Farmers are undoubtedly partners in the environmental transition, but this transition must be tailored to the specificities and regional differences of the Member States. This is what Natalia Shukadarova, member of the Economic and Social Council and Executive Director of the National Association of Grain Producers, said in the programme “Bulgaria, Europe and the World in Focus” on Radio Focus.
Member states should protect the interest of farmers and fight for an autonomous Common Agricultural Policy budget, added the executive director of the National Association of Grain Producers. Natalia Shukadarova commented on the recommendations made by the Economic and Social Council in its opinion “A vision for the future of agricultural policy after 2027”. She is the rapporteur for the act, which aims to provide guidance to the national negotiating team in drafting the future legislative framework and financing mechanisms for the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy after 2027.
Commissioner Hansen’s vision for agriculture and food to 2040 is to build an attractive, competitive, sustainable and fair agri-food system for current and future generations, she believes. “What the Economic and Social Council notes as a major problem in this rich package of work streams set out in Commissioner Hansen’s vision is the lack of clarity on how this package of work streams will be financed,” said Shukadarova.
The European Commission envisages comprehensive reforms in the EU budget – a simpler and more targeted budget, the use of single national funds, the merging of different European funds into a single superfund, the strengthening of national co-financing. “This worries the agricultural community not only in Bulgaria, but in Europe as a whole. The Economic and Social Council does not accept this idea. We believe that , which also reflects inflation in recent years, should be based on the challenges facing farmers and all actors in the agri-food chain related to climate change, military conflicts, geopolitical tensions, trade wars,” said Natalia Shukadarova.
The problem of labour in agriculture is not only Bulgarian. “The Vision itself envisages the next Common Agricultural Policy to go not so much towards imposing requirements and conditions that farmers have to comply with, but rather towards attracting them to certain measures and practices through appropriate incentives”, explained the Executive Director of the National Association of Grain Producers.
ESC underlines the strategic importance of an effective agricultural policy for sustainable food production and ensuring Europe’s food security. In the context of military conflicts, increasing geopolitical instability and rising tensions in world trade, ensuring food sovereignty is becoming not only an economic but also a strategic priority, the opinion adds.
