Green tripartite dialogue as a driver of Europe’s agricultural transition

In local tripartite groups across Denmark, stakeholders who once stood on opposite sides now come together to make joint decisions about lowland areas, wetlands, and land restoration. They discuss land use, negotiate compromises, and reshape both attitudes and boundaries. Just a few decades ago, this would have seemed impossible.

"Twenty or thirty years ago, people would fight over every square metre," says Flemming Kofoed, Chair of the Holstebro branch of the Danish Society for Nature Conservation (DN) and a member of the local tripartite group near Nissum Fjord, a coastal lagoon in western Jutland. "Today, more and more farmers want to end their careers by giving land back to nature. They know where their profits lie - and it’s not necessarily on lowland soils."

Kofoed is one of many involved in the local tripartite partnerships, where generational change, new support schemes, and technological advances have created the conditions for progress. And it works:

"We’re making real headway in river valleys and low-lying areas without clashing with agriculture. The tone has changed."

A Danish model with European attention

The Danish approach is drawing significant international interest. During the European Mission Soil Week 2025, held 5 - 6 November at Aarhus University, the green tripartite model is one of the most discussed topics.

According to Diego Canga Fano, Acting Deputy Director-General in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development:

"Denmark deserves particular recognition for its leadership in sustainable agriculture. You’re showing that productivity and environmental care can go hand in hand. Danish farmers have long understood that healthy soil is the foundation not only for production, but also for resilience and sustainability."

He adds that soil management is both an economic necessity and a societal responsibility:

"Soil degradation costs Europe more than €50 billion annually. But healthy soils also generate economic value. Soil stewardship must be a shared responsibility - from farmers to citizens to local authorities."

Eskild Holm Nielsen, Dean of the Faculty of Technical Sciences at Aarhus University and host of the conference, emphasises the value of soil:

"Soil is more than something we stand on. It supports plants, animals and people. It feeds us, stores carbon, purifies water and stabilises the climate. That’s why the mission for healthy soils is vital - for science, for society, and for our shared future."

Dialogue over taxation

What sets Denmark’s approach apart is its ability to foster local dialogue about complex dilemmas, and find practical paths forward. Klaus Kristensen, a Danish cattle farmer, puts it like this:

"We want to take some sensitive nature out of production and use that as a trade-off so we can produce elsewhere. That’s better than getting a tax. Most farmers would rather deliver on nature than pay to produce."

He sees grass as a key crop for the future:

"Grass is one of the most effective crops for healthy soil. And with new technology, we can extract protein and use it in feed. That would be like gold from the sky."

Christian Høegh-Andersen, Deputy Chair of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, agrees:

"Grass has a big future in Danish agriculture. It has many uses, and I think we’ll see even broader applications within biogas, biorefining and textiles."

Technology, advice and generational change

According to Jørgen E. Olesen, Professor at Aarhus University, the transition is driven by multiple factors:

"We have an advisory system that speaks directly to farmers. We have research-based knowledge, and we have political will and funding. It’s not something you can just export, but we can learn what it takes."

He stresses that success depends on both technology and viable business models:

"We have to combine agroecology with technology. Much of the green transition is enabled by technology. But there’s not always a willingness to pay - so it also has to make sense for the farmer."

Niels Halberg, Senior Researcher at Aarhus University, points to Europe’s biggest challenge:

"We need to produce food, replace fossil resources, store carbon, protect biodiversity and create recreational landscapes. The land isn’t enough. That’s why what we’re doing here is important—because we dare to talk openly about the conflicts and find local solutions."

Reflection and critique

The green tripartite model enjoys broad support among researchers, authorities and civil society organisations. But there are also calls to expand the perspective. Henriette Christensen, Director of Agroecology Europe, praises the Danish model:

"It’s really quite unique that so many different stakeholders are actually able to agree. And that the funding follows. It’s not just hot air, there’s a strong structure and political will behind it."

However, she urges more focus on resilience and local supply chains:

"I think Denmark talks a bit too much about technology and export and too little about agroecology and resilience. We could learn something from Finland and Sweden, where there’s more focus on self-sufficiency and crisis preparedness."

Criticism also comes from within the farming sector. Christian Høegh-Andersen warns that smaller farms may be left behind:

"The tripartite model may make things harder for smaller farms. The transition brings an administrative burden. The more regulation we get, the more we have to spend on advisors just to do the paperwork. That’s not the purpose of the tripartite, but I think that’s where it’s heading."

He fears structural developments may squeeze out the smallest farms:

"We’ve seen massive consolidation in Denmark over the past 20 years, and it’s still going strong. It’s the large farms that drive the technology, not the small ones. And that’s a shame. We risk losing diversity in the farming sector. I’d like to see small family and part-time farms remain part of the future."

A shared European goal for healthy soils

The Danish tripartite model is now under close observation in Brussels and across Europe - especially in the context of Mission Soil, one of five flagship EU missions under Horizon Europe. The goal: to ensure that at least 75% of Europe’s soils are healthy by 2030. And to achieve that through local partnerships, practical action and whole-society involvement.

This is where the green tripartite stands out, not as a technocratic scheme, but as a society-wide collaborative model that brings all key actors to the table: municipalities, farmers, NGOs and national agencies.

"The main lesson others can learn from us is bringing all parties to the table," says Maria Schack Vindum, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for the Green Tripartite. "Not necessarily regulating everything in detail from the top, but setting visions and goals, giving local ownership, and mediating between stakeholders."

She emphasises that it’s the local partnerships that bring the national plan to life:

"It’s a national plan, but it’s the local partnerships - in close cooperation with landowners, citizens and organisations - that make it real. Bringing farmers and nature organisations to the same table has proven to be a powerful tool."

Vindum hopes Denmark’s experience can inspire new forms of dialogue across Europe:

"When we work together, we can achieve both green goals and maintain a strong agricultural sector."

Flemming Kofoed echoes that hope, and highlights Denmark’s responsibility:

"We’ve cultivated Denmark far more intensively than the European average, so we have a particular obligation to give something back. There’s growing awareness in agriculture of its societal role. The tripartite model is the start of something big. We’ve begun, and the details will follow. We’re paving the road as we drive. And there’s reason to be optimistic - even for a biologist like me."

FACT BOX: What is the Green Tripartite?

The Green Tripartite is a Danish cooperation model between the government, labour market stakeholders, civil society, and knowledge institutions aimed at supporting the green transition in agriculture.

National Tripartite: Includes the Danish government, the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, the Danish Society for Nature Conservation (DN), the food workers’ union NNF, Danish Metal, the Confederation of Danish Industry, Local Government Denmark (KL), and the climate think tank Concito.

Local Tripartite Groups: 23 local partnerships anchored in municipalities, consisting of representatives from local governments, farmers' organisations, environmental NGOs and the Danish Nature Agency. They develop local land-use plans and help implement national political agreements.

FACT BOX: Biomass, land use and moving beyond fossil fuels

Europe faces a major challenge: to develop bio-based alternatives to fossil fuels and materials—without compromising food production or nature.

Biomass from grass, lowland soils and wetlands could play a key role. By converting wetland areas to grasslands and harvesting them for feed, biogas or green chemicals, it’s possible to store CO₂, enhance biodiversity and create new green products. But this requires technological innovation, land-use planning and local agreements.