Brussels, 10/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - In an interview in Le Figaro newspaper on 6 September, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Ciolos, put forward a number of possible solutions to tackle the crisis affecting food prices and to help enhance food safety.
He pointed out that, “an agricultural region experiences problems and the whole world is concerned”. He said that in addition to the need for tackling speculation, he also wanted every major regional grouping in the world to develop an agricultural policy similar to that in the EU.
The commissioner considers that this “new generation agricultural policy should help to create infrastructure, particularly for transport and storage, as well as improved organisation of farmers, which is essential for structuring local markets and creating added value; more effort is needed in the area of research and innovation, as well as sharing agronomic knowledge. Reactive and efficient safety nets are needed to prevent further and more violent crisis, which could force greater numbers of farmers to leave the profession”.
Ciolos indicated that “dialogue” with the African Union had been started on these subjects and €800 million a year in agricultural aid and food safety for developing countries has been raised in this connection by the EU. He added that, “agriculture and EU neighbourhood policy with countries in the eastern and southern Mediterranean will be stepped up. Rural programmes are being prepared”. (LC/trans/fl)