Organic farming subsidies are canceled – eKathimerini.com

Report on the Suspension of Greece’s Organic Farming Subsidy Program and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Greek Ministry of Agricultural Development has cancelled the 2024 subsidies for its Organic Farming and Animal Husbandry Program due to a significant volume of fraudulent applications. This decision, confirmed by Minister Kostas Tsiaras, highlights severe institutional failures in monitoring and verification. The suspension poses a direct threat to Greece’s progress on several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning sustainable agriculture (SDG 2), responsible production (SDG 12), and the integrity of public institutions (SDG 16).

Program Cancellation and Rationale

The suspended program was a key initiative aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices in line with EU policy and global sustainability targets.

• Program Name: Organic Farming and Animal Husbandry Program
• Scheduled Duration: June 2024 – June 2027
• Allocated Budget: €287.5 million
• Number of Applicants: Over 60,000

The cancellation was deemed necessary by Minister Tsiaras due to an “overwhelming percentage” of ineligible applicants and the state’s inability to effectively monitor the authenticity of organic farming certifications. This measure was taken to avoid the potential withdrawal of European resources, but it simultaneously penalizes legitimate farmers who have already invested in sustainable methods.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The program’s failure represents a significant setback for Greece’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The primary SDGs affected include:

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   The program was designed to promote sustainable agriculture (Target 2.4) by supporting organic farming. Its cancellation undermines this objective, discouraging practices that enhance food security and the resilience of food production systems. It negatively impacts the livelihoods of honest farmers committed to these principles.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   This decision directly impedes progress towards achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources (Target 12.2). By failing to support organic producers, the action hinders the national transition to more sustainable patterns of production.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   Organic farming contributes to the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity (Target 15.1) by avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. The suspension of incentives for these practices is detrimental to efforts to halt land degradation and biodiversity loss.
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   The subsidies were intended to ensure the economic viability of sustainable farming, thereby supporting decent work within the agricultural sector. The cancellation affects thousands of farmers, including those who acted in good faith, disrupting their economic stability and discouraging investment in green jobs.

Institutional Weakness and Implications for SDG 16 and SDG 17

The crisis exposes profound weaknesses in national governance, which is central to achieving SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

• Failure of Accountability: The inability of the National Certification Council and the Dimitra Hellenic Agricultural Organization to detect widespread fraud points to a critical lapse in institutional effectiveness and accountability (Target 16.6).
• Risk of Corruption: The scale of the bogus applications raises suspicions of corruption, undermining public trust and the rule of law (Target 16.5).
• Damaged Partnerships: This incident erodes the trust between Greece and the European Commission, jeopardizing the partnership essential for achieving the goals (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals). It damages the nation’s reputation and its perceived capacity for reform, potentially affecting future EU-funded sustainability projects.

Conclusion and Outlook

The cancellation of the 2024 organic farming subsidies, while a necessary response to systemic fraud, carries severe consequences for Greece’s sustainable development trajectory. It harms legitimate farmers and sets back national progress on environmental and economic goals. With subsidies for 2025 now under reconsideration, it is imperative for Greek authorities to urgently reform their monitoring and certification systems. Rebuilding institutional integrity is fundamental to restoring trust with European partners and ensuring that future initiatives effectively contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The article’s central theme is a program for organic farming and sustainable animal husbandry. These practices are crucial for creating sustainable food production systems, a key aspect of SDG 2. The cancellation of subsidies directly impacts the promotion of these agricultural methods.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Organic farming is a cornerstone of sustainable production patterns. The EU subsidy program was designed to encourage this shift, aligning with the goal of achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The program’s failure is a setback for this objective.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article heavily emphasizes issues of governance, corruption, and institutional failure. The “bogus applications,” inability to monitor, “suspicions of corruption,” and the undermining of the state’s reputation all point directly to the challenges in building effective, accountable, and transparent institutions, which is the core of SDG 16.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger):
  • Target 2.4: “By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices…” The canceled program was explicitly for “Organic Farming and Animal Husbandry,” which are methods intended to create sustainable food systems. The article shows a failure in the mechanism (subsidies) designed to support this target.
• Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
  • Target 12.a: “Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production.” While Greece is a developed nation, the EU subsidies function as a financial support mechanism to encourage the transition to more sustainable production (organic farming). The fraudulent applications and subsequent cancellation of the program undermine this support system.
• Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
  • Target 16.5: “Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.” The article directly implies a failure to meet this target by mentioning “a rash of bogus applications,” “bogus certificates,” and “suspicions of corruption” within the subsidy disbursement system.
  • Target 16.6: “Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” The article highlights a clear failure of this target. It states that authorities are “unable to efficiently monitor,” that national certification bodies failed “to discover the bogus applications,” and that this has undermined “the Greek state’s reputation and its capacity to reform itself.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of farmers participating in sustainable agriculture programs: The article mentions that “More than 60,000 farmers had applied for subsidies under the program.” This figure, if legitimate, would serve as an indicator for the adoption of sustainable practices (related to Target 2.4). The statement that an “overwhelming percentage of applicants… must be stricken off” is a negative indicator of the program’s integrity.
• Financial resources allocated to sustainable agriculture: The article states the program had a “budget of €287.5 million.” This amount is a direct indicator of the financial commitment towards promoting organic farming and achieving targets like 2.4 and 12.a. The cancellation and reconsideration of these funds indicate a disruption in this financial flow.
• Prevalence of fraud and corruption in public administration: The “rash of bogus applications” and the minister’s admission of an “overwhelming percentage” of fraudulent applicants serve as a qualitative indicator for the level of corruption (related to Target 16.5) and the ineffectiveness of institutional controls (related to Target 16.6).
• Effectiveness of monitoring and certification bodies: The article implies a key performance indicator for institutional effectiveness by noting the failure of the “National Certification Council and the Dimitra Hellenic Agricultural Organization… to discover the bogus applications.” The rate of detection of fraudulent claims would be a measurable indicator of the accountability and effectiveness of these institutions.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ekathimerini.com