According to the Climate Change Committee of 2010, 98% of the farms in Malta are family owned and operated. However, ownership in this case, refers to a very long governmental lease. As noted in a report on land use in Malta by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries, the majority of farm land is not owned by the actual farmers. Instead the government holds the majority of farm land and leases it out under an emphyteutic lease. This was the case for the farmers I talked to.
Because most farms are family owned and operated, they tend to be quite small. Indeed, the farmers I talked to didn’t know of any commercially owned farms in their area and all of the crops they produced were for private use. Similarly, most farmers, 96.2%, have received no official training in agriculture. Instead farmers learn the trade from their parents or friends. The farmers I talked to had inherited both their farms and their skills from their fathers.
Unlike many other farmers in Malta, the farmers I talked to did not rely on boreholes to supply their plants with water. These farmers used cistern water. Cisterns scattered around the farms collect rainfall water during the rainy season and give the farmers sufficient water for the growing season. Most of the cisterns we explored were bell shaped. They had probably been cut out of the rock many generations ago, but were still perfect for maintaining small local water supplies. The farmers I talked to seldom had any problems with water shortages. However, these farmers were only managing small plots of land.
Given the statistics about organic farming mentioned in my last farming post, it is obvious that the subject has not taken off with the local farmers. The Ministry for Rural Affairs added the Organic Farming Unit to promote and regulate organic farming in 2003. A number of smaller organic activist groups existed before that, including the Maltese Agriculture Movement. Nonetheless, in 2009 only 0.22% of agricultural land was being utilized for organic farming― based on statistics from the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority. None of the farmers I talked to were organically certified, but they had heard about organic farming.
The certification process to become an organic farmer from the Organic Farming Unit includes a two year land transformation period. During this time, the crops that are grown on the land are not technically organic, but they must be grown using organic methods. After the two year period the farmer is allowed to sell his produce with an organic label, which has financial benefits.
The main restriction on organically grown crops is that no chemicals may be used to grow them. This includes chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Alternative and acceptable pesticides include bug eating bugs and bug repelling plants. Organic fertilizers consist of manure from organically raised animals, or plant compost.
Unfortunately, none of the farmers that I talked to knew that there was a certification process to become an organic farmer. This indicates that efforts to promote organic farming have been less than successful. Consider, however, that these farmers have little motivation to become certified organic farmers because they are not engaged in selling their products.
In addition to the guidelines for organic farming, the Organic Farming Unit outlined some of the benefits of organic farming. This list included reduced consumption of pesticides, increased soil quality, and increased biodiversity. One of the farmers I talked to wanted to avoid consumption of pesticides, so he had switched to manure as his sole form of fertilization. Another farmer felt that chemical pesticides and fertilizers were unhealthy, but he doubted that he could get his crops to grow without them. Reluctance to try new farming methods is understandable given that most farmers have training in only one method passed down from their parents. The Organic Farming Unit has been working with the Maltese Organic Farming Movement to provide organic farming seminars. However, the farmers I talked to have obviously been unable to partake in those seminars.
Considering the information I collected from farmers, news sources, and government publications, I can see a number of barriers to the current organic farming movement in Malta. Organic farming is currently being promoted because it is healthier for both people and the environment. It also produces crops that can be labeled as organic, which fetch higher retail prices. As noted, however, most farmers lack the economic incentives to engage in organic farming. Their farms are small and they only produce food for themselves. Many farmers also lack the knowledge they need to properly utilize organic farming. Farmers that do engage in organic farming do so for health reasons, and have no desire to become officially certified. This mindset is already having an impact on the official numbers of organic farmers in Malta. There are probably countless organic farmers who have never bothered to become certified yet still engage in organic or relatively-organic farming. While the Organic Farming Unit and non-governmental activist groups, like the Malta Organic Movement, are promoting organic farming, it will be difficult for them to convince small farmers that organic certification is necessary.
I think that for small farmers a lack of certification is fine. There is no real need for them to become certified because they are not selling their produce. For these farmers, however, I feel that more organic outreach is required. None of the farmers I talked to felt that the government had attempted to contact them. Training seminars and general guidance for all small farmers would give them the knowledge they need to be comfortable with organic farming. As mentioned this would create better soil and biodiversity across the island, wherever small farms may be.
No comments:
Post a Comment