Portugal's agriculture minister is proposing that the EU use budget funds to pay shepherds to graze livestock in high-risk wildfire areas.

Portugal’s Minister for Agriculture, José Manuel Fernandes, is calling for the European Union to provide funding to support grazing goats, cows, and sheep in areas prone to wildfires. Fernandes argues that this low-tech approach helps manage shrubs and prevents fires, which in turn reduces carbon emissions. He suggested that funds from the EU’s Emissions Trading System could be used to support these efforts.

Integrating Agriculture into Climate Strategy

As the EU prepares its next long-term budget, ministers are debating the role of agricultural spending in climate adaptation. While some nations have proposed cuts to traditional agricultural funding, Fernandes and other officials argue that these funds are essential for adapting the countryside to extreme weather conditions. Fernandes noted that 42% of the Common Agricultural Policy is already directed toward environmental objectives. European Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen has expressed a need for further action to prepare farms for future droughts, including ensuring adequate water supplies for irrigation and firefighting. Additionally, Ireland’s Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has indicated support for including agriculture in the upcoming EU climate resilience framework, which is scheduled for October.

Regional Support and Technological Solutions

Portugal and parts of Spain have already implemented national programs utilizing livestock for vegetation management. Spanish Agriculture Minister Luis Planas has also advocated for increased EU funding to protect farms against drought. Planas suggested that crops developed through new gene-editing techniques, which the European Parliament voted to permit in July, could serve as a potential component of the solution.