A Delegation of Maltese Farmers Participates for the First Time in the EPP Congress for Young Farmers in Brussels

This week marked an important milestone for a number of Maltese farmers, particularly young ones, who participated for the first time in the annual EPP European Congress of Young Farmers. The tenth edition brought together around 500 farmers, policy makers and agriculture stakeholders from across Europe to raise awareness, promote agriculture in Europe, support rural development, and emphasize the critical role of young farmers in this sector.
 
The Maltese delegation included young farmers from the MAYA Foundation (Malta Youth in Agriculture), led by Jeanette Borg, as well as farmers from Gozo and Steven Zerafa, a robotics researcher exploring how robotics can be applied in local agriculture. The Congress focused on key current challenges in agriculture, including the importance of water for farming in the coming years, better marketing of European agricultural products, and how Europe can encourage more young people to keep this vital sector alive.
 
The Maltese farmers participated in discussions that featured the new European Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, as well as several Members of the European Parliament and other stakeholders in agricultural policy. MEP Peter Agius, who has supported the Congress and the Young Farmer’s Prize awarded during the event, emphasized the importance of the Maltese to be among other farmers during such an important evemt “For the first time, the Maltese are participating in the EPP Farmers' Congress in Brussels. I will ensure that my role as an MEP is used to the fullest to involve the Maltese in decision-making in Europe,” said Dr. Agius.
 
The EPP Farmers' Congress serves as a platform to attract more young people to agriculture, a sector that has seen a 30% decline in youth participation over the past 20 years.