With this morning's speeches at Villa Lubin, the two-day international meeting of the 4th Erasmus Project of Organised Civil Societies (OCSs), on "Strategic rural development: from the risk of depopulation of the countryside, serious consequences for rural and peripheral areas of the EU" came to a close. The meeting, is being held in the framework of the partnership between the Economic and Social Councils (ESCs) of Spain, France, Bulgaria, Greece, Malta, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).
After yesterday's works, opened by President Brunetta (read the news here) and also attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, and the Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Maria Tripodi, today's session focused on "The central role of agrifood for the development of rural and peripheral areas. Between food and multifunctionality”.
Closing the two-day event was FAO Deputy Director-General Maurizio Martina, who participated by videoconference.
MARTINA: INFRASTRUCTURE FRAMEWORK ESSENTIAL, ESPECIALLY TO ENSURE CONNECTIVITY
“I sincerely thank the CNEL, President Brunetta and all those present”, Martina said, “for these two days of discussion and in-depth analysis. We are experiencing a phase of profound change. Just think of the relationship in demographic terms between rural and urban areas. We know the trajectories on a global level: almost 2 billion people will flow into the large metropolises between now and 2030, posing significant sustainability problems especially in developing countries. Then there is the gigantic issue of the future prospects of rural areas, with which we are very familiar in Italy, in terms of depopulation and overall weakening. I am thinking in particular of mountain areas, which is a very important element of the rural issue. In general, it is necessary to make the activities that take place on these territories attractive and competitive. Public intervention therefore becomes essential. But the common agricultural policy is not enough. An infrastructure framework is needed, especially to ensure connectivity, and thus adequate physical and digital networks. This is a fundamental precondition for rural development”.
Today's session opened with introductory speeches by the two CNEL councillors Alessandro Rosina and Tulio Marcelli.
ROSINA: ADEQUATE POLICIES ARE NEEDED TO MAKE RURAL AREAS MORE ATTRACTIVE
“In Europe, 4 out of 10 Europeans live in cities, 25% in rural areas and the rest in intermediate areas. But 75% of Europe's territory is made up of rural areas, where the impacts of major transformations are more significant and there are phenomena of greater decline and progressive ageing of the population. The central element is precisely the departure of young people, due to lower attractiveness in terms of services, connectivity and job opportunities. In rural areas, the over-55 population prevails. It is therefore essential to put in place appropriate policies to make rural areas more attractive”. Thus affirmed CNEL councillor Alessandro Rosina.
MARCELLI: RESOURCES FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR TO THE BENEFIT OF THE GENERAL INTEREST
“In 42% of our territory”, said CNEL councillor Tulio Marcelli, “the agricultural activity feeds and sustains local communities. Without those activities the territory degrades both socially and environmentally. In 25 years we have lost a quarter of the cultivated area and this is an enormous damage, because agriculture guarantees the preservation of the territories in terms of employment, income, social cohesion, preservation of biodiversity, and also because the farm often performs a social function that the public fails to ensure. The presence of a farm in the territory prevents depopulation and counteracts climate change and hydrological instability. Such presence is an asset for the community and must therefore be socially and culturally recognised. Resources for the agricultural sector must be regarded as resources to the benefit of the general interest”.
Following are the other speakers.
ALBAR: RURAL AREAS REQUIRE MAJOR COMMITMENT
“I thank the CNEL for the agenda of the event, and the high-level debate. We are faced with the so-called “demographic winter”. The Spanish ESC believes that the protection of rural areas is essential for a number of relevant reasons: their geographical relevance; the presence of a very rich environmental and historical heritage; the development of the agri-food sector. These elements require a very significant commitment. Rural areas also deserve more attention in terms of the EU budget”. Thus affirmed Javier Albar, Counselor of the Spanish Embassy in Italy for labour, immigration and social security.
BELLERA: INVESTING IN QUALIFIED PERSONNEL IN AGRICULTURE
“It is really important to share a common agenda in rural areas. There is an increasing need for qualified personnel in this sector and it is therefore essential to strategically invest in the professional qualifications of agricultural workers. We also need to review our approach to agriculture, a productive sector that can play a key role in managing the major transitions of our time”. This was stressed by Ricard Bellera, member of the Spanish ESC.
VAN DEN BROECK: THE SECTOR MUST BE SUPPORTED TO BE INCREASINGLY RESILIENT
“In France, agriculture”, explained Nathalie Van Den Broeck, of the EESC of France, European and International Affairs, Environment and Nature Group, “is the leading industrial sector in terms of employment and turnover. It is a key sector for the functionality of rural areas. Environmental changes have a great impact on agriculture. The challenges are numerous and demanding, not least to maintain profit margins in a very competitive sector, to meet consumers' demands for quality, to ensure sustainability and transparency, to accompany modernisation processes and to acquire suitably qualified human capital. This is why the sector must be firmly supported, in order to be increasingly resilient”.
GUIDOTTI: A STRONGER EUROPEAN RESPONSE ON AGRICULTURE
“We live in an era in which the labour market is evolving in an important and accelerated way. For example, workers are demanding more work-life balance and collective bargaining must take this need into account. The agricultural sector is also experiencing the impact of major transformations and is trying to manage it in the best possible way, especially with regard to the effects on employment. Agriculture is managing digital innovation processes well, using advanced production techniques. But more needs to be done: we need a stronger European response”. Thus stated CNEL councillor Annalisa Guidotti.
TORRES: THE CAP IS NOT ENOUGH, WE NEED A MORE PROACTIVE EUROPE
“In Portugal “family” agriculture is a very important sector. However, it is not enough to keep rural communities alive, which are becoming less and less attractive. That is why we believe that strategic European action is needed, combining economic development and the implementation of services. The CAP is not enough. We need a more united and more proactive Europe, which invests in training, urban regeneration, services and the improvement of working conditions”. Thus affirmed Miguel Torres, member of the Portuguese ESC.
DI CESARE: SUPPORT TO THE POLICY OBJECTIVES OF EUROPEAN PLANNING
“We need a close Europe,” said CNEL councillor Gianni Di Cesare, “and we need a budget centred on social cohesion. We must pay due attention, in particular, to that part of the European Treaty dedicated to marginal and peripheral European areas, each with its own particularities. We must achieve the goals set, the demographic goals but also the employment goals and those for sustainable development. We, as CNEL, have paid a lot of attention to these issues. The CNEL and the EESC must now monitor that the resources are well allocated on the territories, in an active manner and with the necessary bottom-up participation, to support the policy objectives of European planning.
XIRAFIS: WE MUST ANALYSE THE PROBLEMS OF THE REAL ECONOMY
“The Greek ESC has produced several opinions over the years on the climate crisis and the problems of rural areas. But the difficulties are many and varied. Let me give a concrete example: in Santorini we need labour for wine production. To meet this need, companies hire cheap workers, mostly immigrants, who most often receive low wages and have no rights. We, as ESC, have a duty to analyse the real economy and contribute to solving the actual problems impacting the territories. However, we have to consider that the ESC has unfortunately only an advisory function, expressing recommendations and opinions”. These are the words of Apostolos Xirafis, Secretary General of the Greek ESC.
BRAGA: WE MUST ADOPT A PARTICIPATORY POLICY
“For each context”, said CNEL councillor Mario Braga, “we need the right analyses, and then we need to adopt a participatory policy, with all the actors active in the territory. Inland areas show many contradictions.
The desertification of inland areas makes the economic development of these territories laboured. But there are also other phenomena. We are living through an extraordinary time of unusual climatic changes. We live in an era of massive exoduses. We have the analyses to a large extent, but we must contextualise the data to understand the concomitant causes of abandonment and depopulation. Schooling, education and training are crucial issues. The failure of the education system can no longer be tolerated”.
RAMIS: NEW CAP IS POSITIVE, A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IS GUARANTEED
“I fully support the new European CAP, a measure that guarantees a sustainable agricultural system and income subsidies for workers. In Spain we have a serious labour shortage but fortunately there are many legal immigrant workers, who integrate into our production system after a period of training. Talking about agriculture also means dealing with livestock, fishing and also environmental protection. The protests of agricultural workers in recent months have made us realise the value of this sector, a sector that Europe cannot do without”. Thus Jeronima Bonafè Ramis, member of the Spanish ESC and representative of the Spanish Business Confederation of Social Economy (CEPES).
The final greeting fell to Councillor Francesco RIVA, who coordinated the two days.
- Video interviews in the gallery (below)