The agricultural and food sector plays a key role in the Czech Republic’s economy, contributing significantly to its GDP (year-on-year increases of 5% after deducting the increase in employee compensation, price increases, and lease payments) and employment (which has been declining in agriculture in recent years; in the food industry, we lag behind other European countries ). With a rich agricultural tradition and a developing approach to modern agriculture, the Czech Republic is creating a niche in the European and world markets.

Historical context and evolution

Czech agriculture has historically been shaped by its central European location and diverse climatic conditions. The industry has undergone significant changes from traditional crop cultivation to modern, high-tech farming practices.

A political-economic perspective on global food system – international relations of food production and consumption changes in different periods: British (1870-1930), USA (1950-1970) and the corporate (third) food regime (since 1980).

The communist regime that ruled Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 1989 profoundly impacted Czech agriculture. Collectivizing farming and establishing state-owned agricultural enterprises significantly changed land ownership and agricultural practices.

Political changes in the early 1990s after the fall of communism brought about a dramatic shift in the Czech agricultural landscape. The transition to a market economy involved land restitution to former owners and their heirs, marking a significant return to private land ownership. However, the transition was complex and challenging, involving legal disputes and administrative hurdles. The legacy of the communist era left a lasting impact on the development of the industry. They manifest in the problematic succession of the younger generation in the field.

Current state of the sector

Today, the Czech agricultural and food sector is characterized by luck for diversity and innovation. Many of these innovations are supported by EIT Food, but are not reflected in the wider agricultural industry. Although Czech products are of high quality, their production is low, food imports significantly exceed domestic production. We import food mainly from Germany and Poland.
The positive aspects of the food market in the Czech Republic are low food waste and the low number of people below the poverty line, while the negatives are the results of the food trade and the slow development of innovative technologies, which reflect the conservative approach to the production of agricultural raw materials and food.

Prospects

The Czech agricultural and food sector is not ready for further growth and development in the future. Emphasis must be placed on strengthening sustainability, innovation, robotization, and access to the global market. The sector’s vision includes adopting practices that promote environmental protection while meeting the demands of a growing global population.

Conclusion

The Czech agricultural and food sector is dynamic and integral to the country’s economy. With its combination of traditional practices and cutting-edge technology, it should be well positioned to compete on the global stage. Seed Summit wants to contribute to this change with its outputs.

More insights will be brought to the conference, Michaela Pixová.

Degrowth and food sovereignty movements share commitments to social-ecological transformation, democracy and the flourishing of human and non-human life. Encounters between the two movements have been relatively limited, however. This contribution is based on a literature review and a workshop held at the 9th International Degrowth Conference in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2023, where activists, academics, and practitioners collectively explored alliance formation between degrowth and food sovereignty movements. It explores the barriers, gaps, and differences in their political and organising traditions that may block opportunities for collaboration in different contexts. It also investigates cases of mutual support and collective organizing for existing transformation.