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Rural areas must do more to diversify |
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Wednesday, 23 May 2007 |
European Commissioner for Agriculture Mariann Fischer Boel has warned that EU member states are failing to do enough to encourage diversification in rural areas.
From 2007-13, member states have allocated just 19 per cent of Common
Agricultural Policy funding to what is called Axis 3, which is "quality
of life and diversification".
"Axis 3 is crucial in a long-term policy perspective because it aims at
improving working and living conditions for farming households and the
rural community, at strengthening the link between agriculture and the
other sectors of rural economy as well as narrowing the gap between
urban and rural areas," Fischer Boel told an informal council of rural
and agriculture ministers from European member stats, in Mainz.
"we need to continue promoting competitiveness to offer opportunities
for those who have strengths in agricultural production. Our policy
should therefore favour investments instead of subsidies. In this
perspective, we are considering the benefits that an increase of
modulation can bring to rural community, taking into account the fact
that farmers have a future only in a living rural community.
"What is good for the rural community is by definition good for the
farmer... In other words our rural development should not necessarily
go to the farmers, but to the rural areas!"
The European Union is trying to move away from the original model of
the CAP, designed to maximise food supply, to a model that can
strengthen rural areas as a whole and make them competitive.
This is against a backdrop of international pressure to phase out major
subsidies for European farmers that undermine the ability of farmers in
developing countries to compete on a level playing field.
On the plus side, Fischer Boel said, more money was being put research
and investment in rural areas, which can lead to growth and jobs,
supporting the European Union's Lisbon Agenda.
As in many European countries, Scottish rural regions face problems of
decline with out-migration and ageing bot significant problems. Some
farmers have already diversified into renewables, timber, tourism and
niche food and drink products.
According to Fischer Boel: "Competition on agricultural markets is
constantly increasing. Consumers' and society's expectations for high
quality standards regarding food, animal welfare and environmental
goods are also increasing and this could result in higher costs for
farmers. Some lagging remote rural regions face the most dramatic
difficulties: out-migration, isolation, ageing, lack of infrastructure
and public services."
Richard Lochhead, the new Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and
Environment, earlier this week met with rural stakeholders in order to
discuss Scotland's Rural Development Programme, due for submission to
Brussels shortly.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 23 May 2007 )
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