Courses to teach farmers how to defend themselves against bureaucracy

PalmA large proportion of farms in the Balearic Islands are run by older people who are increasingly facing greater bureaucracy and the digitalization of the sector. Furthermore, the COVID-19 crisis highlighted the usefulness of online procedures as a communication tool with the government. To help farmers navigate these administrative processes, Unió de Pagesos, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, has organized two free training courses – funded by the Balearic Islands' Agricultural and Fisheries Guarantee Fund, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

The first course will be held on Wednesday, December 3rd, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. on-lineSpecifically, the training will be conducted via Zoom. It will teach farmers how to use new technological tools available to them, such as the aid management system. Participants will learn how to submit photographs and documentation to address potential monitoring issues related to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and claims submitted through the Geographic Information System for Agricultural Parcels (SIGPAC). The second training session will also be held online on December 10th, will last two hours, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and will be free of charge. Agricultural engineer and technician Joan Miquel Ferragut (who will teach both courses) will demonstrate how to obtain a digital certificate and a certificate of employment history, how to register online, and how to use SIGPAC on computers and mobile devices to retrieve information about the plots they cultivate. The agricultural union believes that "continuous training and technology transfer for agricultural professionals are key elements in the professionalization, development, and competitiveness of the agricultural sector." Furthermore, they also consider it "valuable" that the primary sector be treated as "a dynamic element that is constantly adapting to the demanding new perspectives of professionals."