The launch of the National Plan for Organic Food has opened a new chapter in the transition that Malta is making to have a stronger and more sustainable food system in the fields of farming and organic aquaculture.

During the event of the launch of the public consultation of this Plan, which took place on March 22 the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Rights of -Animals (MAFA) communicated its vision regarding the organic food sector, where through this Plan it will be working to deliver high quality organic food from land and sea to the consumer, while offering support to Maltese and Gozitan producers.

The Plan is in line with the sustainability objectives established in the EU’s Green Deal and its Farm to Fork Strategy, which aims to reach an EU wide target of 25% organic agricultural land by 2030.

Within our context, Malta has set an ambitious target of increasing organic farming from 0.6% to 5% in the next seven years. For this to happen, the Plan will address the local production and the availability of produce to meet the increasing demand for genuine food, which is of high quality and good taste, and which is as free as possible from artificial substances such as pesticides and anti-microbials. Organic food offers this guarantee, especially since it goes through a rigorous certification process.

The Nation Action Plan for Organic Food is built on three strategic pillars with the intent to:

1. Create a favourable ecosystem around the producer;
2. Strengthen organisational leadership;
3. Stimulate the markets for organic food.

The Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights will be looking ahead to execute the implementation of the National Plan for Organic Food during the coming years. This Plan aims to provide the local producer with more sustainable alternatives that can promote the long-term sustainability of food production. This is especially relevant in the current age in which we are faced, and become more aware of, multifaceted threats from health, geopolitical and environmental perspectives.