3
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 DECEMBER 2023
NEWS
warming on agriculture is evident'
past decades.
But a green paper issued for
public consultation two weeks
ago, proposes an unprecedent-
ed tariff system based on the
volumes abstracted from the
water table. The tariff still must
be quantified, and it remains un-
clear whether the new permitting
system will be strictly limited to
those boreholes registered in
2008 to avoid another amnesty.
Each farming operation will be
allocated a quota based on factors
such as land-area, the crops cul-
tivated, and farm-size as well as
environmental factors. Livestock
farmers will be provided with an
annual quota depending on the
livestock units on the farm.
Asked whether she agreed with
the move, Jeannette Borg took a
more critical approach.
"It is a limited resource, but
if authorities want to curb on
abuse, they know full well who
is abusing: people applying to be
farmers in order to extract water
from the boreholes," she said.
Jeannette Borg insisted farmers
are the last group of people to
waste water.
"This is the uncomfortable
truth. It is good that this limited
resource will be protected, but
authorities should first ensure
they carry out proper enforce-
ment before implementing any
tariffs," she said. "It's unfair for
farmers to get the blame."
Malcom Borg on the other hand
welcomed the move, saying in-
stilling a culture of good govern-
ance in the country's water man-
agement is needed.
"The more sustainable we are,
the more we benefit, especially
farmers," he said. "It is also pos-
itive that farmers will get a free
quota."
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