Before addressing the progress of the agricultural and livestock sector, the Minister of Agriculture, Jaime Campos, placed special emphasis on one of the challenges he considers a priority for the current administration: reactivating forest development in Chile through a new promotion instrument that allows increasing the forest area and strengthening the sector's contribution to rural development.
During the first Participatory Public Account of the Ministry of Agriculture, held at the Casablanca Cultural Center alongside the Undersecretary of Agriculture, Francesco Venezian, the Secretary of State presented the main guidelines that will mark the management of the portfolio, highlighting that the forestry sector will once again occupy a strategic place within public policies.
"We have set ourselves the goal of having a forest promotion law or instrument again in Chile, given that it is a very important activity that has been completely left behind, and we must increase Chile's forest area. It is an unavoidable commitment we have with small-scale agriculture and family farming," stated Minister Campos.
The announcement seeks to reverse several years without an incentive mechanism for plantations and forest management, a situation that, according to the Government, has limited the growth of an activity considered key both for the economy and for the sustainable development of rural territories.
The agenda presented by the Ministry is structured around five strategic axes: strengthening the international competitiveness of the agricultural and livestock sector, promoting the sustainability of natural resources, driving productive modernization through science, innovation, and technology transfer, supporting small farmers, and modernizing the agricultural institutional framework.
In this context, Campos stated that Chile must continue expanding its presence in international markets.
"We must continue promoting the opening of new markets, because Chile no longer produces only for domestic consumers, but also for the hundreds of millions of consumers that exist in the world," he indicated.
For his part, the Undersecretary of Agriculture, Francesco Venezian, reinforced the importance of incorporating forest development within the ministry's national strategy.
"We must also reaffirm our forest policy, our forest promotion, as well as position water development, with a water policy on which we are working as a ministry. The minister already made some mention of it, having permanent funds over time, which will allow for medium and long-term infrastructure," he stated.
Venezian added that the Ministry's role will be to act as a facilitating State that strengthens public policies aimed at maintaining the country's international competitiveness, supporting both export markets and small and medium-sized producers.
In addition to boosting the forestry sector, the Government reiterated that the preservation of plant and animal health heritage will continue to be one of the pillars of its strategy, along with more efficient management of water resources and the strengthening of rural development.
Along these lines, Minister Campos concluded that forest development is part of a broader vision of Chilean rurality.
"Agriculture is not just an economic activity. This is a way of life that has been rooted in Chile's history for many years. Everything related to rurality, its development, and its potential will always count on our encouragement, our support, and our contribution," he concluded.
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