On the sidelines of the meeting in Larnaca, a tripartite memorandum of cooperation between Greece – Cyprus – Malta in the agricultural sector was signed
The EU member states that belong to the EUMED9 group and represent the Mediterranean countries expressed their willingness to invest more in innovative practices to deal with water scarcity, during today’s meeting in Larnaca, Cyprus, held under the chairmanship of Commissioner for Agriculture and Fisheries, Janus Wojciechowski.
In their joint declaration, the representatives of the EUMED9 member countries commit to the adoption of innovative solutions and practices to ensure water resources, such as desalination, reuse of wastewater for irrigation in agricultural production, recycling in the use of water resources in agriculture.
At the meeting of the Group of EUMED9 countries, by decision of the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Costas Tsiaras, our country was represented by the Secretary General of Agricultural Policy and International Relations, Costas Baginetas, who conveyed Mr. Tsiaras’ message about the need to take initiatives in European level, in terms of dealing with water scarcity.
In particular, the nine representatives of the EU member countries from the Mediterranean (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece and Cyprus) pledged:
- Implement soft and sustainable water management practices in agriculture and adopt advanced irrigation techniques and water-saving agricultural practices and technologies, including drought-resistant crops and varieties
- To enhance cooperation among MED 9 countries, exchange of information, participation in joint research projects, exchange of experiences on best management practices and innovative technological solutions to mitigate the consequences of drought
- Strengthen partnerships with Mediterranean countries in the South of the EU, whose agricultural sector also faces drought and water scarcity
- To support innovation and digitization in the production of agri-food products, with the aim of promoting the efficient use of water as a tool to adapt our agriculture to climate change
- To strengthen public awareness campaigns and promote the cultivation of water saving culture among our farmers.
The representatives, EU Member States, of the EUMED9 Group, call on the European Commission to proceed with rapid steps in the implementation of a European Water Resilience Strategy. Taking into account the specificities of each country, such as the long-term unavailability of water resources and future climate projections, as well as issues related to the sustainability of the entire agri-food chain, the security of food supply, farmers’ income and the expectations of consumers.
In this sense, the EUMED9 team calls on the EU:
- In an integrated approach to ensure synergy and coherence across legislative processes in order to ensure water availability and address water scarcity by ensuring the necessary water storage given the critical importance of water for the primary sector
- In flexibility and simplification in the CAP financial framework for water management measures, including the eligibility of financing interventions in irrigation investments and providing tools for adapting to and mitigating the effects of water scarcity and drought, including the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
- In promoting applied research in the EU to contribute to sustainable water management, promoting the use of available technologies and innovative plant breeding techniques to obtain plant varieties better adapted to water scarcity;
Concluding their declaration, the representatives of the EUMED9 group emphasize that they support the development of a comprehensive approach, in accordance with the agenda approved by the European Council on June 27, 2024, always with the aim of ensuring a future resistant to the challenges of the climate crisis, the which will be able to ensure the welfare of farmers.
The memorandum of cooperation between Greece, Malta and Cyprus
On the sidelines of the EUROMED9 meeting, the representatives of Greece-Malta- and Cyprus signed a memorandum of cooperation to strengthen the relationship of the three countries in the agricultural sector.
The memorandum foresees the organization of regular consultations on issues related to the promotion of cooperation in the field of agricultural production.
Consultations cover all areas of agricultural policy including education, scientific developments, economic cooperation and other matters of common interest.
The memorandum also provides for the establishment of working groups that will delve into specific areas of production such as capacity building through expert exchanges, internships, study visits, etc., with a focus on:
- Soil quality.
- Carbon sequestration.
- Oxide emissions.
- Supporting Young Farmers,
- Empowering Women in Georgia.
- Advances in Farm Animal Welfare
- Water Management.
- Alternative and Sustainable Farming Methods (eg hydroponics).
- Facilitating access to formal education and/or training.
- Advising on legislative reviews and sharing best practice.
- Promote cooperation in projects that help smallholder farmers in value addition, especially in marketing and processing.
- Creation or enhancement of information systems for agriculture.
- Facilitating exchange visits for farmers.
Source: Skai
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