Pesticide reduction key to sustainable agriculture

Reducing the use of pesticides will be key in the transition towards more sustainable food systems and more sustainable agriculture, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides told the Cyprus News Agency, promising at the same time that the Commission’s proposals will come with equally ambitious support for producers.

One of the goals of the Commission’s proposal for a Sustainable Pesticide Use Directive is to reduce the use of hazardous pesticides by 50% by 2030 and will be presented on Wednesday along with a package of proposals on protecting biodiversity. The proposal will then be developed in consultation with the member state (Council of the EU) and the European Parliament.

In a written statement ahead of the presentation of the proposal, Commissioner Kyriakides underlined that “sustainability is our insurance for the future” through which “we can guarantee our natural resources, our health, the climate, and the economy”, adding that “this is how we can guarantee our food security”.

“The EU needs to transition towards more sustainable agriculture and more sustainable food systems” Kyriakides added, pointing out that “reducing the use of pesticides is key to doing this”.

“We will deliver on the ambitious commitments taken under the EU Farm to Fork Strategy to reduce the use of harmful pesticides,” the Commissioner said.

“When doing so, we will also deliver on our promise to leave no one behind, neither consumers nor producers. Our ambition will be matched by an equally ambitious level of support” she added.