Brussels, 07/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - Agriculture must be the focus of Euro-Mediterranean policies. The future depends on it for containing the increasing risks in this unevenly balanced region, say two leaders from the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) - Cosimo Lacirignola, secretary general, and Sébastien Abis, administrator, in a document sent to EUROPE.
Lacirignola and Abis believe that “the priorities of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation should not be limited to military aspects or the fight against terrorism and illegal migrant flows. Human security is primarily linked to access to food, employment and knowledge”. The two CIHEAM leaders write that it is important to recognise that “the basic needs of the Mediterranean peoples are intrinsically linked to issues such as food security, employment and a better life in rural areas. Without progress on these issues in the coming years, the post-2015 development programme in the region would become obsolete and result in an uncontrollable strategic situation in the Mediterranean”.
Lacirignola and Abis see the preparation of this post-2015 programme as one of the “crucial events” in the future, linked to agriculture, food and rural affairs, in relation with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) which are being debated at international level. Big meetings are held to discuss the “post-2015” programme which will be “decided upon in September 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly”, they state. There will also be the “Milan Expo” from May to October 2015 on the theme of “Feeding the plant. Energy for life”. “This should be another key time for offering the important opportunity to discuss common solutions to the challenge of global food security”. And, at the 21st conference on climate change which will take place in Paris in December, “agriculture will have a legitimate place to underline the interdependence between agricultural diplomacy and climate negotiations”. In addition, the two CIHEAM leaders state, “agriculture will also play an important role at the 7th World Water Forum that will take place in South Korea on 12-17 April and that has been launched by the United Nations”. The year 2015 will also be “the international year of soils, where the key role of agriculture in conserving soils and in the thorny issue of access to land in development policies will be highlighted. The issues linked to natural resources, climate change, agricultural production, inclusive security growth (social and territorial) and food (necessary basis for human safety) will thus be the focus of a sparkling 2015”.
In the Mediterranean, the agricultural stake will thus be crucial. “The uprisings, radicalisation or consequences of migration stem from the lack of possibility for a decent life, and from unacceptable living conditions. If we still believe in the future of Europe, we must argue for the Mediterranean. This region must be seen as a bridge between Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and not as a barrier or a wall of fears”.
Lacirignola and Abis thus call for the existing cooperation instruments to be adapted, ahead of the policy review for this region. “The vision of a great Euro-Mediterranean region has been fuzzy and the EU's neighbourhood policy has marginalised the countries of the south and east and outskirts of the Mediterranean. By November 2015 and the 20th anniversary of the Barcelona statement, we must argue for a Mediterranean that works together to reduce the uncertainty, meet the common challenges and move towards more inclusive development”. (Fathi B'Chir)