COVID situation and farmers | updated 24.12.2020

Here are the latest developments regarding the COVID situation in relation to agriculture and how it might affect farmers and breeders.

Over the past few months, the MaYA Foundation has assisted several farmers who were caught under a mandatory quarantine. While doing so, we have been in close contact with relevant departments within the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health. 

Until a few weeks ago, bona fide farmers were being granted exemptions, upon request and subject to approval. Such exemptions allowed farmers to visit the farm for an hour early in the morning, and an hour late a night.

Yesterday we got to know from the Quarantine team that "no exemptions can be granted for the feeding of animals / tending to crops". The email stated that the Agriculture Extension services, Fisheries as well as the Animal Health and Welfare department may be contacted. Unfortunately, as far as we know, this drastic change has not yet been communicated officially. 

Following our communication with the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare, we were told that "the wellbeing of the animals should always come first and farmers should always have a backup plan for feeding their animals." They also expressed their concern about preparedness and asked "What if it wasn’t Covid-19 but God forbid an accident that lands the farmer in hospital? These things happen, and preparation is key."

MaYA Foundation sounds warning over potential impact of EU funds

Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA) has expressed its dismay at Infrastructure Malta’s plans to sacrifice 20 tumoli of irrigated land in Imrieħel. In a statement, the farming NGO stated its concern about the project as well as the wider ramifications of giving up agricultural land for the sake of further roadbuilding, a trend which has already cost the country huge swathes of arable land and open spaces. Safeguarding agricultural land should not come at a cost to road safety, however, the NGO is positive that alternative solutions may be found when all stakeholders are consulted. 

The NGO welcomed the interventions of political grandees such as former President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca and MEP Dr Alfred Sant who both expressed their concern at the intention to build new road junctures instead of arable land, noting that this latest development piles further misery onto the farming sector in Malta. 

“This case brings to the fore the various issues already faced by farmers when it comes to land use. Farmers are constantly under threat, because projects such as these may throw them out of a livelihood at any time. In addition to this, we are yet to see the repercussions of a recent constitutional case related to the lease of agricultural land, an issue which has been neglected by subsequent administrations and which will cause further damage to the sector.”

Whilst welcoming initiatives such as those related to urban embellishment, the NGO said that this alone is not enough to protect Malta’s green spaces, particularly considering the persistent dangers looming over these areas from various quarters including development and roadbuilding.

Quoting statistics from the European Environment Agency, MaYA said agriculture remains the primary land user in Malta (51%), and due to the lack of forests (only 0.7%), it also represents the only green lung left on the islands. Malta is also the most densely populated Member State in the EU with 22% of its area classified as urban area. “The number of dwellings approved in ODZ areas has increased over the past years, meaning that a sealed (built) area will never be returned to its original state.”

Whilst the general public may have become more sensitive to the importance of open spaces for their recreational value, awareness needs to be raised about food security, the livelihoods of rural communities and the conservation of rural traditions, all of which are widely acknowledged by the European Union in its reports.

MaYA also sounded out a warning about the potential impact of EU funds dedicated to agriculture, saying that these funds hinged on a clear government strategy and the approval of Rural Development Plans. “European funds allocated to Malta – which has been classified as a Less Favoured Area (LFA) – may be affected due to the uptake of agricultural land by various forms of development. Against this background, and in the context of continuous threats to our rural areas, we should focus our efforts on preserving the agricultural status of such limited land”.

The NGO called on government to introduce a no-tolerance approach on the further loss of agricultural land, which jeopardise directly the livelihoods of farmers, local food supply, open spaces and also EU funding, noting that massive projects such as Central Link and the Magħtab incinerator involve the takeup of vast areas of arable land.

MaYA also believes that rural and urban planning should go beyond the 5-year mandate of a political party, and that a long term vision is needed to “make good use of EU funding whilst allowing farmers to maintain a crucial role in the landscape and territorial management.”

L-NGO impenjata fl-agrikoltura twissi dwar it-telfien potenzjali ta’ fondi tal-UE

L-NGO Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA) uriet id-dispjaċir tagħha għall-pjanijiet ta’ Infrastructure Malta li tissagrifika 20 tomna raba’ saqwi fl-Imrieħel. Fi stqarrija, l-NGO tal-bdiewa żgħażagħ esprimiet it-tħassib tagħha dwar il-proġett kif ukoll l-implikazzjonijiet iżjed wiesa’ tat-telf ta’ art agrikola għall-bini ta’ iżjed toroq, xejra li diġà swiet lil pajjiżna meded kbar ta’ art agrikola u spazji miftuħa. Is-salvagwardja tal-art agrikola m’għandhiex tasal a spejjeż tas-sikurezza fit-toroq iżda l-NGO temmen li tista’ tinstab soluzzjoni alternattiva jekk jiġu kkonsultati l-partijiet interessati kollha.

MaYA laqgħet l-interventi ta’ politiċi bħall-eks President tar-Repubblika Marie Louise Coleiro Preca u tal-MPE Dr Alfred Sant, li wrew it-tħassib tagħhom dwar il-ħsieb li jinbnew iżjed toroq minflok ir-raba’ saqwi, u tinnota kif dan l-aħħar żvilupp jitfa’ iżjed piżijiet fuq is-settur tal-biedja f’pajjiżna.

“Dan il-każ jerġa’ jitfa’ l-attenzjoni fuq il-bosta kwistjonijiet li diġà jiffaċċjaw il-bdiewa fejn jidħol l-użu tal-art. Il-bdiewa jinsabu taħt theddida kontinwa, peress li proġetti bħal dawn jistgħu jitfgħuhom ‘il barra minn arthom fi kwalunkwe ħin. Barra minn hekk, għad irridu naraw ir-riperkussjonijiet ta’ każ kostituzzjonali riċenti marbut mal-kera tal-art agrikola, kwistjoni li ġiet minsija minn amministrazzjonijiet sussegwenti u li se tikkawża iktar ħsara lis-settur.”

Filwaqt li laqgħet inizjattivi bħal dawk marbuta mat-tisbiħ fiż-żoni urbani, l-NGO qalet li dan waħdu mhux biżżejjed sabiex jiġu protetti l-ispazji ħodor ta’ Malta, b’mod partikolari meta jittieħed kont tal-perikli persistenti li fihom jinsabu dawn iż-żoni minħabba l-iżvilupp u l-bini tat-toroq.

Filwaqt li kkwotat statistiki mill-Aġenzija Ewropea għall-Ambjent1, MaYA qalet li l-agrikoltura tibqa’ l-ikbar użu primarju tal-art f’Malta (51%) u minħabba n-nuqqas ta’ foresti (li jammontaw għal 0.7% biss), l-agrikoltura tirrappreżenta wkoll l-aħħar pulmun li fadal fil-gżejjer. Malta hija l-iżjed Stat Membru tal-EU li għandha densità tal-popolazzjoni, bi 22% fil-mija tal-arja tagħha kklassifiata bħala żona urbana. “In-numru ta’ residenzi approvati f’żoni ODZ żdied tul is-snin li għadda, u dan ifisser li żona mibnija qatt mhu se tiġi rritornata għall-istat oriġinali tagħha.”

Filwaqt li jista’ jkun li l-pubbliku sar iżjed sensittiv għall-importanza tal-ispazji miftuħa għall-valur rikreattiv tagħhom, għandha titqajjem kuxjenza dwar is-sikurezza tal-ikel, l-għajxien tal-komunitajiet rurali u l-konservazzjoni tat-tradizzjonijiet rurali, li lkoll huma rikonoxxuti mill-Unjoni Ewropea fir-rapporti tagħha.

Il-MaYA wissiet ukoll dwar l-impatt potenzjali fuq il-fondi tal-UE għall-agrikoltura, fejn qalet li dawn il-fondi jiddependu fuq strateġija ċara tal-gvern u l-approvazzjoni tal-Pjanijiet għall-Iżvilupp Rurali. “Il-fondi Ewropej allokati għal Malta – li ġiet ikklassifikata bħala żona żvantaġġata (LFA) – jistgħu jiġu affettwati mit-teħid tal-art agrikola għal forom differenti ta’ żvilupp. F’dan l-isfond, fil-kuntest tat-theddid kontinwu lejn iż-żoni rurali tagħna, għandna niffukaw l-isforzi tagħna fuq il-preservazzjoni tal-istatus agrikolu ta’ din l-art tant limitata.”

L-NGO talbet lill-gvern jieħu approċċ strett kontra t-telfien ta’ art agrikola ulterjuri, li jipperikola direttament l-għajxien tal-bdiewa, il-provvista lokali tal-ikel, l-ispazji miftuħa kif ukoll il-finanzjamenti mill-UE, u nnotatat li proġetti massiċċi bħal tas-Central Link u l-inċineratur tal-Magħtab jinvolvu t-teħid ta’ meded kbar ta’ art agrikola.

MaYA temmen ukoll li l-ippjanar rurali u urban għandhom imorru lilhinn mill-mandat ta’ ħames snin ta’ partit politiku, u li tinħtieġ viżjoni fit-tul sabiex “isir użu tajjeb mill-fondi tal-UE filwaqt li l-bdiewa jkunu jistgħu jżommu rwol kruċjali fil-ġestjoni territorjali u tal-pajsaġġ.”

Infrastructure for farmers

 

Focus group 14.12.2020

 

IMPORTANTI: Laqgħa ta' Konsultazjoni - 24/27 ta' Novembru 2020

Il-Ministeru għall-Agrikoltura, Sajd u Drittijiet tal-Annimali jixtieq jistedinkom għal żewġ laqgħat ta’ konsultazzjoni għar-raħħala u bdiewa Maltin u Għawdxin, fejn tigi diskussa l-implimentazzjoni tal-politika nazzjonali tal-agrikoltura u d-diversi sfidi f’dan is-settur.

Il-laqgħat ta’ konsultazzjoni se jsiru f’Malta nhar it-Tlieta 24 ta’ Novembru 2020 ġewwa Villa Arrigo fin-Naxxar mill-4pm sas-7.00pm, u nhar il-Ġimgħa 27 ta’ Novembru ġewwa l-Grand Hotel fl-Imġarr, Għawdex mill-4pm sas-7.00pm.

 

Dan se jkun eżerċizzju fejn inkomplu nisimgħu direttament mingħand il-bdiewa u r-raħħala nfushom dwar il-bżonnijiet u d-diffikultajiet tas-settur. B’hekk tkun tista tkompli titfassal politika li tagħmel is-settur agrikolu aktar sostenibbli u tpoġġi l-interessi tal-bdiewa u s-sajjieda fiċ-ċentru tagħha. 

 

Fiċ-ċirkostanzi preżenti, se jitħarsu l-miżuri tad-distanza soċjali tal-Covid-19 hekk kif stabbiliti mid-Dipartiment tas-Saħħa Pubblika. Għaldaqstant, dawn il-laqgħat se jkunu miftuħa għall-ewwel 100 persuna li jirreġistraw għal kull laqgħa. Nitlobkom tikkonfermaw l-attendenza tagħkom bit-telefon fuq 22924203 mill-iktar fis. Kull min jattendi jrid jilbes maskra matul is-sessjoni kollha.

 

Photo Credit: Christian Borg (FoEM - MaYA)

Information and recommendations about farmers and COVID-19 quarantine measures

The MaYA Foundation has been following a few cases where farmers have been obliged to follow quarantine rules. Frequently asked questions and official replies can be obtained on this link: https://agrifish.gov.mt/en/Documents/coronavirus/faqCoronaVirusEN.pdf

A farmer may be obliged to stay at home for 15 days as a preventive measure or in case of a positive COVID-19 result. One may then request for an exemption by email and only after providing detailed information about farming duties an exemption might be granted from the Health Department following further investigations and recommendations by relevant departments.

We are aware that such exemptions are stringent especially for full-time farmers, so we have been trying to understand the situation better while liaising with relevant departments.

 

Following communication with various health and agri officials over the past few days, we have gathered the following list of issues and recommendations. These recommendations have been forwarded to the relevant departments.

 

Provisions necessary 

As far as we know, farmers have not been specifically notified, about the conditions they need to abide by in case of quarantine. Unfortunately, the quarantine situation may lead to a number of difficult situations. 

We are aware of the struggles faced in order to obtain an exemption, and wish to prevent similar situations from happening in the future. 

Not all farms are equipped with basic amenities and for public health reasons, a citizen with all the civil rights and dignity, of course, cannot go and live on a farm in such conditions. Some farmers live on the same premises, but not everyone is as lucky.

Recommendation: We appreciate that quarantine rules cannot be breached, and that an exemption is difficult to obtain, so we are advocating for sector-sensitive considerations, measures and awareness. 

Stakeholders and farmers alike need to be alerted about the current situation, and a corresponding action plan clearly set out to be followed when it becomes necessary.

Being unprepared is the worst possible scenario. 

 

Time window

An allocation of one hour a day is simply not enough to manage a whole farm, irrespective of the size of the holding/herd. Full-time farmers especially, spend more than 10 hours a day on average managing their farms and one cannot simply abandon farm operations. 

Many farmers manage their farms together with other family members, but others do not. If a farm has a workforce of say 3 persons, and suddenly the load is shared between just 2, there are surely several repercussions.

Recommendation: Since there are no freelance service providers who can replace their work (not even at a cost), we would like to ask whether a temporary skilled workforce funded by the Ministry can be set up to alleviate such situations. 

 

Location where quarantine needs to be carried out

Arable farmers, livestock breeders and farm managers working on mixed farms may encounter different situations. We believe that a case-by-case approach needs to be adopted together with a strong communication channel that needs to be established between the farmer and related government officials. 

The 111 helpline gives advice on the health aspects of such situations but not on the agri/veterinary/welfare side.

One must not forget that at the beginning of the pandemic, farmers were considered an important asset for the country, for food security reasons. Now that the second wave has hit, we still need to be very careful and fully support food producers, in all manners possible.

 

Transportation of feeds, live/dead animals

A farmer under quarantine cannot leave the farm (if he/she is carrying out the mandatory quarantine on the farm). Obtaining feeds, other resources and transporting live/dead animals might be complicated to avoid exposure with other persons.

If the farmer is not living on the farm throughout quarantine and is visiting the farm during limited hours as obliged by health authorities, this will likely pose difficulties coordinating deliveries, where delivery persons carrying feeds may not be readily available to carry feeds at 5am or after 10pm. 

Recommendation: Farmers need to be encouraged and advised to store sufficient resources for a period of 15 days on the farm, in case they are on quarantine.

In the case that an animal needs to be urgently transferred from one farm to another, or to the abattoir, farmers are suggesting that a temporary service is provided by the veterinary services.

 

Financial losses incurred

If a farmer neglects his crops/livestock, huge financial losses will result. Such losses need to be avoided at all costs. Farmers need to set up a contingency plan in case they cannot sell their products or losses are suffered during quarantine. 

Farmers are asking who will be responsible for such losses. 

Recommendation: All farmers need to be aware of what can happen and how to deal with such situations. A support fund needs to be set up in order for farmers to fall back on in case of need.

We shall be keeping our followers informed through the news section of our website and on MaYA Facebook page. 

To keep in touch, drop us a line on info@maya.org.mt.