site.btaMinister Porozhanov Calls for Adequate EU Funding for Agriculture

Minister Porozhanov Calls for Adequate EU Funding for Agriculture

Valletta/Sofia, May 23 (BTA) - Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Rumen Porozhanov has urged the EU to provide adequate funding in the framework of the common agricultural policy in order to make farming sustainable. Porozhanov addressed an informal meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council which was held in Malta's capital Valletta between May 21 and 23, his ministry reported on Tuesday.

The meeting was themed: "Climate Change and Water Resources in the EU: Emerging Challenges for Agriculture."

Porozhanov put forward Bulgaria's view that it is better to keep the measures of the first and second pillars of the common agricultural policy which are aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change. He said these should be measures which have proven efficient. Porozhanov pointed to the Rural Development Programme as a suitable instrument for rapid transfer of scientific knowledge to farmers. But he noted that sustainable results are impossible to achieve unless each and every farmer makes an effort to protect climate and water resources.

In the sidelines of the meeting, Porozhanov had informal consultations with senior European Commission officials and with the agriculture ministers of Estonia and Austria, whose countries will be in the same EU Presidency Trio as Bulgaria between July 2017 and December 2018. The sessions were dedicated to the coordination of policies and priorities.