Summer tour - Özdemir emphasizes the importance of rural areas
Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir highlighted the significance of rural regions for Germany's economic power and cohesion. He stated this during the kickoff of a summer tour through several federal states in Neustadt-Glewe, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Rural areas are essential for food and energy supply, according to Özdemir, a Green politician. Mittelstand firms also sit on the land and lead in many sectors worldwide.
Özdemir advocated for moving away from a "deficit-oriented" perspective. "We have strong rural areas that make our country strong," he said. The Federal Government, states, and municipalities are urged to ensure attractive conditions and basic provisions, such as healthcare and transportation. "A fire station, a village center renovation, is an investment in the cohesion of our country," Özdemir added. "Who doesn't understand that, doesn't understand how democracy works."
The Minister's first stop on his tour was a craft business that specializes in roofing and renewable energy. Özdemir was shown a drone used for measuring roofs for the installation of solar collectors. The tour continues from Tuesday to Friday in Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg.
According to ministry figures, 57% of the German population lives in rural regions, accounting for nearly half of the country's Gross Domestic Product.
- Cem Özdemir emphasized the crucial role of rural regions, such as Neustadt (dosse)-Glewe in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, inboosting Germany's economic strength and cohesion.
- During his summer tour, focusing on various federal states, Minister Özdemir highlighted the importance of agriculture, notably Mittelstand firms that lead in numerous sectors globally.
- After visiting a craft business specializing in roofing and renewable energy in Neustadt-Glewe, Özdemir underscored the need for investing in crucial infrastructure like fire stations and village centers to maintain rural area cohesion.
- In his advocacy for shifting from a deficit-oriented perspective, Özdemir pointed out that over half of Germany's population resides in rural regions, contributing about half of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, underlining the significance of rural development in the country's overall economic strength.
