised by water scarcity. Prolonged periods of agricultural drought combined with high temperatures are at stake.
5. Why is it crucial to prioritize sustainable livestock production in Poland?
As mentioned previously, Poland is suffering from insufficient water resources and an increasing number of days with high temperatures, which has resulted in a prolonged growth period of 8 days in the past decade, and a further 14 days in this decade are projected. In light of the above, all efforts should be made to mitigate climate change and ensure sustainable livestock production. In this context, the livestock sector is one of the largest contributors to climate change, accounting for 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. To diminish the level of emissions from livestock production, farmers should implement new pro-environmental practices with support from the government.
For example, public support could include subsidies for adjusting the diet of ruminant animals or improved manure management. In Poland, such practices are not very prevalent, so the government could play an important role in this regard. Certainly, the new eco-schemes could contribute to sustainable livestock production. However, they still need further adjustments and should pose not only obligations but, at the same time, ensure fair and profitable conversion rates for farmers. The latter factor is especially important nowadays when many farmers struggle to meet their ends. Sustainable livestock production in Poland is important for both environmental and economic reasons.
6. How do you see the STEP UP project contributing to improvements in livestock production in Poland?
The STEP UP project will provide a framework, which will guide policymakers and other stakeholders towards sustainable livestock production in Europe. The project undertakes both qualitative and quantitative approaches to assess livestock production in Europe, including Poland, as one of the case studies. Given the many challenges that Polish livestock production is facing, such a framework should serve as a compass in assessing the environmental, social and economic impact and provide valuable recommendations on how to calculate the true costs of livestock production on the environment.
Conclusion
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Ewelina Marek-Andrzejewska for her invaluable contributions to the STEP UP Project. Her expertise and commitment have been instrumental in advancing our shared goals, and we look forward to following her ongoing work and the impactful results she will help achieve.
Stay tuned as we uncover how our partners are contributing to this groundbreaking project, and what they hope to achieve in their journey towards more sustainable livestock. Follow our Newsroom, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and YouTube.
