ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 23 JUNE/JULY 2022 Portugal Fresh advocates with the government and tries to "focus on the grower's point of view. The importance of economic sustainability is often overshadowed. A farmer needs to make money to keep going and build in biodiversity or reduce emissions, which requires investment by the farmer, so we try to bring that viewpoint," Andrade says. He noted that the Farm to Fork strategy of the Green Deal, which focuses on emission reductions and fertilizer use reduction, could change in light of the war in Ukraine and the impacts on the global food system that could come as a result of fertilizer and wheat shortages. Both CAP and Portugal Fresh understand the value of minimizing environmental impact and are working with farmers and the government to align as much as possible in those areas. l In both Portugal and Morocco, it was clear that the number one concern for farmers was water. Neither country has abundant access to freshwater for farming. services. They told Class 18 they are focused on efficient water use but need more water to increase yields and meet demand. Agriculture counts for about six per cent of the GDP of Portugal, so there is room for growth, but they need water to realize it. Alqueva, the largest man-made lake in the European Union (EU), is in the Alentejo region of Portugal and is used for irrigation, electricity, drinking water, and more. This has been a success for the region in terms of irrigation, even in drought times. João Coimbra, the owner of Quinta da Cholda, a large corn farm in Portugal, said the juxtaposition of the irrigation needs is that "there is not a lot of rain in Portugal, but then there can also sometimes be a lot of rain. If that happens, we also need drainage." He noted that water represents between 25 and 35 per cent of his costs. "It was interesting to see how mixed irrigation and climate change topics were. Whenever water use was mentioned, there was an emphasis on efficiency that seemed directly related to climate change policy. In Portugal, they have the Green Deal, and in Morocco, they have the Green Morocco Plan," says Persall. CLIMATE CHANGE AND FEEDING PEOPLE Portugal Fresh is a program that promotes the fruits, vegetables, and flowers of Portugal, domestically and abroad. The president and CEO of Portugal Fresh, Gonçalo Santos Andrade, met with Class 18 to talk about key markets and market requirements for Portugal produce. Andrade noted that the European Green Deal places the EU as a leader in climate change policy, but it relies on other countries implementing the same types of policies, and that is not happening — specifically India, China and the U.S.
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