Karis: Competitive agriculture ensures food security

TALLINN - Speaking at the Farmer of the Year conference on Wednesday, President Alar Karis emphasized that food security is not guaranteed by simple solutions, but by competitive, knowledge-based agriculture that focuses on its strengths.

"Over the past year, the world and global trade have changed more than perhaps in several decades combined. This is due to crises, diseases, and trade barriers, which have led countries to increasingly focus on protecting their sense of security and stability. We must also take all of this into account, especially in agriculture," the head of state said.

He emphasized that the role of agriculture cannot be judged solely by statistical indicators, whether it be its share of the gross domestic product, the number of people employed, or any other metric. "Agriculture has a much deeper meaning. No one can manage without food, and food is needed all over the world," President Karis stated. "This raises important questions for Estonia as well: How much local food can we produce ourselves? How can we ensure a diverse diet? How can we develop agriculture to compete with cheap foreign production? And finally, how do we sustain life and work throughout Estonia?"

The head of state noted that the summer's swine fever outbreak painfully brought the issue of food security to the forefront. "However, in this field, we should avoid solutions that seem simple at first glance, as they may not lead to the desired outcome in the long run," President Karis said. "The economy does not bow only to wishes or political agreements-it is driven by market needs. For Estonian food to remain competitive on the domestic market, it must also be competitive in other European Union countries," the head of state added.

"By focusing on our strengths, we can invest in more research-intensive and sophisticated production, which in turn creates better-paying jobs and attracts young people to rural areas. It is good for young people to have high ambitions-this can be fulfilled by making production more complex," President Karis stated.

The president added that in addition to a good specialized education, agricultural students should be given a strong foundation in economics, law, and management. "This would help broaden entrepreneurial thinking and facilitate entry into new markets. In today's rapidly changing world, it is crucial to have the ability to change direction and anticipate changes-otherwise, one who merely adapts can quickly fall behind and ultimately be sidelined," said President Karis.

Alongside agriculture, the head of state said, there is a growing need to discuss entrepreneurship outside of the larger cities. "The more successful and mechanized agriculture becomes, the more crucial it is to develop the overall business environment in rural areas. This will also create job opportunities in other sectors," President Karis stated.

"We must think more broadly about how to keep agriculture strong and rural life diverse, ensuring that domestic food is available in both good times and bad," the president said.