Silva Rodríguez lecture: "The new Common Agricultural Policy as an opportunity to land management"

Submitted by laborate on Thu, 22/02/2012 - 21:59 GMT.

Last February 17th, as part of the Master in Sustainable Land Planning (MTT), José Manuel Silva Rodriguez, Director of Agriculture of the European Union, spoke on "The new Common Agricultural Policy as an opportunity to land management."

Fernanda Guerrieri, FAO

This time Silva Rodriguez conference focused on opportunities for spatial planning that the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - which comes into force in 2014 - will bring to Galicia. These opportunities cannot be lost because "If it is not done now, later it will be very difficult because there is the increasing requirements for spatial planning."

A major problem is the existence of a large number of unused parcels whose owners often do not live in Galicia and also have no intention of selling or renting - despite the existence of initiatives such as the Land Bank of Galicia - to farmers who do need them. Silva Rodriguez claimed that legal actions should be taken to end this situation: "The government cannot force owners to rent their parcels, but can tax those who are not willing to do it."

Galicia Silva Rodriguez said more sustainable farming need to encourage more natural feeding of livestock, in order to be able to cope with the problems of food security, which he described as "terrible," which is "more problematic than before, because the high dependence on raw materials". "Galician pastures should be more productive , given the existing climate, and produce pastures of better quality."

The new CAP also means more opportunities for the university community, because spatial planning will require applied research in fields such social studies or land tenure analysis... issues that often determine the dynamics of land mobility in Galicia.

The conference ended with a round of questions in which MTT students and people in general shared their opinions.

related links:

  • interview to Silva Rodríguez in La Voz de Galicia: «La producción láctea gallega es mejorable»
  • La Voz de Galicia: ¿Alquileres para cultivar o para justificar?
  • La Voz de Galicia: La Xunta dice que solo el 0,75 % de las fincas inscritas para la PAC están lejos de Galicia
  • La Voz de Galicia: Pastos amarillos que apenas dan para alimentar a cien vacas
  • La Voz de Galicia: «A seca custa 2.600 euros ao mes»
  • El Progreso de Lugo: Los regantes temen que la sequía arruine pastos y huertos en verano
  • La Voz de Galicia (May 2011): «Temos que levar a universidade ao campo»
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