Poll
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Comments (8):
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Rainfed Agriculture in semi-arid regions supported by protective irrigation needs regulatory or legislative measures. It could be in the form of Agriculture subsidies.
V.S.PRAKASH - 10/09/2008 - 15:49
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Subsidies should be restricted as much as possible to stimulate sustainable agricultural practices without the use of (artificial) fertilizers and pesticides. Zero emissions will not be possible since our presence means a certain ecological footprint anyway. Regional markets should be the best option but difficult to reach with global markets and competition systems. A trend towards 'functions follow water conditions' instead of the other way round should lead us somewhere, we need also to discuss 'limits to population growth' and substantial changes in our consumption patterns. Good luck to all of us in order to reach 'the ideal world' which is a joint responisbility and not one of farmers only!
Leo Santbergen - 30/08/2008 - 22:50
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The European Union should be drawing up a white paper that defines where certain crops should be grown (ideally suited) in an environmental-water based criteria and then these areas promoted (subsidised if necessary) to grow these crops, and the focus of the crops should be for food production, or sustainable fibres such as hemp and others that can replace petroleum plastics
J Conallin - 06/08/2008 - 20:47
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Agriculture is not 100% a business. It is an industry if it concerns intensively breeding pigs, chickens, flowers etc. But if it is, the cultivation of land the common interest and concern play a role. Because land is the thing on which countries are based, soldiers are subsidized for. It is in the public interest to safeguard it for future generations. The use of water however should be prized to stimulate/force the user to reach higher levels of efficiency in water use. subsidizing meters cubic is not wise and leads to much money for a few like subsidizing kg of output.
Joep - 06/08/2008 - 16:37
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Getting public/European funds into agriculture these days must be in the case of all the water and environmental standards can be accomplish buy those how who get the funds. Otherwise there's no point in spending money in preserve while given money to deteriorate. In the long term Europe must consider the possibility of supporting small scale agricultural projects because those are the real sustainable ones, developing at the same time small communities and contributing in this way to diminish the anthropogenic stress in coastal areas.
Joao Janeiro - 06/08/2008 - 15:20
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The use of wastewater, in irrigation, is not just an economic issue. In some regions, where enough natural water is available for agriculture, farmers should get some sort of subsidise, in order to encourage the wastewater recycling and thus protect the environment of undesirable wastewater outlets. This represents an ecological service which as a value and eventually deserves a compensation.
Manuel da Silva Costa - 06/08/2008 - 15:09
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The current agricultural subsidy has no linkage between water saving and environmental issues. It is independent and based on the only criteria to increase the yield. Therefore the farmers are using excess fertilization without thinking of its bad effect on the environment. Agriculture subsidy should promote water conservation and maximum use of nutrient recyclling.And also in developing countries the percentage of marginalised farmers are huge and they are not getting the full advantage of fertiizer subsidy. The major chunk goes to big farmers who can anyway manage with the low subsidy as well.
Prakash Kumar - 06/08/2008 - 14:15
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Farming is a business and the cost of food follows supply and demand. Current world food demand is running price, making subsidies unnecessary. Subsidies encourage inefficiency and place controls on innovation and risk-taking that are otherwise a normal part of business.
F Ross - 30/07/2008 - 16:49
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