Agroaldea
The work carried out within the Study Commission includes an analysis of the state and evolution of the agricultural sector in recent years.
The plenary session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands unanimously approved the opinion of the Study Commission on the Primary Sector in the Canary Islands that, among his final considerations, “highlights the need to promote self-sufficiency as an opportunity to improve the regional economy and create employment”.
In particular, The approved text considers that the Canary Islands must “proceed to a reorientation of its agricultural production, establishing a change in strategy that is committed to promoting the Canarian internal market, a market that presents as potential not only the increase in population figures in the Canary Islands, but also the significant number of foreign visitors that the archipelago registers throughout the year., and that constitutes an important potential consumer of products grown in the Canary Islands”.
In this context, One of the conclusions of the opinion includes the “need to improve and modernize distribution and marketing channels” and echoes a proposal to “establish incentives for marketing professionals who operate in the Canary Islands.”, in order to prioritize the exit to the domestic market of products of local origin”.
The work carried out within the Study Commission includes an analysis of the state and evolution of the agricultural sector in recent years. It also offers a series of conclusions and proposals for action for the different crops that exist on the Islands., the livestock and fishing, as well as on the agri-food industry or the policy of the European Union in relation to these activities.
Established in October 2012, The Primary Sector Study Commission in the Canary Islands has held numerous meetings in which representatives of agricultural organizations have participated, livestock and fishing, technicians of public institutions and entities, members of agricultural cooperatives and public officials of the Canary Islands administrations linked to the primary sector.
According to the considerations of the opinion, The participants in the various sessions agreed to highlight “the potential of the primary sector to create employment and wealth.”, "But they insist that the adoption of economic policy measures is necessary to improve the competitiveness of the sector.". Measurements that, as added, “they must be oriented towards the articulation of a Canarian internal market, taxing certain products with the AIEM, without this implying an increase in the prices of the shopping basket”.
In the text it is stated, In addition, “the need to improve the qualification of farmers and ranchers, establishing appropriate training programs that contemplate, Likewise, the introduction of new technologies in production channels, “in order to make Canarian products more competitive in the market”.
In the opinion of the editors of the opinion “this training improvement will help, Likewise, to a greater qualitative assessment of the agricultural profession, which will result in a generational renewal that will be positive for the present and the future of the agricultural sector in the Canary Islands”.
Also, and aware of the urgent need for financing that certain productive sectors present to continue their activity with guarantees, The opinion “proposes to the Government of the Canary Islands to carry out the appropriate procedures before the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and environment, in order to obtain a parallel provision, in the form of state aid, multiannual for island producers, adicional to the Posei de Canarias card”.
On the other hand, and in order to promote the development of the sector and encourage generational change, sets out “the suitability of establishing preferential financing lines aimed at: subsidize points of interest to the new agricultural establishment, livestock and fishing; to facilitate the implementation of new technologies that allow diversification of crops; and the development of the agri-food industry. Also, "The establishment of a line of aid and scholarships for agricultural research with commercialization capacity is considered necessary.".
Another of the considerations of the opinion establishes that in the Canary Islands “failures are detected in crop planning, since farmers do not receive adequate advice to produce according to demand”. In this sense, Those appearing before the Commission have pointed out “the potential that Canarian universities represent as research centers, as well as the agricultural extension network, "as instruments that advise farmers on what to produce and when to plant different crops.".