A new beginning in agriculture: Hydrology

With the very near future in mind, the Labour Party's national plan for agriculture, fisheries and rural development includes a number of challenging projects, foremost among them being the rehabilitation of the hydrological system of the Maltese islands, taking into account the needs of future generations and climatic changes such as global warming. This project is targeted to start within the first 100 days of a new Labour government. As a result of this, there will be a marked improvement in the quality, retention and storage of water for irrigation purposes, the embellishment of the environment and other national needs.

In this regard, a new Labour government will introduce an apprenticeship scheme so that youths will be professionally trained. This will provide the personnel responsible for projects and works involved in the rehabilitation of the hydrological system. The damage sustained by valleys, cliffs, natural streams, wells and beaches after years of neglect by successive Nationalist governments will be repaired.

These projects and works will not only provide employment for our youths and a regeneration of the natural environment but will also tackle the problem of climate change. It is an acknowledged fact that our climate is changing, leading to more drought and heavy rainfall when this occurs. Rehabilitating the hydrological system will address future needs in order to protect crops, flora, fauna, biodiversity, the soil, rubble walls, etc. Above all, it will ensure an adequate supply of water to satisfy the needs of the Maltese people and to provide a strategic resource for the creation of wealth in the Maltese islands. Furthermore, fruit and vegetables will improve in taste as a result of using better-quality water for irrigating fields and watering glasshouse-grown products.

Specific important aims of Labour's national plan, therefore, are:

• The rehabilitation of cliffs and valleys, the maintenance of which has been abandoned for several years.

• Apprenticeships aimed at providing skilled personnel for the rehabilitation of cliffs and valleys.

• The better management of flora and fauna.

• Better landscaping of the countryside.

• Value-added employment opportunities.

• A better strategy to control problematic climate changes.

• A more pro-active and strategic structure for sustainable and compatible rural development in the Maltese Islands.

• A better basis for investment in agro-tourism.

This strategy of a future Labour government will also ensure that European Union directives regarding water will be observed and implemented correctly. Examples of these are the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive.

The aim of the Nitrates Directive is to reduce and prevent water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. Under the directive, member states must designate vulnerable zones which include polluted waters. They must carry out measures to reduce nitrate pollution in these zones.

The Water Framework Directive includes a number of important elements such as the assessment and monitoring of waters, the use of economic instruments like the introduction of water-pricing policies and the polluter-pays principle, as well as the consultation and involvement of the public in drawing up a water policy.

It is pertinent to point out here that to date only six per cent of all farm-holdings in the Maltese islands are approved by Mepa to develop works in order to be in line with the criteria of the EU Nitrates Directive. One has to keep in mind that the EU derogation to Malta regarding the Nitrates Directive will expire in May 2008. Given these facts, one cannot but condemn the false and misleading statements issued by successive Nationalist governments in the pre-EU accession and post-EU accession periods.

Mr Farrugia is a Labour member of Parliament.