From June 2 to June 4, Kaspars Gerhards, the Minister for Agriculture, while on a working visit to Bucharest (Romania), will participate in an informal Council of the EU Ministers for Agriculture and Fishery, where the Romanian Presidency has suggested discussions on objectives and problems to be addressed in the context of research in the area of agriculture and bioeconomics.
Kaspars Gerhards, the Minister: “A sustainable bioeconomics is based on knowledge, a successful development of a product and its advancement on the market. Just as important is the development of a supporting innovation environment, particularly in rural areas. We must promote an understanding what bioeconomics can contribute to the environment and national economy, as well as a good quality continuing education, adjusted to the needs of bioeconomics sectors, must also be offered.”
The Ministry of Agriculture emphasizes that implementation of bioeconomics activities is closely linked to the funding for the EU Common Agricultural Policy, planned for Latvia the next programming period. To ensure the development of agriculture and rural regions, including the further development of bioeconomics in Latvia, a sufficient EU funding must be earmarked. Therefore, the next programming period 2021 – 2027, the funding for rural development in Latvia must be ensured at least at the current level. Just as important is to ensure that eligibility conditions for the aid, provided by the new Common Agricultural Policy after 2020, are not complicated but rather motivating for farmers of EU Member States to introduce measures of bioeconomis.
Bioeconomics is a part of the national economy, where renewable nature resources (from soil and water) are used in a sustainable and well-considered way in the production process to produce food and feed, goods and energy. The development of bioeconomics is based on knowledge, research and inovations with a view to ensure adding value to products, development of regions and a sustainable management of nature resources.