Survival of local agriculture 'under threat'

Former Prime Minister and Labour MEP candidate Alfred Sant called for a sustainable model of local farming, warning that the survival of this sector was under threat. 

Addressing an event where farmers met five MEP candidates, Sant quoted statistics which showed that employment in the agriculture sector decreased by half during the past decade, and that nowadays the majority of employment was only restricted to part-time basis. 

"This is the grim reality. Local farmers are not adequately protected to external factors such as over-stocking in European markets. Our MEPs need to fight - and that is the correct term - to have the Maltese reality acknowledged. The European model of ‘one size fits all’ is compromising the sustainability of our local agriculture," Sant said. 

He added that a case in point was the fact that numerous stakeholders had to depend on EU subsidies in order for their operations to be financially viable. Sant remarked that if Maltese representatives merely regurgitated what the EU advocated without taking into consideration the Maltese reality, the "situation would worsen in the coming years."

This position was shared by the other MEP candidates. PN's Stefano Mallia described the sector as 'fragile' and promised that should he be elected, he would try and sit on the relevant EP committee of agriculture. His nationalist colleague Therese Comodini Cachia told farmers that the EU was 'no magic key that would solve all your hardships' but could be seen as an important tool to address several obstacles. 

Labour's Mario Farrugia Borg recognized farmers’ daily difficulties and promised more contact with those who are hands-on before any decision was taken. AD's Carmel Cacopardo remarked that agriculture had to be seen from a holistic perspective without ignoring several consequences of farming, focusing on the use and storage of water by farmers. 

Utility tariffs and energy benefits were among the main concerns of farmers and other stakeholders who attended the seminar. Those present also asked the candidates about their position on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which was on the European agenda a few weeks ago. 

Other stakeholders mentioned difficulties in adopting organic farming methods and the collective need to reduce the use of pesticides on their products. Others complained about lack of contact with their elected representatives. 

"We are not asking much, we just want our representatives in Brussels to inform us what is happening there, even via e-mail, and we give them our position," a young farmer highlighted. 

MEUSAC chairman Vanni Xuereb also highlighted this need for regular contact between those involved in the sector and the newly elected MEPs, adding that farmers could not rely only on government aid. He told those present that despite Malta having only six MEPs, they could work for and influence future policies within their larger European Parties, noting that the Socialists, the EPP and the Greens were the largest in Brussels. 

The seminar was also addressed by Leonard Mizzi, who heads the directorate general for agriculture in the European Commission. Mizzi described the agricultural sector as "Malta's Cinderella in the economy", since although it has an important role to play it is often abandoned or not given enough attention. 

He said that from a Eurobarometer survey it transpired that most of those involved were not familiar with relevant EU policies, and added that nowadays farmers had to have a long-term strategic vision in order to be competitive and sustainable. 

"Farming is no longer a hobby, farmers should think from an entrepreneurial point of view in order to ensure sustainability," Mizzi underlined. 

This notion was rebutted by Mario Salerno, who on behalf of the Malta Organic Movement said the first priority of the farmers was food safety and not increase in productivity, despite several challenges they had to face.