The Confederation of Farmers of Portugal (CAP) regretted that no importance was given to agriculture in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), with support “just above zero”, remembering that, in this matter, nothing can now be done.
“The answer is simple: no importance was given to agriculture. The PRR’s support for agriculture is not zero, but it is slightly above. Therefore, obviously, it could and should be more and the Government had that possibility”, he pointed out, in an interview to Lusa, the president of CAP, Álvaro Mendonça e Moura, when he celebrates one year since assuming the presidency of the confederation.
On September 22, 2023, the European Commission approved the review of Portugal’s PRR, which now amounts to 22,200 million euros.
However, this amount could have been approximately 30,500 million euros, if the Government had chosen to exhaust all loans, similar to what the Spanish executive did.
For CAP, this should have been the Portuguese Government’s option, thus giving more prominence to the agricultural sector in the PRR.
The executive would always have to pay this debt, but “over 30 years and with negligible interest”, which would make it possible to invest, for example, in water retention.
The farmers’ confederation has already defended the creation of a National Water Network, hoping that it will progress over the next four years.
Otherwise, “every other year”, we will say that we are in a drought situation again and that help is needed, he said.
Álvaro Mendonça e Moura also pointed out that, contrary to what happens, for example, in North Africa, Portugal does not have a lack of water, but the resource is poorly distributed, not having the capacity to store it.
It is therefore necessary to start retaining water, which can be done by raising dams, with the reallocation of their use.
On the other hand, as he argued, the solution may still lie in the renegotiation of dam concessions, with some now having multiple purposes.
However, it will not be with PRR funds that the country will be able to invest in this resource, he warned, highlighting that the deadline for using this loan has already closed.
The PRR, which has an execution period until 2026, intends to implement a set of reforms and investments with a view to recovering economic growth.
In addition to having the objective of repairing the damage caused by covid-19, this plan also aims to support investments and generate jobs.
Among the problems highlighted by the confederation are also the funds to be executed in the Rural Development Program (PDR) 2020, which has to be done by the end of next year.
“We don’t have a lack of money, we have a lack of project execution and that’s what we have to change”, he pointed out.
Regarding the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC), the president of CAP explained that it has to be “profoundly remodeled” and not just debureaucratized, as has already been announced by the Government of Luís Montenegro.
“It’s a substantive change. It’s not just a matter of remodeling, making it simpler and less bureaucratic. It’s actually being changed”, he explained.
CAP submitted a proposal to amend PEPAC, hoping that this will be part of what the Government will have to present to Brussels by the end of June, so that the new plan can come into force on January 1, 2025.
The farmers’ proposal foresees, among other points, greater support for precision agriculture, “more advanced and environmentally friendly”, and livestock farming, in addition to strengthening the first pillar of this policy, which concerns direct payments.
PE // CSJ
Lusa/End
