Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply Anton Refalo participated in the Joint Meeting of MED9 Ministers of Agriculture, held in Zadar, Croatia. Ministers and representatives from nine Mediterranean countries of the European Union were present at the meeting to discuss the important goal of generational renewal in the agricultural sector, the importance of knowledge exchange and innovation in agriculture, as well as the need for the revitalization of rural areas and the demographic challenges facing these countries.
During the meeting, key themes such as support for young farmers both within the framework of the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and from other initiatives were also discussed, along with the need for an integrated policy that links agriculture with regional development, demography and entrepreneurship in order to strengthen rural communities.
Minister Refalo stressed that generational renewal is crucial to ensure a sustainable future for Maltese agriculture. He explained that Malta faces particular challenges such as fragmentation of agricultural land, limited land availability and therefore it is essential that European measures remain flexible in order to allow Member States to apply the interventions that are most effective according to the particular national realities and circumstances and which vary from country to country. Malta also agreed to further collaboration between MED9 countries in the exchange of experiences and good practices
At the end of the meeting, the MED9 Ministers adopted a Joint Declaration affirming the common commitment to generational renewal in agriculture, strengthening innovation, cooperation between Mediterranean countries and promoting more resilient and sustainable rural communities.
“Investing in youth, innovation and rural communities is a direct investment in the future of food security and our agricultural sector. Through joint work in MED9 we can continue to build a more sustainable, competitive and resilient agriculture for future generations,” concluded Minister Refalo.
Photos: MAFF
