AD stresses importance of organic farming

Work on a project that aims to foster the growth of organic farming in the Mediterranean is currently underway by Ceratonia, Alternattiva Demokratika's cultural foundation.

The project involves farmers and environmentalists from Malta, Cyprus, Italy and Greece and is being undertaken as part of the Leonardo Programme. The Malta Organic Agricultural Movement is also involved.

AD chairman Harry Vassallo expressed the party's regret that an organic farm - which he described as a "successful experiment in organic agriculture" - was being threatened by unsustainable development in the Kalkara Valley.

Dr Vassallo said AD was an active member of the Front Insalvaw il-Wied tal-Kalkara and had always supported the people of Kalkara, the local council and the parish in their bid to save the valley.

Arnold Cassola, AD's candidate for the European Parliament elections, said two manuals - one for farmers and another for trainers of organic farmers - were being prepared.

Speaking during a visit to the organic farm in the Kalkara Valley as part of his tour of environmentally friendly companies, Prof. Cassola stressed the biological importance of organic and biological farming in Europe.

"Food safety is one of the major issues of the European Green Party. European consumers are using their power by refusing genetically modified and adulterated food and opting for organic food," he said.

Prof. Cassola said Malta could not compete with other European countries in terms of intensive farming but could find its niche in quality organic produce. "This is clearly the way forward," he said.

Prof. Cassola said AD had always insisted on a rural development plan which would help farmers in restructuring the agricultural sector in this direction and in order to make this possible the government should not allow the importation of genetically modified seed.

"This would spell the end of the future of organic farming in Malta and Gozo," he said.

The AD candidate said it was positive that the EU was currently reforming its Common Agricultural Policy and was recognising the social and environmental importance of rural development.

"Malta has lost precious time in restructuring Maltese agriculture along these lines. Maltese farmers are presently suffering from the effects of competition due to a serious lack in planning and vision in this vital sector," he said.