Food production is not keeping pace with demand and the implications of this are terrifying, Farmers' Union of Wales president Emyr Jones warns in his New Year Message.

Mr Jones recalls that, during a recent visit to the European Parliament, he was presented with a copy of "The Politics of Land and Food Scarcity" by the book's editor Professor Paolo De Castro.

Prof De Castro is an agricultural economist, a former Italian Minister of Agriculture, and, as chairman of the committee tasked with scrutinising, negotiating and distilling proposed changes to the Common Agricultural Policy, is currently the most important person in the EU in relation to agriculture.

Mr Jones said: "De Castro's book makes for uncomfortable reading. Its introduction summarises the situation by stating that the current emergency '...in our latitudes, where expenditure [on food] counts for less than 15 per cent of overall household expenditure, risks being viewed as remote, while it is actually dramatically close'.

"That emergency is the fact that food production is not keeping pace with demand, and the political and wider implications of this over the coming years are truly terrifying.

"This has long been recognised by experts and agriculturalists around the globe but news of the emergency has apparently yet to reach the powers that be in Westminster.

"While countries such as China are involved in 'land grabbing' in Africa and elsewhere as part of the struggle to secure food supplies, our own UK Government and the opposition argue in favour of effectively abandoning our key control over food production - the Common Agricultural Policy - which was designed to address just such an emergency.

"Politicians are renowned for not being able to see further than the next election but it also seems than many are unable to learn from the lessons of living-memory. Our dependence upon food imports in the 1930s almost led to starvation and the loss of the War in the 1940s, and rationing continued well into the 1950s.

"While the prospect of another war on our doorsteps seems far away, population growth and food productivity, coupled with rising energy costs, climate change and a host of other challenges, mean that what we now face is unprecedented.

"The Welsh Government and others are, to their credit, arguing such points, and within continental Europe EU and across the globe these challenges are at the forefront of discussions. Meanwhile, UK Government and opposition continue to sleepwalk into the biggest emergency we have ever faced.

"Over the next year, critical decisions regarding how we finance and alter the Common Agricultural Policy will be made and these will have a dramatic impact on how we deal with the emergency.

"As the UK focusses on extreme arguments regarding membership of the EU, those which relate to retaining control of our own democracy while ensuring we are united enough to face the coming storm seem thin on the ground.

"Let us hope that 2013 brings change."

The Farmers' Union of Wales today warned Welsh farmers that they may become the target for fraudsters seeking to obtain their bank details over the telephone or online to coincide with the release of their Single Farm Payments.

"The Welsh Government and other UK agriculture departments have already been made aware by UK banks that fraudsters may be targeting the agricultural sector," said FUW president Emyr Jones.

"Although Rural Payments Wales say they have not been informed of any Welsh victims of this fraud we would still urge farmers to be vigilant and bear in mind the possibility they may be approached by fraudsters posing as an official from their bank or other organisation."

Rural Payments Wales has advised that the UK paying agencies and other official bodies will never ask for personal or banking data by telephone or by e-mail.

Their message is the same as with all advice to avoid fraud:

• Your bank will never request your full online banking information,
• Your bank will never request a token response to log into your online banking account,
• Your bank will never ask you to make a payment over the phone using your online account,
• If your "bank" asks you to call back you should ensure you can hear a dial tone first, or use a mobile to call your bank directly, as the phone line may be held open by the fraudsters.

[caption id="attachment_249" align="aligncenter" width="550"] From right, Grace Vasami, Gino Vasami, Tony Vasami and his partner Maja Rzeczycka and daughter Maria[/caption]

A passion for good food and a love of the Welsh countryside and its people are the driving force behind an Italian family-run restaurant on the outskirts of Ffostrasol, near Llandysul in Ceredigion.

Gino Vasami, who farms 110 acres at Rhydgoch farm, Ffostrasol, converted the old milking parlour and set up the La Calabria restaurant for his son Tony in November 2003.

Gino's father Antonio was captured by the British in the siege of Tobruk, North Africa, and brought to prisoner-of-war camp near Ffostrasol at Henllan. While in captivity Antonio worked on farms in Ceredigion, falling in love with the land and its people.

On his release he went back to Italy for one year but returned to Ceredigion with his family to farm in 1946. Antonio purchased Hill View farm for £1,000 and started off with just 18 acres and four milking cows. Over the generations the family has gone from strength to strength and expanded the family business to three holdings.

Tony and Gino farm in partnership with Tony Hack and his wife Arlene, of nearby Glasfryn farm and, using their own milk, the family produce ice cream following an old Italian family recipe for the restaurant. They have established over 20 flavours by now.

All of the produce from the farm is used in the restaurant with the animals being taken for slaughter in Tregaron. Gino's great nephew, Steffan Hack, has also purchased some Charollais sheep whose lambs will be on the restaurant menu by Easter next year.

In the Summer months the family also grow herbs and vegetables in the garden that are used in the restaurant. They include chilli peppers and artichokes.

"When my son Tony came back to live in Wales after working for big chain hotels in London, he helped me on the farm but I could tell that farming was not really in his heart so I asked him what he wanted to do and he really wanted his own restaurant," said Gino.

"So we sold Hill View farm in 2000 and invested the money in the restaurant. I converted the old parlour on my own and only sought help with the roof.

"It took me about three years to finish the job. It is the best thing we ever did and we have just celebrated our fifth anniversary."

Gino was four years old when he came to live in Ceredigion and had to return to Italy for his military service. It was during this time that he learnt how restaurants were being run in Calabria, a southern region of Italy, and this is how he runs the restaurant together with his wife Grace, 55, and son Tony.

"The way things grow in Calabria, it is with sun. You can taste it, you can smell it. The food is just great. I wanted to bring this passion and the flavours of Italy to Wales for a long time," said Gino.

"The restaurant is going from strength to strength but if it weren't for the local people here in Wales we would not be able to keep the place going. Their support since we opened the restaurant has just been fantastic.

"I go back to Italy once a year as my wife Grace still has family over there but my heart and way of life is here in Wales. Wales is just fantastic, apart from the weather."

Tony Vasami previously worked at the Regents Park Marriott Hotel in Swiss Cottage in London prior to 2003 for four years as food and beverage manager looking after the bar, restaurant, room service and banqueting departments.

He said: "It was a busy 305-bedroom hotel in the heart of London. As it was close to the Emirates Stadium we had many football teams staying there like Man Utd, Blackburn, Newcastle Utd and also the England cricket team when they played their test matches at Lords. it was an amazing experience but I wanted to come back to Wales.

"Before we opened the restaurant I had help from Farming Connect to prepare a business plan and obtain valuable information about the tourist economy in West Wales.

"The interesting thing for me at the time was that, although the standard of tourist accommodation in West Wales was high, places to eat were very poor and the first choice of restaurant to visit more than any other was an Italian.

"As there were none in West Wales at the time, I thought I had definitely found a little niche in the market. With my knowledge of the industry and my mother's cooking skills I thought we would do well."

Gino added: "My wife Grace is the driving force in the kitchen and she does all of the cooking. The restaurant can now seat 70 people and it is because of her cooking people come here.

"The sauce is the most important thing when it comes to cooking Italian food. My mum did the sauce the old-fashioned way and she taught my wife. And this is how Grace still cooks in the restaurant

[caption id="attachment_4063" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Mari Eluned's crown on the banks of the River Dyfi[/caption]

Defnyddir gwlân glas Cymreig i gyfleu llif yr afon Ddyfi yn y Goron sydd i’w gwobrwyo yn Eisteddfod Powys a gynhelir yng Nghanolfan y Celfyddydau’r Tabernacl ym Machynlleth ar Hydref 26 a 27.

Comisiynwyd Mari Eluned, cynllunydd gemwaith Cymreig gan ganghennau sirol Meirionnydd a Threfaldwyn o Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru i wneud y Goron a gafodd ei throsglwyddo’n swyddogol i gadeirydd yr Eisteddfod John Price mewn cyfarfod arbennig o bwyllgor gweithredol yr Eisteddfod.

“Daw’r ysbrydoliaeth am y Goron hon o ardal Bro Ddyfi a’i hanes ac mae’r cynllun yn seiliedig ar Goron Owain Glynd?r gydag addasiadau i gyfleu’r afon Ddyfi,” dywedodd Mari sydd wedi ei magu ar fferm anghysbell yn Eryri ac sydd bellach yn byw ym Mallwyd ger Machynlleth.

Mae’n disgrifio’i chreadigaeth fel un tebyg i’r Goron aur ac arian a grefftwyd ar gyfer coroni Owain Glynd?r fel Tywysog Cymru ar Fehefin 21 1404.

“Defnyddiwyd llechen o chwarel Aberllefenni er mwyn cadw naws leol y Goron a’i chyfuno gydag arian”, dywedodd.

“Mae ymyl y Goron wedi’i morthwylio i gyfleu glan yr afon ac mae’r gwlân Cymreig wedi ei lifo’n las naturiol gan roi awgrym o lif yr afon.

“Yn ogystal â’r gwlân, mae’r ddelwedd o ddefaid ac ?yn sydd wedi cael eu hysgythru i’r arian yn adlewyrchu pwysigrwydd amaethyddiaeth yn Nyffryn Dyfi a’r cyffiniau ac yn ddolen gyswllt addas gyda changhennau UAC sy’n noddi’r Goron.”

Dywedodd Huw Jones, swyddog gweithredol sirol cangen Meirionnydd o UAC bod yr Undeb yn hynod o falch i fod yn gysylltiedig gyda’r eisteddfod a’i bod hi’n fraint cael cyflwyno un o’r prif wobrau.

“Mae Mari wedi sefydlu busnes llwyddiannus yn creu gemwaith Cymreig unigryw sy’n defnyddio deunydd naturiol.

“Mae ei dawn greadigol yn boblogaidd iawn ac mae’n gwerthu ei chreadigaethau ar hyd a lled Prydain yn ogystal ag i bellafion byd.

“Mae’n defnyddio deunyddiau naturiol wedi eu cyfuno gyda mhetalau ac yn eu trawsnewid i ddarnau o emwaith cywrain a thlws sy’n cael eu hysbrydoli gan natur, amaethyddiaeth a’i Chymreictod.

“Mae’n ymfalchïo yn ansawdd y grefft a’i chynlluniau unigryw ac yn creu pob darn a llaw.

“Roedd ganddi ddawn greadigol naturiol o oedran cynnar sydd wedi datblygu yn ystod ei hamser yn yr ysgol a’r coleg ac sydd bellach wedi dod yn yrfa iddi.”

Ar ôl graddio o Brifysgol Loughborough yn 2006, gydag anrhydedd dosbarth cyntaf fel Gemweithydd a Gof Arian, sefydlodd Mari weithdy ei hun yn ei chartref ym Mallwyd ac yn 2009 enillodd wobr Blas a Dawn Gwynedd 2009 “Crefftwr /Arlunydd Ifanc y Flwyddyn”.

MI fydd stondin Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru (rhif 115-116) yn fwrlwm o brysurdeb yn ystod wythnos yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yn Llandw ym Mro Morgannwg (Awst 4-Awst 11) pan fydd ymwelwyr yn mynd ar daith nôl mewn amser wrth weld arddangosfa o offer fferm a ffotograffau.

Bydd cyfle iddynt ddyfalu enwau a defnydd yr hen offer fferm, ac edrych ar ffotograffiau o beiriannau amaethyddol sydd wedi cael eu hadnewyddu i'w ffurf weithiol o eiddo Lydric Jenkins, aelod UAC.

Bydd y stondin yn dangos ychydig o ddiddordeb oes Mr Jenkins er mwyn cyfleu gwaith ymroddedig ffermwyr Cymru.

Hefyd bydd Eisteddfodwyr yn cael eu hannog i ddangos eu cefnogaeth i ffermwyr llaeth Cymru wrth arwyddo llythyr agored i'r archfarchnadoedd a phroseswyr llaeth  yn pwysleisio'r angen  i bawb sydd ynghlwm a'r gadwyn gyflenwi llaeth i weithio gyda'i gilydd i sicrhau pris derbyniol a chynaliadwy i'w dderbyn gan bawb.

Bydd model gwir faint o fuwch odro o'r enw Tegwen, sydd wedi'i phaentio'n lliwiau baner Cymru yn pwysleisio ymgyrch UAC i sicrhau pris teg am laeth yn ystod yr ?yl.

I gefnogi ymgyrch llaeth teg yr Undeb, bydd amrywiaeth o ddiodydd llaeth organig o wahanol flasau, sy'n cael eu cynhyrchu yn Sir Benfro gan gwmni teuluol Trioni Cyf a roddir allan gan Daioni ar gael i blant i'w blasu.

"Gan bod yr Eisteddfod yn gymysg eclectig o'r hen a'r newydd yn ogystal â dathliad o Gymru a'i diwylliant, rydym yn llawn cyffro wrth ddathlu'r hen ddulliau o ffermio ac yn cynnig mewnwelediad i'r dulliau a ddefnyddiwyd i gynhyrchu ein bwyd," dywedodd Rachel Taylor, swyddog gweithrol sirol Morgannwg.

"Rydym yn hynod o falch o gael y cyfle i gefnogi'r Eisteddfod ym Morgannwg, ac rydym am groesawu ymwelwyr i stondin UAC drwy gydol wythnos yr ?yl ar gyfer llunieth," ychwanegodd Miss Taylor.

Mae Davis Meade, ymgynghorwyr eiddo'r Undeb a chwmni egni E-ON hefyd yn gweithio ar y cyd gyda UAC er mwyn cynnig asesiadau egni ar gyfer busnesau fferm ymwelwyr ac i sicrhau bod ffermwyr yn derbyn y pris gorau posib am eu cyflenwad trydan.

Bydd UAC hefyd yn hyrwyddo ei chynllun bwrsariaeth ar gyfer myfyrwyr newydd sy'n cael ei gynnig i fyfyrwyr addysg bellach ac uwch sy'n astudio cyrsiau amaethyddol.

Mi fydd yr ansawdd uchel o gynnyrch fferm lleol yn cael ei bwysleisio ar stondin Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru yn ystod Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd sydd i'w chynnal ar gampws Coleg Meirion Dwyfor Glynllifon ger Caernarfon yr wythnos nesaf.

Bydd mapiau'n dangos y cynnyrch sydd ar gael a'r nifer o atyniadau gwahanol sydd arnynt i bawb eu mwynhau ar ffermydd o fewn yr hen Sir Gaernarfon, thema sy'n amlygu ymgyrch cenedlaethol UAC sef "Rwy'n caru bwyd Cymreig".

Hefyd bydd yna gystadleuaeth chwilair yn ymwneud â chynnyrch fferm yn cael ei chynnal yn ddyddiol o ddydd Llun tan ddydd Iau (Mehefin 4-7) gyda gwobrau cyffrous i'w hennill yn cynnwys camerâu Samsung PL121, Nintendo 3DS lliw glas gyda gêm Mario a chês, ac iPod Touch 8GB gyda doc ar gyfer yr iPod a chês.

Ar ddydd Gwener a dydd Sadwrn (Mehefin 8-9), bydd cyfle i bawb ateb cyfres o gwestiynnau am ddiwydiant amaeth y sir a chael y cyfle i ennill Kindle Touch a chês, a ffôn symudol Samsung Y. Noddwyd yr holl gystadlaethau gan gwmnïau Wynnstay, cyflenwyr amaethyddol, Davis Meade, Cyfreithwyr Gamlins, Bwrdd Marchnata Gwlân Prydain, Cynghorwyr Annibynnol Sterling a W H Evans, Felin Llecheiddior.

Mae disgwyl i'r stondin fod yn ferw o brysurdeb drwy gydol yr wythnos ar gyfer pob oedran gydag arddangosfeydd o gynnyrch sy'n gwneud bwydydd anifeiliaid gan Mr Meurig Huws o Gwmni Wynnstay, a gwahanol gynnyrch a wneir allan o wlân gan y Bwrdd Marchnata Gwlân Prydain.

Bydd croeso cynnes a phaned o de yn disgwyl pawb ar y stondin lliwgar sydd wedi cael ei haddurno gan flodau'n rhoddedig yn hael gan Ganolfan Arddio Bryncir.

Ymysg cystadlaethau eraill sydd i'w cynnal yn ystod yr wythnos mae lliwio ar gyfer plant, a'r gwobrau ar gyfer rhain fydd tractor mawr coch neu dractor mawr glas all plentyn eistedd arnynt, yn rhoddedig gan Emyr Evans a'i Gwmni, Gaerwen a Dinbych, a Thractors Menai o Lanwnda.

O lenwi holiadur UAC/BT, caiff ymwelwyr y cyfle i ennill ffôn a pheiriant ateb ar gyfer y cartref neu'r swyddfa a bydd aelodau o Ffederasiwn CFfI Eryri yn peintio gwynebau ar y stondin trwy gydol yr wythnos. Yn ogystal, bydd yna gyfle i blant wrando ar Margiad Roberts yn darllen straeon am y cymeriad poblogaidd.

Mae cyfle hefyd i ennill gwobrau amrywiol wrth "odro" Seren - model gwir faint o fuwch odro, sydd ar fenthyg o Sefydliad Gwyddorau Biolegol, Amgylcheddol a Gwledig, Prifysgol Cymru, Aberystwyth.  Rhowch gynnig ar faint o laeth medrwch "odro" mewn i fwced mewn 30 eiliad a dyfalu faint o anifeiliaid fferm sydd yn y botel.

Noddwyr gweithgareddau'r wythnos yw aelodau o dîm Gwasanaethau Yswiriant FUW sef Gwasanaeth Yswiriant BIBU, Gwasanaeth Yswiriant Rural a Gwasanaeth Yswiriant Farmweb.