On Monday, November 20, Raivis Kronbergs, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, will participate in the EU Council of Agriculture and Fisheries, in Brussels, where Member States will discuss a long-term vision on the development of EU rural areas in future. Enhancing of competitiveness and viability of rural areas as well as food security is one of the priorities, determined by Spain, currently holding Presidency of the EU Council.
Among the most important issues in the context of Latvia and the EU rural development, it is not only viability and development of agriculture as the sector of national economy that is important. It must go hand in hand with rural population density and co-existence of farms of different sizes.
Just as very important is coherence of various political branches as the EU Common Agricultural Policy is not the only one, which has an impact on the development of rural areas. All the branches, which directly influence inhabitants, living and working in regions, have a great importance on the future of rural areas as they ensure a successful operation of farms and enterprises – transport, education, services, health care, etc.