Constantly increasing demands on agricultural production, in addition to the general market situation, present farmers with more and more economic challenges. This was stated by the head of the Bulgarian delegation, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food, Tanya Georgieva, during the round table on the topic: "Ending Hunger", which was part of the two-day Regional Forum for Sustainable Development for the region of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). of the UN, which takes place in the city of Geneva, Switzerland.
"The European agricultural sector is more than just food production - it is the basis for prosperous and developing rural areas and the main guarantor of food security," the Deputy Minister pointed out. She added that global climate change and its environmental consequences, together with political, economic and social challenges, pose the question of the sustainable development of agriculture and food production worldwide.
Deputy Minister Georgieva emphasized that climate action must be aimed at transforming food systems so that they can help sustainably feed the planet's growing population, but preserve biodiversity as well as enable local communities to continue to transform agriculture into a profitable and future-oriented activity.
"Although agriculture makes an important contribution to Europe's climate neutrality, the requirements must be set in such a way that they do not compromise food production and endanger food security. We should not allow farmers to bear the entire burden of the green transition on themselves," she was categorical in her statement.
Deputy Minister Georgieva emphasized that it is necessary to make efforts to demonstrate the benefits of the green transition for the farmers themselves. "At the same time, they need to be accompanied, both at national and European level, by sufficient compensations for the additional efforts made, given the preservation of the competitiveness of farmers. In addition, the role of implementing and using more innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies for transforming food systems is very important here," noted Tanya Georgieva. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of rich and varied food for the health of the population. Deputy Minister Georgieva informed that Bulgaria has taken the necessary actions and a Food Law has been developed and adopted, as well as a National Program for the Prevention and Reduction of Food Losses for the period 2021-2026, which will set the stage for a long-term national policy for public awareness and commitment to this global problem.