Technological innovation at the centre of Luis Planas' speech at the EU Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers
Description
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas , has advocated at the Council of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of the EU held on July 15 for the European Union (EU) to maintain its level of ambition in food innovation , both in production processes and in food.
Technology and generational change in the agricultural sector
Technological innovation, together with the incorporation of young people, are key elements for the future of the agricultural sector and the progress of rural areas in Europe , the minister has assured. Planas has stated that Spain, as well as many other Member States, are committed to advancing the regulation on new genetic editing techniques , because they are essential to improve the productivity and competitiveness of agricultural production in Europe. He has given as an example that in a climate change scenario, these techniques would allow for the production of plants and seeds that are better adapted to water stress or more productive.
The minister recalled that during the Spanish Presidency, much progress was made on the proposal document presented by the European Commission in July last year and a qualified majority was very close. He urged the Council to maintain its ambition and continue along this line to complete the process. He recalled that it is not a question of genetically modified organisms, something that has specific and very strict regulation in the EU, but of applying genome editing techniques, the results of which are equivalent to those that can be obtained through conventional plant breeding methods.
Innovation to maintain the competitiveness of the Spanish countryside
The Council also discussed the viability of rural areas, and the Spanish minister stressed the need to invest in innovation and the inclusion of young people as key tools to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of agricultural production. A modern, profitable and efficient agri-food sector is the best guarantee for social cohesion and the future of rural areas, the minister said.