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Smallholders often find themselves in a weak negotiating position against food processors, traders, wholesalers, and large retailer chains. In some cases, the “big players” are the only access to the market for small-scale farmers, which results in unfair trade practices.

In 2015, 15% of farmers sold half of their products through these short food supply chains, according to a study carried out by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS).

The development of short food supply chains where intermediaries between farmers and consumers are removed should result in fairer remunerations for farmers and higher quality local food products, supporters say.

Ahead of the CAP review at the end of 2017, EURACTIV invites you to this one hour long online Twitter Chat to discuss the following questions:

Q1 How can the EU or the Member States reduce the role of so-called “middlemen” in short food supply chains?
Q2 How can short food supply chains ensure high food quality? Through better monitoring, for example?
Q3 How does local production and consumption improve the food chain's environmental impact?
Q4 What would be the effect of short food supply chains on third country food security (countries in need of food imports)?
Q5 This logic appears to be directly opposed to an export-driven CAP. How can both logics co-exist?

Instructions for TWITTER CHAT
A Twitter Chat occurs when a group of Twitter users meets at a pre-arranged chat to discuss a specific topic that uses a designated #hashtag (#eaAgriFood).
The host of the Tweet Chat posts questions that are usually identified as Q1, Q2 and so on, to promote answers, which are usually identified as A1, A2 and so on, from the participants of the Tweet Chat.
Tweet Chats usually last about an hour. The hashtag links the questions and answers in a virtual conversation.