News

On April 17 to 20, the international discussion forum Agroforum Balticum – Food and Agricultural Potential of the European Region will take place in Tartu, organised by the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture and the Estonian University of Life Sciences in cooperation with the FAO and with the partnership and aid of Saint-Peterburg State Agrarian University .

The Agroforum has been planned with a view to give signals to international organisations and particularly to the FAO, the WTO and the OECD and to the countries involved in the EU Eastern Partnership and the Baltic Sea Cooperation on the policy options outlined and on the importance to contribute and take measures to support producers, to address environmental challenges, increased market volatility and slowdown in productivity as well as on how to reinforce the instruments to better manage risks and respond to crisis situations, how to harness the diverse potential of rural areas and thus contribute to inclusive growth and cohesion.

The Agroforum will take place during the annual rural fair on the campus of the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu so that the participants will have an opportunity to visit one of the biggest and most popular Estonian fairs attracting a big number of visitors and exhibitors.

In addition to opening and closing plenaries, roundtable discussions of different target groups will be arranged. The opening plenary will include welcome speeches by the Minister of Agriculture of Estonia and by the Rector of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, but also  keynote speeches by the representatives of the FAO, the OECD and the EC as well as speeches by the representatives of the participating countries, ministers, officials and producers. In their speeches ministers will concentrate on the political instruments needed to take the necessary measures and to meet the objectives set for the coming period, the rectors on the contribution of research, producers on innovation and the improvement of technologies and officials on measures to be taken. The closing plenary will include reports by the Chairs of roundtable discussions and a summing up speech by the President of the plenaries.

For more information see http://agroforum.emu.ee