Farming in Gozo comes with a reality that cannot be changed: we are an island with limited land, limited water and limited room to expand.

According to the European Commission’s DG AGRI, Malta has more than 10,400 farms, around 90% of which are smaller than two hectares. The Commission itself recognises that small holdings, fragmented parcels, limited agricultural land and a lack of natural resources make it harder for Maltese farmers to achieve the economies of scale found elsewhere in Europe.

For Gozo, this is particularly important.

A Gozitan farmer cannot simply keep expanding to become more competitive. Land is finite, fields are often fragmented and water remains one of agriculture’s most valuable resources. Inputs and machinery can also be expensive for a small farm producing for a relatively small market.

Is EU Policy Responding?

There are positive measures.

Malta’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027 provides support for farm investment, income, environmental measures and new technology. More than €30 million is also foreseen for water storage, recycling, collection and treatment.

These investments matter. But for Gozo, the real test is whether European and national funding translates into practical improvements on the farm.

Can a farmer access more reliable water? Can irrigation become cheaper and more efficient? Can small producers share machinery or infrastructure? Can bureaucracy be reduced? And can farmers earn more from what they produce?

Gozo Cannot Compete on Size

Gozo will never compete with Europe’s major agricultural regions on volume — and it should not try to.

Its opportunity lies in quality, local identity, freshness and added value.

Policy should therefore help farmers obtain more value from every hectare rather than simply encouraging farms to become bigger.

That could mean better water infrastructure, shared machinery and facilities, appropriate technology, stronger marketing of Gozitan produce and greater support for processing products locally.

Protecting agricultural land is equally important. On a small island, productive land that disappears is extremely difficult to replace.

A Policy That Understands Islands

Current EU agricultural policy increasingly recognises small farms, water resilience and generational renewal. These are positive developments.

But Gozo also faces several disadvantages at the same time: small holdings, fragmentation, scarce water, higher costs and island logistics.

GCAF believes these realities should receive stronger recognition in Malta’s implementation of the CAP and in future discussions with DG AGRI.

The future of agriculture in Gozo is not about producing at the scale of continental Europe.

It is about making better use of the limited resources we have, protecting them and ensuring that farming on the island remains worthwhile for the next generation.