To take stock: this has been the major objective of Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi during this past year. The agricultural sector is replete with ambiguities and discordant elements. The farmer has always been in the middle of a plethora of legal nuances, policies, strategies and departmental initiatives. Hence, the GħBA found itself dead in the middle of a cacophony of farmer needs and existing or planned fundamental hurdles to the way the sector should operate.
The reform in the agricultural land leases legislation was one major issue that was tackled. From the get-go, the organisation insisted on the need for active farmers to have stronger entitlement over their land and to ensure that arable land is passed on to genuine farmers.
The absolute majority of farmers have some issue or another related to such cases. The organisation’s flagging of such issues with the board recommending transfers of agricultural land within the Lands Authority is allowing the GħBA to inform and assist farmers better in their efforts to attain stronger titles over the land.
The organisation has also been asked to assist in cases where farmers were legally challenged by their land’s private owner – an unfortunately common occurrence – and in other cases where their land was being earmarked for development.
The organisation also had a key role in raising awareness on the impacts of the strong February storm that caused so much damage to farms. It assisted affected farmers in applying for the compensation made available by the government. The two-way information between farmers and the government departments involved, with liaison by the GħBA, was crucial in ensuring that farmers who were eligible for this compensation knew the procedure to follow. The Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi tried to keep its members abreast of developments in the new water supply. It has been very unfortunate that new water users were not informed about the interruption in the supply of water throughout the summer months to the detriment of these farmers’ production and economic well-being.
Users should be pre-advised and consulted constantly when such interruptions are planned so that they can plan ahead. Failure to do so would mean significant failures of crops that, quite obviously, rely on the quantity and quality of irrigation water supplied. The organisation sincerely hopes that this occurrence is not repeated in the future.
Let us continue working together to start recognising farmers as the invaluable social players they truly are
The scouting for new markets – both nationally and internationally – for farmers’ produce has also been on the organisation’s radar. Through persistent networking and stakeholder consultation, new opportunities were identified upon which the organisation is currently working. It is continuously discussing best ways forward.
The constant discussions with the government related to the Pitkalija reform are promising, with traceability and transparency the two key foundations upon which the organisation believes such reform should be built.
Related to this matter, an important win was registered in recent weeks, with the GħBA’s discussions with the Directorate of Environmental Health yielding an important result. This is a commitment by the directorate to inspect fruit and vegetable vendors to ensure that the contents of the green boxes used by local farmers to place their produce are not used by vendors for imported produce, which cheats consumers into believing they’re buying local.
The organisation is currently zeroing in on a range of other issues including the restricted plant protection product options for farmers, which is having significant farm management repercussions and further weakening the competitiveness of our farmers. Moreover, the GħBA is looking at how Gozitan farmers can find alternative solutions to their cooperative that should be organising its members’ activities and production but leaves much to be desired.
The organisation will also be embarking on an exercise with its members to put forward proposals in light of the new Common Agricultural Policy and the Rural Development Programme being drafted. It will also continue supporting genuine farmers to overcome various hurdles they encounter related to EU funding.
The Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi is also trying to remove the anonymity in the fruit and vegetable production sector. Photos of its members on its Facebook page are proving to be very popular and are raising awareness of the plight of local farmers.
Putting a face to fruit and vegetables purchased at the greengrocer is making consumers appreciate the story and the social dimension behind their food choices. And that augurs well for a new appreciation of our food, gastronomy and rural landscape.
The organisation has also been vocal on the impacts of the EU’s free-trade agreements on small-scale farmers in Malta and how such agreements are leading to unjust and unfair competition with our producers.
The road ahead is long and winding, and the surface is rough. Notwithstanding, the final destination is not impossible to reach. It has to be said that the different ministries, departments and directorates with which the organisation had to deal to attain its goals have some people of real good will. This makes the destination more attainable.
Let us continue working together to start recognising farmers as the invaluable social players they truly are.
Malcolm Borg is coordinator of the Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi.