Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-12-03-Speech-3-238"
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"en.20081203.19.3-238"2
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".
Mr President, I would like to thank Mr Mitchell for his excellent report. My group has always been in favour of the rapid granting of food aid. The Commission made its proposal for aid worth EUR one billion in July. Unfortunately, that went against the principles of the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline. This was surprising, as the Commission is traditionally a guardian of the Treaty and lawfulness. It was not until the budgetary conciliation stage that the Commission altered its proposal to conform to existing legislation. It was then that agreement was reached.
The French Presidency also deserves our gratitude. It succeeded in persuading the Member States to adopt the food aid position. EUR 760 million out of EUR 1 billion is new money and a clear victory for the European Parliament.
One problem is ensuring that the aid gets to its intended destination. Sceptics claim that just a part of the aid arrives at its destination, while most stays in the hands of intermediaries. This problem needs to be watched closely. One problem with agriculture in the developing countries is not the availability of fertilisers or seed but the lack of education and the primitive working methods, equipment and facilities. That will not be solved in one year with a billion euros. That is why food aid is primarily a wake-up call that development cooperation should make agricultural development and boosting food production its priority.
Agriculture in developing countries is often practised in difficult conditions, typically barren spoil and a harsh climate. Such circumstances call for an exceptionally high degree of professional know-how and advanced farming methods. For that reason, vocational training needs to be developed. At present there is barely any at all. Production methods need to be adapted to the limits that poverty imposes. The leap from plough to hi-tech tractor is not at all an appropriate one. Agricultural development needs to happen one step at a time."@en1
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