Euro-Mediterranean Conference

Ljubljana, Slovenia   November 15 – 17, 2006

Speech of Mr. Carmelo Gurrieri

(Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori - Italian Confederation of Agriculture)

 

I would like to thank the organizers at IFAP, for the invitation to participate in this important event. IFAP represents over 600 million farm families grouped in 115 national organisations in 80 countries. For more than ten years, IFAP has coordinated the Mediterranean Committee that joins and represents the agricultural worlds of almost all the countries in the region. The committee has held two Euro-Mediterranean Conferences in collaboration with the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. The last Conference was held the 28-29th of September in Strasbourg, where the problems regarding agricultural relationships in the Mediterranean basin were debated and explored in great depth, along with the difficulties tied to the pursuit of objectives set in Barcelona.   

 

The 2010 opening of the Free Trade Zone for in Mediterranean can be used as a bench mark for the distance to be covered in this process, and can help in the realization of objectives set in Barcelona. In this large market area, not only do various cultures and civilizations meet, but there also exist diverse economic and social conditions between the North and South-east sides. Finding the right balance between them will be difficult, but is necessary to raise the socio-economic conditions for people living in these countries, through development and growth of their economy and realization of a great and productive river basin in the Mediterranean – a centre for economic flow to large and expanding markets in Asia. There are many elements that need, and must, come together in the pursuit of these objectives. Amongst them – and not of secondary importance for its role in the life of Mediterranean countries – is the development of agriculture and trade of agricultural products.

 

There are many questions to be addressed that relate to the problem of agricultural development and the importance it has for meeting food needs and guaranteeing a balance between rural and urban areas. The positive role that agriculture holds in protecting the environment in Europe’s developed countries and for those still in development, must also not be undervalued. These are central to the debate and have been the focus of the Second Euro-Mediterranean Conference. From these meetings, emerged the importance of the role agriculture plays in the economy for this area for the fight against poverty and maintenance of the social stability of the Mediterranean community, barring in mind the importance of European and national institutions in creating a plan that unifies farmers along the Mediterranean coast; a plan integrated amongst the different international players and farmers’ organizations whose role and function must be central in development policies. The opportunity and necessity to increase financial support allocated for cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean, also emerged with great force – its absence has been a large weakness and barrier to the progress of the Barcelona process.

 

The European Union was urged to make the strategic choice of promoting the development of agriculture and rural communities of the northern and south-eastern coasts of the Mediterranean at the centre of its Neighbourhood Policy. Agriculture is an essential economic sector for satisfying the food requirements of a growing population on the south-eastern coast. For this reason, the trade liberalisation process must be governed in both directions: from North to South and from South to North. Commercial development must not be accompanied by the decline of local agricultural production, which should instead be valorised. The free trade area cannot be governed only by commercial and economic logic. A total liberalisation of imports from the South would inevitably lead to rural emigration, resulting in excessive demographic pressure in urban areas, an increase in urban poverty and difficulties in governing cities. Such an exodus would result in the impoverishment and gradual abandon of rural areas, thereby widening the already existing gap between inland and littoral areas. For northern Mediterranean countries, it would instead destabilise fruit and vegetable production and, in general, all Mediterranean agricultural production. It is therefore essential to have a strong initiative that defines a framework for cooperation between governments and representatives of the agricultural community from Southern and EU countries, which includes regulatory mechanisms of both sides’ legitimate interests. Agricultural development must therefore be seen in all its multiple forms and objectives. The sole logic of competition between agricultural products coming from both coasts of the Mediterranean must not prevail. Market competition must not oppose these two sides of the Mediterranean agricultural production. It is necessary to put in place a wide process of integration, that is complimentary and cooperation based, with the objective of expanding existing markets of Mediterranean products and finding new ones. An important support in this direction is the perceived benefits among consumers of the Mediterranean diet.

In order to consolidate the relationship with consumers and society as a whole, the multifunctional role of agriculture, its quality, and authenticity of production need to be recognized and valued. For this, a clear set of rules for labelling is needed for certification and traceability of product origin, in addition to quality.

Agricultural development is, therefore, not a challenge of the past. It is a challenge that needs to be prioritized for the future; a challenge of modernization. Mediterranean agriculture holds many opportunities and possibilities, but first it needs to appreciated and strengthened.

The recognition of the variety, maintenance and protection of biodiversity, authenticity and tradition, conservation of rural values and regional identity are just some of the indispensable elements for assuring local products on the global market. However, this is not enough to stay in the market. Structures are needed to improve agricultural production and create new relationships with other parts of the agriculture-to-food production chain. An entrepreneurial culture needs to be created, capable not only of producing agricultural goods, but value-added processing and commercialization of products that can bring wealth and employment benefits to farmers.

The agriculture industry is in need of new vigour; young farmers and skilled professionals able to apply new technologies and increase yields for improved use of water resources. Water scarcity remains one of the biggest challenges for agriculture and for social and economic progress in this region. The management of water resources represents today, a strategic part of comprehensive development of the Mediterranean basin and will be an increasingly fundamental element without which no development projects can exist. Given the importance of this question, the second Euro-Mediterranean conference in Strasburg focussed a great deal of attention on the topic, affirming the universal right to water and, considering its scarcity, asking for more efficient management of this resource.

The allocation of adequate financial resources are thus needed to support policies that encourage research, technical skills building and development of entrepreneurial capabilities of the women and men devoted to agriculture. Investment is needed for developing sustainable farming techniques and innovations that are accessible to farmers. Above all, there is a great need to create open mindedness and willingness amongst young people to speed the process of modernisation in agriculture of the south-east Mediterranean.

Recognizing the authenticity of production – through marketing policies and protection of agriculture products tied to the region – and ensuring food safety – through financial and technical support measures that harmonize health standards and crop protection across the Mediterranean basin – are two essential steps for improving and encouraging Mediterranean products on the global market. Related to the necessity of developing the international agreements amongst the countries of the south and east of the Mediterranean and introduction of a label specific for high quality production, have been proposed by the European Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel in Strasbourg, who also affirmed the will to take part in the debates of the European Commission to support the agricultural position within the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

Another important issue concerns the role of women in agriculture. Women produce more than 50 percent of the food cultivated on the planet: in Africa, women are responsible for more than 80 percent of agriculture production; 60 in Asia; and between 30 and 40 percent in South America. Furthermore, 70 percent of rural poor are women whose main source of income is agriculture derived. From these figures, the necessity emerges for the consideration of women’s role in agriculture. I refer back to the call of women farmers represented by IFAP, who advocate for the necessity of supporting women in rural areas, through appropriate policies and incentives, so that they can develop entrepreneurial skills.

Together, these elements require that European and national institutions consistently monitor the process of trade liberalization to study the impact it has on the quality of life for farmers. Without real cooperation between national governments of the region and the European institutions, it will not be possible to access financial resources needed for guaranteeing a beneficial process of development that protects and helps agriculture in the Mediterranean basin.   

It is, therefore, needed to create a special Euro-Mediterranean platform to facilitate the adaptation of rural zones and fix common standards. The creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Bank is necessary to strengthen collaboration in the agricultural sector and to facilitate coordination between the two rivers, favouring rural development that is stable and long-lasting.

The Mediterranean, today, is a place of conflict and political instability which has many negative consequences for agriculture and farmers. Peace and stability are conditions necessary for the development of the region and for its prosperity; conditions which we are all called to work towards. For its important social and economic role, agricultural can make a significant contribution in achieving these conditions. The agricultural world and its representative organisations can and must come together to address these issues to guarantee that economic prosperity, progress and dignity are brought to farmers of the Mediterranean.