Anna Diamantopoulou at the 2nd Cantina Academy: there is no agricultural policy without strategy – We change or we desert

At the 2nd Cantina Academy, Anna Diamantopoulou highlighted the urgent need for a dramatic overhaul of the nation’s agricultural policy. She advocated for a national strategy grounded in land management, digital transformation, and addressing demographic decline, criticizing the failures and delays that have led to the deterioration of rural Greece and stagnation in agricultural production.

The former commissioner and minister, who currently heads political strategic planning for PASOK, emphasized that Greece lags significantly in agricultural land management and digital tool adoption. Using Ilia as a case study, she pointed to the draining of Agoulinitsa lake in Krestena, which occurred 70 years ago and has since resulted in informal land rental practices. Consequently, farmers, including peanut growers in the region, struggle to participate in programs or make stable investments due to unclear ownership structures. Meanwhile, demographic decline is sharp and troubling: Krestena has seen a 40% drop, Pogoni a staggering 70%, and in Drama, where agricultural land is being converted into solar farms, the decline is also around 40%.

Additionally, the presence of pharma crops, which has taken root in 40% of forests, has similarly decreased by 40%.
Ms. Diamantopoulou stressed that agricultural policy has never been treated as a cohesive national priority, burdening the entire political landscape. The Greek periphery faces a dual crisis: the food industry is experiencing growth, yet human and natural resources are dwindling. Although the Recovery Fund included initiatives for green growth and digital transformation, only 18 projects have progressed while many remain dormant, and the clock is ticking.

The former minister criticized the lack of consistency in governmental policies, questioning how modern challenges can be addressed when ministers change every nine months without a unified national strategy. She also commented on Hatzidakis’ remarks regarding water management, pointing out that Europe has published annual reports since 2004, while Greece is still merely expressing intentions.

She noted the existence of crucial education and training programs for farmers that have been legislated since 2014 but have yet to be implemented nationwide. She expressed concern over why available scientific expertise, such as agronomists and veterinarians, is not being utilized. There is a shortage of skilled labor in the livestock sector, despite an abundance of professionals focused on household pets.

Ms. Diamantopoulou highlighted the importance of revitalizing the rural population, mentioning that with most farmers over 65 and lacking technical training, future prospects are bleak. She advocated for a new educational and support framework for youth, emphasizing collaborations with universities and the establishment of specialized institutes. Additionally, she identified reforestation and pooling agricultural land into viable, competitive areas as critical priorities, moving away from the fragmented practice of managing 10-15 acres.

Discussing technological advancements, she noted that innovations like harvesting robots, drones for irrigation and monitoring, are beginning to emerge in agriculture, necessitating investment and skilled labor. However, she reiterated that subsidies in Greece have often been misallocated without strategic foresight, underscoring that the past crisis should have taught the nation the importance of changing its current approach.

Regarding the OPEKEPE agency, she spoke on institutional shortcomings and administrative inefficiencies. She argued that had robust digital oversight been implemented, issues of misuse, like those uncovered involving lamb breeding in Crete, could have been prevented. She questioned why the government has not reformed the agency when the European Commission itself deemed that it could no longer function effectively.

In conclusion, Anna Diamantopoulou underscored that addressing the persistent culture of mismanagement requires digital oversight and accountability. For PASOK, agricultural production is a pivotal concern, integral to food security, demographic revival, and national resilience. She called for policies that promote large-scale farming, specialized programs in areas facing population decline, and significant reforms to the cooperative model to foster a new era of collaboration. As she aptly put it, “Cooperativism is essential, but it must evolve – otherwise, we cannot progress.”