Agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries : harvesting resources from soil and sea

Abstract

A number of surveys and studies have been published in relation to the agricultural and fisheries workforce in Malta. These include the census of agriculture for 1983, 2001 and 2010, the European Union (EU) farm structure survey (FSS) for 2003 and 2010, and agriculture and fisheries statistics for 2014. During censuses, all farmers and breeders are interviewed, whereas only a sample is taken into account during farm structure surveys. In the 2003 farm structure survey, some 14 per cent of farmers were interviewed (Vella, 2003). These primary industries in Malta do not benefit from economies of scale, fertile soils or rich fishing grounds, and they have been heavily impacted by the consequences of Malta’s accession to the European Union. This chapter reviews the nature of these industries, the oldest in Malta, and the composition of their workforce. Some of the consequences of climate change on their practices are also examined.