Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1497522
13 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 19 APRIL 2023 OPINION THE launch of the draft of the national action plan for organ- ic food and the beginning of the public consultation pro- cess for this plan are important milestones in Malta's pathway towards a more robust and re- silient food system addressing security and sustainability. Producers and consumers alike are aware that at least for the first couple of years of conver- sion to organic farming, there is a decline in yields, which is not something people usually equate to food security of supply. Given our very specific context and real- ities – an island state with a high population density, not enough land territory to be self-sufficient, and therefore necessarily reliant on imports – when dealing with food security, we need to take a broader, more strategic approach and seek opportunities to sustain local production by creating the right ecosystem for adding value and investing in the agricultural, fisheries, and aquaculture sectors. The production of organic food that is certified and offers a guar- antee of quality to consumers, is one such opportunity. With the European Union's drive food pro- duction to shift to systems that are ecologically friendly, fairer, and more resistant to shocks, as well as the ambitious targets of the Green Deal, we are presently able to offer tailored financial compen- sation and a mix of other support tools such as training, mentoring, and advisory services, to help our farmers and business operators in the agri-food sector to translate this opportunity into profits. By pushing organic produc- tion, we are driving sustainability across the three pillars – starting with the economic and financial aspects, where the aim is to add value, improve the bargaining and marketing position of producers, and increase their revenue, and consequently providing the mo- tive for taking care of the environ- ment and the social fabric of our sectors. Over the past three years, we have brought about deep change in the sectors and led reforms to improve access to land, markets, knowledge, and finance, laying the foundations for organic growth of the food sector. By setting an am- bitious national target of having 5% of the agricultural land under organic farming by 2030, we aim to satisfy increasing consumers' demand for a wider choice and better volumes of organic food. We want to offer the benefit of dedicated funding to many not just the few and especially to our young farmers and new entrants attracted to innovate the sector. The national target reflects the courage with which we are deter- mined to continue to drive this or- ganic growth. This is why the action plan for organic food represents what key stakeholders described as a his- toric moment. It is a set of tools to help all operators across the food chain to make the transition to organic production. We are not starting from scratch; rather we are inspired by the efforts and suc- cess of the good number of opera- tors who are already certified, and we are building on existing mech- anisms and results. All this coincides with our vi- sion of moving towards a future in which we ensure that local production remains a viable eco- nomic activity; where we drive the needed shift in food culture by rediscovering and promoting our food heritage and reducing diet inequality; and we continue to invest in the resilience and se- curity also by supporting process- ing, alternative proteins, and R&I initiatives. I thank those who are pursuing this mission with extreme dedica- tion and invite everyone with an interest to witness progress in the organic food sector to participate in the public consultation process with the spirit of collaboration that will make a difference to the future of our food sector. Towards organic growth of the food sector Anton Refalo Anton Refalo is Agricultural Minister We are not starting from scratch; rather we are inspired by the efforts and success of the good number of operators who are already certified, and we are building on existing mechanisms and results