The year 2024 has been marked by a succession of more than alarming events, reminding us of the urgent need to take measures to ensure your food security and protect our natural resources. Here’s a summary of what you may have missed.
A year punctuated by blockades
In January, the agricultural world was once again rocked by a series of strikes across Europe. Living conditions, contradictory regulations and unfair competition from abroad seem to be making what is now routinely referred to as the farmers’ crisis insoluble.
At a time when the rural world is eager to respond to the challenges of food sovereignty, when answers are already within reach, and when climatic phenomena are a daily reminder of the urgency of the situation, could collective mobilization finally see the light of day in 2025?
2024, the year of all records
It’s been hot…
The year 2024 was marked by extreme heat waves that broke new temperature records around the world:
- Over 45°C measured in southern Europe for several days running
- More than 42% more fires than in 2023 in Amazonia (mainly of climatic origin).
- Warmest year on record(over 1.5°C warming)
… and it rained!
After crushing heat waves, torrential rains swept across Europe in particular.
- 242,000 evacuations in China following the overflow of the Blue River affecting more than 991,000 inhabitants.
- Storm Boris in September 2024: at least 22 dead
- One month after Spain: flooding in the Valencia region claimed more than 210 lives, making it Spain’s deadliest disaster of the 21st century.
The result: colossal losses
We now know that global warming has increased the volume of rainfall. The toll has been heavy, with thousands of people evacuated and material damage estimated at several billion euros. Land artificialisation and urbanization are increasing the risk of these meteorological phenomena.
Extreme temperatures have had a dramatic impact on public health, the environment and infrastructure, exacerbating the risk of forest fires and increasing pressure on healthcare systems. Numerous red alerts have been triggered in countries with large senior populations, making it even more urgent to take immediate action to protect against the increased risks.
What about solutions?
- The mixed results of COP 29, November 2024 in Baku: although progress was welcomed on support for developing countries to meet climate challenges ($300 billion a year by 2035, compared with the trillions expected), the discussions did not result in any decisions. The ball is now in the court of COP 30, to be held in Brazil in 2025.
- February 2024: European Commission recommendation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
- Ecophyto plan put on hold in France Ecophyto: more flexibility for farmers, but a question mark over biodiversity and the use of products that are harmful to health and the environment.
Despite stated intentions and ambitious objectives, concrete decisions are slow to emerge. Meanwhile, the consequences are already being felt: studies have revealed the presence of the fungicide fosetyl in the water of the Charente river, La Rochelle’s main source of drinking water. Analyses have detected banned pesticides in the bodies of children living nearby, in a region where pediatric cancers are on the rise.
As international discussions stall and essential measures are postponed or put on hold, these alarming signals illustrate the impact of persistent inaction.
The year ends as it began
Despite years of calls from farmers for more protectionist measures, on December 06, 2024 the European Union signed a free trade agreement with Mercosur, further widening the spectrum of competition they face.
The greenhouse is the solution for 2025
The accumulation and overlapping of different phenomena, whether climatic, economic or societal, highlights the difficulty for human societies to become more resilient, but above all the urgency of avoiding the reproduction of these events.
What if the solution came from below?
It’s time to take back control of our lifestyle.
The Myfood greenhouse is much more than a gardening tool. It’s insurance for :
- Take care of your health: grow your vegetables all year round, whatever you know.
- Secure your food supply: whatever the weather.
- Become more resilient: reduce your dependence on vulnerable production and distribution systems
2024 was a year of revelations. Don’t let 2025 be a year of impotence. Invest in a greenhouse and become a player in your food future. It’s never too late to act.
