10 Amendments of Alyn SMITH related to 2008/2074(INI)
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas large amounts of water are required in agriculture and, as it therefore depends on water supply, agriculture must be included as a responsible actor in integrated regional water management systems as regards balanced use of water, stopping water wastage, adapted landscape and crop-planning as well as protection of water from pollution,
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas multifunctional agriculture in the EU plays an important role in the preservation of landscapes, biodiversity and clean water and therefore needs financial support for certain measures as well as scientific advice on water management,
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Advocates more support from the European Union for integrated regional water-management concepts, including agriculture as a main partner, to improve water management on farmlandf the regions, by providing incentives for locally adapted forms of land use as well as the introduction of more water-efficient irrigation systems tailored to different crops, promoting research in this field and encourag, use of traditional plant varieties, participatory breeding and marketing ing the use of biotechnological developmentfield of drought resistant, high quality crops;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights the contribution made by European farmers tofact that European farmers can make a significant contribution in combating desertification and seeks recognition of the pivotal role played by European producers in preserving; demands, therefore, that the CAP play a role in the preservation of plant cover in regions affected by persistent drought; emphasises the specific benefits of permanent crops, pasture and forestry for water collection;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. States that water management policies that armust be primarily based on the 'consumer pays' principle are condemned to failure unless they arbut must be accompanied by the better use of water resources, starting with measures to put an end to the significant losses that occur in the distribution systems as a result of defective equipment; asks that water 'pricing' does not jeopardise the viability of farms that are needed to ensure the self-sufficiency of supply in the European Unionnd to promote locally-adapted crops and cropping systems;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3a (new)
Paragraph 3a (new)
3a. States that, for several crops that require large amounts of water in regions threatened by droughts, alternative crops and sustainable crop rotation should be promoted; underlines the fact that even plants for non-food use are today irrigated in some regions with scarce water sources and urges the Commission to propose measures for improving water- saving and proportionality of irrigation in different agricultural crops;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that, in view of climate change and the prospect of worsening drought, there is a need to set up a European observatory that, amongst other things, will allow for the better planning of agricultural activity, so that farmers can and give advice to farmers in order to enable them to adoapt those measures best suited to maintaining their outputeir crop rotations to market demand and to the changing climate conditions;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines the importance of soil rich in humus, an adapted crop rotation system and a balanced mix of forest, grassland and crop land for sustainable water management; warns that the increasing consumption of land constitutes a threat to agriculture, security of food supply and sustainable water management;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Calls for incentives for sustainable water management to be incorporated in the first pillar of the CAP, for example through clear cross-compliance rules;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Underlines the role that environmental programmes in the framework of the second pillar of the CAP play in the setting of incentives for agricultural practices for protecting the sustainability and purity of water resources;