Future of agriculture relies on supporting and encouraging young farmers - Zammit Dimech

"The future of agriculture relies on our ability to attract young people into farming and invest heavily in them. In this regard, we are pushing for further investment in schemes which help young farmers in getting access to land, as well as to enhance access and use of funding for young farmers.” MEP Francis Zammit Dimech said this after the European Parliament’s debates on the future of food and farming as well as on measures to assist young farmers.

Zammit Dimech recalled that in the past weeks, he met several farmers. He explained that a lot of youths experience difficulties in finding land. Whilst he recognised that such a problem is being faced in a number of countries, in Malta, such land is limited and therefore the problem is relatively more challenging. “Therefore, we are pushing forward for the strengthening of schemes for youth to getting access to land, through the common agriculture policy.”

Zammit Dimech emphasised that, as per reports submitted, there is the need for further support for youths to get access to funds, through an increase in the respective budget and less bureaucracy. He referred to a comment by a young Gozitan who said ‘If I will be helped financially by the EU it will give me far more knowledge to go ahead.’ In view of this, Zammit Dimech said that there is the need to help such youths, especially new farmers who do not have family members who have worked in this sector, and who have the energy to succeed, through funds, and sharing of knowledge in the sector.

Whilst he welcomed the initiatives of the Maltese Government in consulting with farmers, Zammit Dimech insisted that the Government should lead by example. He said that it is unexplainable that instead of fresh and local fruit and vegetables, the Maltese Government decided to provide children with frozen products, to the detriment of the local farmers. This contradicts recommendations by the European Commission that EU funded scheme should focus on local product and on short supply chains.

During the debate in the European Parliament, reference was also made to the need of adequate renumeration for the agricultural produce, a sector which was highly mentioned during meetings between Maltese farmers and Zammit Dimech. The Maltese MEP emphasised this point and together with the rapporteur MEP Herbert Dorfmann, insisted that the position of farmers in the food supply chain needs to be strengthened.

MEP @FrancisZD insists that the future of agriculture relies on our ability to attract young people into farming and invest heavily in them. @EP_Agriculture @EPPGroup pic.twitter.com/Y4RYFtlQHR

— EPP_MT (@EPP_MT) 29 May 2018