Minister Cigler Kralj: Odpornost prehranskih sistemov krepi stabilnost in prehransko varnost

Slovenian Agriculture Minister Janez Cigler Kralj emphasized the importance of strengthening food system resilience during a discussion at the Bleiburg Strategic Forum titled "From Fragility to Fertility: Stabilizing Europe's Neighborhood Through Resilience." He highlighted that food self-sufficiency has been placed among his administration's top priorities, describing it as a crucial component of national security. The discussion focused on food security as an increasingly significant geopolitical and security issue, the role of resilient food systems, and the ability of countries and regions to ensure long-term stability, not just in responding to exceptional circumstances. Resilient food systems not only guarantee adequate food supply but also contribute to preserving jobs, economic and social vitality in rural areas, increasing public trust, and reducing societal vulnerability to external pressures and instability. Governments play a key role in this process by timely identifying risks, effectively managing water and natural resources, maintaining supply chains, and supporting farmers and local communities. Resilient food systems, effective management of natural resources, and strong institutional capabilities of states are becoming increasingly important factors in ensuring stability, security, and geopolitical credibility for Europe. Minister Cigler Kralj stressed that investments in resilience should be considered a long-term strategic priority, not merely a response to crisis situations. He noted that in Slovenia, agriculture and food production are understood as critical infrastructure during crises. Food security must be treated equally with military, climate, energy, and cyber threats in European security thinking, otherwise responses to instability caused by lack of food security will always be too late. Therefore, food security has been included in the coalition agreement. Cigler Kralj emphasized that increasingly frequent extreme weather events confirm the necessity of shifting from addressing consequences to preventing risks. This requires systematic investments in early warning systems, monitoring soil moisture, efficient irrigation systems, digital tools, research, agricultural advisory services, and modern risk management instruments. Special attention should be given to making these solutions accessible to small and medium-sized family farms, which remain the foundation of food security and rural development. At the level of the European Union, the common agricultural policy remains one of the key pillars of food security and strategic resilience. Slovenia therefore supports the maintenance of a strong and adequately funded common agricultural policy in future multiannual financial frameworks, emphasizing prevention, adaptation to climate change, risk management, innovations, and investments in rural development. The minister also pointed out that Europe has significant advantages, strong institutions, scientific excellence, innovative agriculture, and long-term development experience. By connecting these advantages with the needs and priorities of partner countries, Europe can jointly build more resilient food systems, stronger rural communities, and greater capacity to face future crises. European farmers and organizations have warned Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, that her approach threatens the European project. They argue that the European Union is facing a pivotal moment in deciding the future of its agricultural policies amid challenges such as drought, extreme weather, fires, high energy and fertilizer costs, war-related consequences, trade tensions, and growing global competition. Leaders of Copa and Cogeca, representing European farmers, warn that upcoming decisions on the future of the EU's agricultural policy and the multiannual financial framework are critical. They claim that the political process on agriculture has never been as unclear as it is now. Farmers and organizations criticize the European Commission for viewing agriculture as a burden rather than a strategic asset. They point out that the United States, China, and Russia treat agriculture as a cornerstone of national security, food self-sufficiency, and strategic resilience. These nations have implemented policies aimed at securing their food supplies, unlike the EU, which appears to be moving in the opposite direction. They argue that reducing funding for agriculture and distributing it into national and regional partnership plans weakens the significance of the EU's common agricultural policy. Decision-making on these matters would fall to finance ministers and others instead of agricultural experts. This shift could undermine not only European farmers and cooperatives but also the very existence of the European project itself. Without a strong agricultural sector, there can be no secure Europe. Without appropriate European policies tailored to this purpose, there can be no strong European agriculture. The current Common Agricultural Policy, which has lost funds and its strategic two-pillar structure, undermines the goals set out in the EU treaties: ensuring a fair living standard for farmers, stabilizing markets, guaranteeing supply, and ensuring consumers' access to food at reasonable prices. The proposed Common Agricultural Policy under von der Leyen's leadership overlooks the crucial role of agriculture in ensuring territorial cohesion, preserving rural economies, and promoting growth. Farmers are not just food producers; they contribute to Europe's security and resilience in every sense of the word. Recent wildfires, where farmers stood shoulder to shoulder with firefighters, demonstrated the countless hours spent battling flames with their own equipment.