European Investment Bank Group (EIB) Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti reaffirmed the Group’s steadfast commitment to advancing a sustainable, innovative, and resilient agricultural sector across the European Union by creating new multi-billion euro financing opportunities for EU farmers.
In her speech at the opening of the meeting of MED9 Ministers of Agriculture, the Vice-President detailed the Group's strategic initiatives designed to help European farmers navigate escalating climate and market risks through targeted financial support and a forward-thinking approach to risk management.
Highlighting the imperative of proactive investment to create a sustainable risk management eco-system for European agriculture, Vice-President Vigliotti emphasized the tangible returns of building resilience.
"Every euro invested in resilience and adaptation to climate change can save between €5 and €7 in repair costs," she stated,
“EIB Group is working closely with EU Member States to co-develop the next generation of risk management tools. By providing both financing and advisory support across the sector, the EU Bank aims to empower farmers, foster climate-resilient infrastructure, and ensure the long-term competitiveness of European agriculture.”
EIB Group creates major financing opportunities to support European agriculture
The EIB Group’s support is underpinned by concrete financial instruments. A newly approved €3 billion Pan-European programme - the largest financing package for agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in the Group’s history - is now available to support small and medium-sized enterprises across the EU. This funding can be blended with EU or national grants to maximize impact bringing major investments to EU farmers.
This is a landmark financing initiative for European agriculture, forestry and fisheries aiming to unlock €8.4 billion in long term investments in the agriculture and bioeconomy sector, with a special focus on young farmers, gender equality and green investments.
Furthermore, the new TechEU initiative aims to mobilize €250 billion in investments by accelerating the digital transformation of European agriculture, supporting the adoption of advanced technologies such as precision farming and artificial intelligence to enhance productivity and sustainability.
The EIF has also established guarantee mechanisms to support the agriculture and bioeconomy sectors across Europe. These guarantees aim to improve access to finance for farmers, agri-food businesses, and rural enterprises, especially in regions where access to credit is limited. In France, these guarantee schemes have been implemented in collaboration with three regions (Occitanie, Normandy, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), as well as with the French Ministry of Agriculture (INAF 1 and 2), to facilitate the financing of agricultural SMEs and particularly to support the installation of young farmers through free guarantee mechanisms.
Support for Local Agriculture
Echoing the importance of local implementation, Simon Savšek, Head of the EIB Group Office in Slovenia where the MED9 meeting took place, added: "EIB office in Ljubljana can connect these significant European initiatives with the specific needs of our local partners in Slovenia, from national development banks to individual family farms, ensuring that financing for innovation and sustainability reaches those who need it most."
Vice President Vigliotti invited the EU member states to benefit from financing opportunities available at the EIB:
“The Bank encourages Member States and other agricultural stakeholders to explore tailored solutions that EIB has to help build a thriving and sustainable future for the European agricultural sector. The key for success is in cooperation and coordination”.
The Agriculture and Bioeconomy sector plays a vital role in driving economic growth in rural regions. It is essential for Europe’s food security, farmer’s adaptation, sustainability and resilience to climate change. It is also the backbone for local entrepreneurship, employment and social development across European countries and globally.
Collaborative forum for shared challenges
The MED9 is an informal alliance comprising nine European Union member states: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. This collaborative forum enables member countries to align on shared challenges and strategic interests unique to the Mediterranean region. Topics of discussion frequently include economic stability, security, and environmental sustainability, with the recent conference focusing specifically on the critical issue of sustainable risk management in agriculture.