Experience exchange trip to Estonia. Participation in AgroForum Mare Balticum 2019

On the first day of the trip, the participants visited the “Korgemae” farm, while later in the trip, experts from the Farmers' Assembly and the trip participants from Tartu (Estonia) participated in the agroforum “Mare Balticum – Agroecology as a driver for sustainable food systems”.

Agroecology is a new term for a broader perspective on agriculture, which includes not only production, but also its social, climate impact and biodiversity aspects. At the conference, a representative of the OECD gave an interesting presentation about a study comparing different agricultural practices and their impact on the environment. Interestingly, the study shows that the integrated pest management method is much more environmentally friendly than organic farming.

During the conference, we had the opportunity to meet and talk with Perre Bascou, Director of the EC's Department for Direct Support for Agriculture and Rural Development, and to remind once again about the requirement for winter cover (no black soil) and the ban on cultivating peat soils in the new planning period, which cannot be implemented in our region from an agronomic point of view. We also discussed the drought prevailing in our region and its potential negative impact on agriculture, which has been observed for the third year in a row.

The forum was attended by agricultural and food producers, policymakers, and academics from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, and partner countries – Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, and Kazakhstan.

At the end of the trip, the participants visited the largest agricultural industry exhibition in the Baltic States at the Tartu Exhibition Center. MAAMESS 2019! 

AGENDA_Agro Forum Mare Balticum 2019

More about Agro Forum HERE!