Monday Meetings

After orientation with the EUVP group, I was on my way to my first meeting. First up was Mr. Leonard Mizzi - head of So. Africa, FAO and food aid for the Director General for agriculture. We discussed the 80 different countries he was in charge of. We discussed the EU's overall plan for assistance in a post financial crisis world and some of the difficulties in coordinating among other donor countries and the difference in strategies between the EU and the US.

Next, I hopped the metro and headed out to Director General for Environment and met with Mr. Michael Hamell. We discussed the focus the EU places on the connection between the environment and climate change and agriculture. Mr. Hamell used the netherlands as an example. It is a country with very intensive agriculture and production (almost every square inch of that country without a house has an animal grazing or a crop growing.) there has been a 50% reduction in phosphorus and nitrogen in their surface water over the last 10 years - while also increasing productivity. We also talked about the greenhouse (or glasshouse) industry in the EU and the little I know about it in the US and what potential it holds to solve both food security and environmental issues. Very interesting man from Ireland.