No farmers, no food; no research, no farming
The local agricultural sector has been struggling for decades
Maltese agriculture has recently been in the news due to the protests in February against EU policies mainly related to the Green Deal. Through its numerous policies, it aims to transition the EU towards climate neutrality by 2050, ambitiously attempting to make the EU resource-efficient and economically competitive.
With the harshening climate and increasing policy pressure, more research is needed on how local farmers can thrive in such a state of affairs and produce food for the livelihoods not only of their families but all of us.
The changing climate brings greater water stress, which makes crops more susceptible to insect attack and disease, and warmer yearly temperatures with milder winters facilitate the survival and spread of more insects and fungi.
The introduction of alien insect species with no natural predators further complicates matters. To save their crops farmers rely on increasing amounts of plant protection products (PPPs), particularly insecticides. Still, because of their negative impacts on health and the environment, more of these chemicals are being banned, and no alternative solutions are being offered.
The local agricultural sector has been struggling for decades, and new policies force farmers to feel helpless in their constant struggle. Therefore, the biggest challenge Maltese farmers face is implementing the required changes given the unique context of local agriculture to ensure that their livelihoods are secured economically while providing food in an environmentally sustainable manner in line with new policies.
The changing climate brings greater water stress, which makes crops more susceptible to insect attack and disease, and warmer yearly temperatures with milder winters facilitate the survival and spread of more insects and fungi
At the Centre of Molecular Medicine and Biobanking (CMMB) at the University of Malta, together with my student Kim Fenech, we can see there is a lot of missing information about the effectiveness and impact of PPPs locally, and a lack of agricultural services.
The crucial information required to adapt EU legislation to effectively accommodate the Maltese agricultural context is missing. Having this data ensures effective and relevant policymaking on national statistics and research data on the most commonly used PPPs and their half-lives (the time required for the concentration of a PPP to decrease by half) based on the Maltese climate, soil type and the microbiome of Maltese soil.
Furthermore, data on human health effects of chronic, low-dose pesticide exposure are also required. Additionally, feedback from farmers on challenges encountered in food production would be very beneficial in finding a way forward.
The hope is that the generation of locally relevant agricultural data will provide farmers and policymakers with the tools to stimulate growth in the local agricultural sector effectively.
Byron Baron is an academic specialising in biochemistry and sustainable agriculture.
Sound Bites
• The EU has a common agricultural policy (CAP). It aims to support farmers, improve agricultural productivity and ensure a stable supply of affordable food, while ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources. Due to the impact of the environment and market uncertainty on farming, the CAP is meant to support farmer income, dampen difficult market situations and address the specific challenges of rural areas.
• ‘Farm-to-Fork’ is an EU strategy to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system. The goal is to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly. Farm-to-Fork is a crucial part of the European Green Deal to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. Current food systems account for nearly one-third of global greenhouse gasses emissions, consume large amounts of natural resources, result in biodiversity loss and do not allow fair economic returns for farmers. New technologies and scientific discoveries, combined with increasing public awareness and demand for sustainable food, are key to its success.
For more soundbites, click on: https://www.facebook.com/RadioMochaMalta.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Most (90%) of Malta’s imported vegetables come from Italy (44%), Netherlands (26%), Spain (11%) and Belgium (9%).
• Half of Earth’s available land is used for growing crops and livestock production (for grazing or growing animal fodder).
• In the European Union only 10% of agricultural land is dedicated to organic farming.
• Potatoes make up 72% of Malta’s vegetable exports, with most (98.5%) of this produce going to Belgium (44%), Netherlands (35%) and Libya (19.5%).
• Agriculture was one of the first professions practised for thousands of years.
• The development of agriculture allowed humans to abandon the migratory hunter-gatherer lifestyle and form modern civilisation.
For more trivia, see: www.um.edu.mt/think.