Suchergebnisse

In 1992 a comprehensive study entitled "Malta Agricultural Policy and EC Membership: Challenges and Opportunities" was conducted by FAO and presented to Government of Malta. This project had the objective of carrying out an agricultural sector review aimed at the implementation of the new international and domestic policy changes necessary for eventual EU membership. This report made particular emphasis on the proposal for dealing with key agricultural policy deemed to be crucial for the survival of the sector. Despite that a certain degree of restructuring and amelioration has occurred, the agricultural sector in Malta has not reversed its long-term decline, nor does it appear to have attained sustainability. Furthermore, the Maltese structural and geographical features of the territory are not so conducive to investment, and are, in part, responsible for imparting a "dampening" effect on investment potential. Nonetheless issues of markets, production organization and policy have a significant role. The lack of efficiently functioning markets for outputs as well as inputs; conservative attitudes in the sector towards modern, efficient and effective business practices; the pattern of land ownership and tenure, that curtails productivity and the entry of new operators into the sector; these all act together to create a complex matrix within which investment has its limitations. To further complicate these issues, the sector has no clear long term policy direction, thus resulting in uncoordinated actions in terms of effort, time and investments towards established goals. The objective of this paper is to portray the developments in the Maltese agro-food sector in conjunction with related policy changes. ; peer-reviewed

Regulatory instruments at the national level to ensure high quality are crucial to achieve and maintain a regional hub of higher education in Malta. While The Malta Qualifications Council and the National Commission for Higher Education are established and operational, the legal framework to set up a quality assurance agency and a quality assurance and licensing framework is in place, but the legislations is still awaiting approval. The University of Malta has set up internal quality assurance structures, The Programme Validation Committee monitors, reviews and recommends programmes for approval by Senate, The formation of the INSTITUTE OF EARTH SYSTEMS will facilitate the means through which a Bio Systems Engineering course could be offered, Furthermore the recent establishment of a Maltese Chamber of Agrologists could in theory eventually take up the role to grant professional accreditation, ; peer-reviewed

Soil erosion only enters national accounting systems when soil loss is reflected in lost agricultural productivity, or becomes manifest with costs sustained by damage through flooding, siltation of dams, landslides, and other associated phenomena. On islands that are prone to desertification, however, soil loss needs to be better accounted since the costs of soil replacement and rehabilitation are often prohibitively expensive. Circumscribed agricultural space provides the necessary incentive for investment in soil conservation measures and, in certain cases, a long history of such measures results in a wealth of soil retention structures. Soil conservation has been practised in the densely populated Maltese islands for several hundred years. Slope terracing and armouring of the terrace face with retaining dry stonewalls represents a rich resource which has not yet been quantified. Yet the cost of maintaining such soil conservation structures is becoming increasingly prohibitive despite the downstream costs of their eventual failure. Legislation has been enacted aimed at preserving rubble walls since these are now also regarded as a unique landscape feature but well-targeted economic incentives and support infrastructures are crucial in this regard. In fact, the Maltese Government has, over the past few years, promoted rubble wall repairs by creating groups of skilled workers trained in the craft of rubble wall building. Malta's joining the European Union in May 2004 also means that EU funds would be utilised in this regard but this needs careful management. Despite such state initiatives, alternative non-state subsidies need to be identified and this demands the identification of net beneficiaries of soil conservation. The most easily identifiable stakeholders are farmers but the tourist sector and water management authorities should also be enlisted within soil conservation management. Other stakeholders include those sectors that are adversely affected by soil erosion. In this case, insurance companies and road maintenance agencies should also be involved in soil management initiatives. ; peer-reviewed

The paper provides a comprehensive review on the water resources development in Malta throughout the centuries. Moreover, this report is focused on the legal and administrative set-up related to the water resources in Malta. This set-up has been enhanced so that a proper integrated water demand management could be achieved. Through such set-ups and through the integrated approach involving the use of legislative, economic and technical measures, and the involvement of the public in activities aimed at the rational use of water resources, the Water Management in Malta, after years of striving, has started gearing up. ; peer-reviewed

The cadastral systems existing in EU Member States satisfy private and public needs but there is no common regulation describing the purposes, minimum requirements and functions of the Cadastre in each State. In order to satisfy the need for harmonisation of Cadastres at the EU level, the Spanish Government's Official Performance Programme of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council supported, in the first semester of 2002, the initiative proposed by the Spanish General Directorate for the Cadastre to hold the "First Congress on Cadastre in the European Union" (15-17 May 2002). The main objective of this conference was to study the role of the Cadastre at EU level and the methods for the integration of national models. For this purpose the Spanish General Directorate also presented two specific initiatives : 1) the project for a "Declaration on Cadastre in the European Union"; 2) the formation of a Cadastre Permanent Committee. A unique Cadastre at EU level would allow that the CAP (Community Agricultural Policy) is implemented by considering the best practices of the land owners. Moreover, the basic taxation principles and coordination of property taxation are shown in this paper. In the long term, the free movement of people, goods and capital will induce that the EU harmonises or at least coordinates property regimes, Land Registry and Cadastre in the Member States. Cadastres enable to change the land from an object of utilisation into capital and thus economic growth (that is a prerequisite for investments in estate enhancement and/or environmental protection). This is an essential part of LIS (Land Information System) and GIS (Geographic Information System) systems, that provide information crucial to decision making. The new soil cadastral certificate, besides land use and capability, should also take into account the sustainability. The Ground Cadastre should be developed into a multipurpose Soil Cadastre, i.e. an inventory for environmental, social, economic, legal and taxation purposes.

Malta became part of the European Union in May 2004. On the 23rd June 2004, the first Rural Development Plan for Malta was approved. This plan was designed to establish a concrete base platform through which the Maltese agriculture sector could evolve and develop. The plan provided for the growth and de· velopment of the sector in a sustainable manner applying guide, lines and procedures common to the rest of the other European Member States. This plan recommended that the overall strategy for Maltese agriculture should focus on the development and specialisation of agricultural niche quality products that are best suited for the Maltese agro,ecosystems, The 2004·2006 Rural Development Plan was the first ever serious attempt to put together a series of measures capable of acUng and reacting in synChrony to achieve measurable results. The second Rural Development Plan 2007-2013 aspires to implement a strategy that builds upon the achievements and mile, stones of the first Plan. It seeks to offer a more deliverable pro, gramme that IS well aware of the strengths of the rural sector while at the same time addressing relevant weaknesses in order to attain a more sustainable development of agriculture. The in, elusion of past, as well as recent experiences both from a technical and from an administrative point of view will strengthen the commitment in focusing on present and future needs of all stakeholders as well on current European and world trends. The objective of this paper is to highlight the challenges and opportunities that are present in the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Malta 2007 -2013. ; peer-reviewed

Malta became a member state within the European Union in May 2004. The Maltese agricultural sector now has access to one of the largest markets, but in return had to remove all sorts of protectionism from inbound European products. As we stand to-date/ two years post membership, the livestock sector is expressing a lethargic attitude and portraying an air of despair and confusion. In evaluating the real extent of deterioration, one should separate the facts from perceptions of the present situation as compared to the real situation prior to accession. Fortunately, several reliable comprehensive references are available They include a comprehensive study entitled Malta Agricultural Policy and EC Membership: Challenges and Opportunities by FAa; Animal Waste in Maltese Agriculture by Peter Jackson; and Census of Agriculture 2001 published by the National Statistics Office, Malta. FAO's project had the objective of carrying out an agricultural sector review aimed at the implementation of the new international and domestic policy changes necessary for eventual EU membership. The findings, with particular emphasis on the proposal for dealing with key agricultural policy, were presented in the report. The aim of this paper is to compare and contrast aspects of livestock production pre and post membership. Alternatives to meet the challenges and opportunities will also be suggested, ; peer-reviewed

The agriculture and agro-industry system, in the overall definition of agricultural production, processing industry, distribution and services, is characterized by a strong demand for innovation to satisfy the continuous and changing needs of consumers. This situation, on the one hand, is determined by the needs of companies to respond effectively to market globalization, on the other hand, however, it has strongly increased energy consumption and the environmental impacts of the sector. This work examines the energy consumption of the agri-food supply chain and illustrates the most significant technologies and production processes for sustainable energy and environmental modernization.

The University of Malta is harmonising all programme offer to be compliant with the Bologna process which envisages the establishment of the European Higher Education Area by 2010. Research activities at the University of Malta date back to the seventies and were mainly carried out by the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of the Faculty of Medicine. Following accession within the European Union, significant investment has been committed to structure and support research, in particularly in areas that provide value-added to the country's economy. Consequently; thematic, project-based funding prevails over bottom-up, openended research programmes and measures, giving priority to academia-industry collaboration. ; peer-reviewed

Regions with high livestock density lack sufficient land on which to apply manure without exceeding the legal limits set by the European Union Directives. The lack of manure processing alternatives aggravates the situation, especially in the case of islands. Consequently, manure becomes a liability rather than an asset. Results indicate that pyrolysis is an option for manure processing. However, a significant limitation is the moisture content of the starting material, that could compromise the process efficiency. Yields of biogas, bio-oil and biochar, all of which have a potential use as biofuels, are particular to animal type and manure handling system. The conversion of manure to biofuels contributes to the development of a bio-based economy.

Malta became a full member state within the European Union in May 2004. The Maltese agricultural sector now has access to one of the largest markets, but in return had to remove all sorts of protectionism from inbound European products. As we stand to-date, two years post membership; the livestock sector is expressing a lethargic attitude and portraying an air of despair and confusion. This paper will attempt to identify and highlight shortfall fundamental for a sustainable livestock sector. ; peer-reviewed

The University of Malta has only recently approved the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards and the Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D. - Degree Regulations. Based on these, Senate approved the Ph.D. Bye-Laws for the Faculty of Engineering. These bye-laws provide for admission into the programme of students with a background in the sciences and allows for collaboration with intemational institutions making full use of European Union exchange programs. Although Biosystems engineering is still a new concept in Malta, The Institute of Agriculture is actively promoting collaboration with the Faculty of engineering in this field of science. Maltese education is legislated through the Education Act (chapter 327) of 1988 and its later amendments. This act attempts to consolidate and reform the law relating to Education in Malta. The Republic of Malta recognizes the right of every citizen to receive education and instruction without any distinction of age, sex, belief or economic means. ; peer-reviewed

There is the need for a legal instrument that would first and foremost establish the executive powers of a new entity with overarching responsibilities and powers over all the authorities that have sectoral responsibilities for climate change. Such a legal instrument should also identify these sectoral authorities and their responsibilities, preferably within an Annex which could be amended and adjusted in a flexible manner. This instrument should be managed by a new unit on climate change within MRA and it should ensure integration without causing fragmentation between the sectors. At the same time, retaining the sectoral input would ensure that there is no duplication of roles, that the institutions are specialised within their own field and that the overarching institution does not becomes a bottle neck. In other words, different competent authorities responsible for the different sectoral policies and obligations should remain, but these must be answerable to an institution that has executive powers to ensure compliance and to coordinate long and short term planning with respect to climate change targets and impacts. By way of recommendation therefore, a legal instrument of this sort should seek to intervene as little as possible in the daily running of the sectoral policies and only apply its powers in situations of emergency when non compliance by the different sectors stalls the fulfilment of Malta's obligations. Its main role should be to ensure implementation of a National Strategy on Mitigation and Adaptation. This legal instrument would not duplicate the role of public institutions that are already regulators for various sectors on climate change. It would however empower the new entity to take enforcement measures against the said institutions if they fail to do so. It would also ensure the implementation and enforcement of existing legislation that regulates the various sectors in order to rationalize their sustainable use and provide for conservation measures. This would benefit both the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures. An entity entrusted with the overall responsibility for climate change law and policy must be legally empowered to ensure the implementation of national adaptation programmes. It must also coordinate the various sectors to carry out the necessary research to adopt and implement mitigation and adaptation measures. It must necessarily be supported by a parallel capacity building process in the various entities that run the day-to- day implementation functions. On an administrative level, without necessarily being included in a legal instrument, memoranda of understanding and stakeholder dialogue are indispensable tools to ensure cooperation. This will facilitate reaching mitigation and adaptation targets within the stipulated time frames. The mainstreaming of climate change impacts in national policies ensures the adoption of mitigation and adaptation measures and guarantees synergy and linkages amongst various public plans and programmes. Response to climate change should take place at a strategic level to assess beforehand the socio-economic impacts of any mitigation and adaptation measures adopted as a consequence prior to mainstreaming into national policy making. The existing Regulations on the Strategic Environment Assessment already include climate change impacts as one of the issues that needs to be taken into consideration in an SEA. Furthermore, for all those situations where an SEA is not required, Maltese authorities should promote pro-active adaptation measures such as, for example, in development planning, rather than take reactive adaptation measures. The new climate change legal instrument must ensure effective monitoring and stakeholder engagement, particularly the involvement of NGOS and Local Councils which increases public awareness on climate change issues. The new law should also take into consideration national security issues relating to climate change when formulating mitigation and adaptation strategies. The new law should also target the development of a research programme for climate change, including access to funding programmes. It is vital that Investment in research and development in all sectors should not remain on a voluntary basis. It will provide local industry with the necessary technology and it will generate specialised local expertise in a rapidly growing sector that is assuming a tremendous economic potential. Procrastination is detrimental on two main fronts. First because Malta will miss out in securing a place in this niche-market and second because we will keep relying upon foreign technology and expertise. Since Malta can rely on and pool from the scientific and technical advice of the European Environmental agency, it is best to concentrate on investing in scientific and technical research that addresses the local scenario. This should be earmarked as a priority for EU funded projects and care should be taken not to duplicate research conducted by EU agencies to which Malta has access, but rather to build upon it and apply it at the local level. It is also essential to include as a legal obligation the publication to civil society of information acquired as a result of research conducted at the EU level or carried out locally. It must be ensured that all sectors surmount the constraints due to the lack of a sound knowledge base on local ecosystem dynamics. Filling such a gap would serve to build local scientific evidence that would identify to what extent marine, terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna groups are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Emphasis should be placed on minor and already vulnerable groups. All sectors should be legally bound to maintain a Geographic Information System to integrate data related to climate change, and any other data required apart from spatial information. Adopting and implementing the recommendations suggested by the National Sustainable Development Strategy for Malta would greatly enhance the implementation of adaptation measures relating to climate change, both on a cross-sectoral and sectoral level. At present it is envisaged that the government is currently preparing a new Bill on sustainable development, in the meantime the applicable provisions of the EPA by virtue of which the sustainable development strategy was published should continue to apply. Malta should also endeavour to promote more regional cooperation in the Mediterranean under the Barcelona Convention framework and Euro Med, to identify the adaptation needs of the Mediterranean littoral to the impacts of climate change. Authorities should initiate immediately, even at the regional Mediterranean level, studies to assess vulnerability due to climate change, how new opportunities may be tapped, how to meet with the negative consequences of climate change in the sector, how to ensure that local operators adapt to the shift in tourism trends as a result of climate change. There is the need of systematic and sustained awareness building programmes to educate all. This will intensify awareness and promote a change in behavioural patterns to improve adaptation to climate change. Increasing awareness of climate change impacts within the government, industry, and community sectors will support cultural change transitions that are required for the adoption of more climate change friendly technologies, designs, and operations by public and private operators. The new climate change law should also obligate the various sectors to formulate contingency plans. This serves to: address the negative impacts envisaged as a result of climate change particularly upon vulnerable groups. assess socio-economic implications, with increased insurance covers for risks resulting from the likely impacts of climate change. identify financial guarantees and incentives amongst the various stakeholders in all sectors. ; peer-reviewed