Wine is “essential for our economy”, José Manuel Fernandes tells symposium
Portugal’s Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries has acknowledged in Porto today that “there is a decrease in global consumption and an attack on wine that makes no sense”.
José Manuel Fernandes presided over the opening of the International Symposium on Viticulture and Climate, organised by the US Embassy in Portugal, setting out to tackle common misconceptions.
“Wine is not an enemy of the environment, quite the opposite, it is a friend of the economy, of competitiveness, of territorial cohesion, of our differences and of what our territory is”, he said.
“Wine must be consumed in moderation, as I have insisted, but I have also said, for example, that wine is part of our Mediterranean diet, as is olive oil, and therefore, it is something that is also essential for our economy”.
In his speech today, José Manuel Fernandes highlighted that “the fight against climate change has no borders” and therefore everyone must cooperate.
“It is extremely important that democracies strengthen cooperation agreements. To combat the effects of climate change, we must strengthen research and innovation,” he said.
“Everyone has to do their part. The European Union is doing so. We have the European Green Deal, which is a binding law to which we are all committed. In fact, 30% of the multiannual financial framework is to continue the fight against climate change, but it is clear that everyone’s efforts are needed. Our efforts alone, although important, will not have the effect we want”.
Thus Fernandes called for “democracies to unite in the defence of values and principles such as solidarity”, arguing that “combating climate change is a question of solidarity, both with current generations, but above all with future generations”.
The minister also mentioned that in January 2025 the government’s investment schedule will be presented within the scope of “Água que Une” (Water that unites), the new national strategy for water management.
“There will be billions of euros that aim to store water to distribute it for agriculture, for human consumption, but also to give rivers the ecological flow they need. This ‘Water that Unites’ also aims to help combat climate change, maintaining the production we have and even possibly increasing it,” he told Lusa.
The symposium, jointly organised with the network of Climate Centers of the US Department of Agriculture, brings together more than 70 researchers, producers, government representatives and associations from Portugal, France, Spain and the United States to discuss common climate challenges faced by the wine industry, particularly in Mediterranean climates.
Hopes are that the experts present will identify knowledge gaps where international collaboration and information sharing can produce better and faster results for producers.
The symposium is taking place at Porto’s Catholic University.
Source: Lusa
