Are there any economic reasons for continuing EU agriculture support Essay

Are there any economic reasons for continuing EU agriculture support as opposed to leaving agriculture to the mercy of market forces - Essay Example The EU supports a particular model of agriculture that meets the food concerns of its citizens, safeguards the environment, and allows farmers to live decently. The essay discusses possible economic reasons of continued EU agricultural support as opposed to leaving agriculture to the mercy of market forces. The EU plays a critical role in ensuring adequate food supply within Europe. Without food security, Europe would be dangerously dependent on the fluctuating rate of imports(Baldwin & Wyplosz, 2012, p. 422). The agricultural sector needs the stability provided by the CAP in order to ensure maximum production of food reserves. If left to the market forces, farmers would not find it easy investing in the improvements towards productivity, environmental protection and food safety(El-Agraa, 2011, p. 290). The Common Agricultural Policy ensures the Europeans have a stable supply of food at reasonable prices. With the ever increasing impact of global warming on the quantity of harvests, it is important to protect the local food supplies. Without the support of the Common Agricultural Policy, all the 27 EU nations would have developed their competing support systems, creating a chaotic single market(Nello, 2011, p. 368). The EU works towards protecting the rural communities that are constantly under threat. The average farmers’ income is only half the average wage of the EU. It is no surprise that the rate of agricultural employment fell by about 25 percent over the last decade(Dearden, 2005, p. 86). About 60% of the EU population live in the countryside and cover 90% of the Union’s territory. The countryside is one of the greatest interests of the EU since farmers need help in protecting the environment, as well as their way of life. Currently, the CAP offers adequate training to farmers, and assistance to new farmers starting up(Pelkmans,