Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 October 2023
81. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he continues to ensure that the maximum amount of agriculturally productive land continues to grow given the extent to which the agri-food industry has contributed to the recovery in the aftermath of the financial crash; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46713/23]
View answerGlaoim ar an Teachta Durkan. He has literally less than a minute.
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. This question seeks to ascertain the necessity to ensure that the maximum amount of agriculturally viable land is retained within the country and within its control, and that thought be given to the fact that the sector made a major contribution to the recovery in the aftermath of the financial crash.
I thank Deputy Durkan for the question. As he knows well and would agree with me, the agrifood sector is our most important indigenous exporting sector, playing a vital role in our economy. It accounts for 6.7% of modified gross national income, employing some 165,000 people or 7% in total of the workforce.
The sector has ambitions to increase the value of agrifood exports further now and in the time ahead. However, to achieve this ambitious export target, we will need to ensure that the path forward is built around sustainable, steady value growth.
Food Vision 2030, which is our shared strategy for the agrifood sector, sets out the ambition for Ireland to become a world leader in sustainable food systems over the next decade and sets down the roadmap for this vision to become a reality. Food Vision 2030 is being developed by the sector for the sector and will deliver significant benefits for the Irish agrifood sector as well as for Irish society and, indeed, the environment. By adopting an integrated food systems approach, we will seek to become a global leader of innovation for sustainable food and agriculture systems, continuing to produce safe, nutritious and high-value food while also protecting and enhancing our environment and cultural resources.
On land use specifically, the sector is responsible for 4.5 million ha of agricultural land and more than 800,000 ha of forestry. Part of phase 1 of the land use review, which provides an evidence base to determine the environmental, ecological and economic characteristics of land types across Ireland, was published earlier this year.
My stated goal is to work to support farmers through that to continue to support their incomes. That land use review will also have an important role to play in terms of informing us of how we best use our land and maintain agricultural land into the future.
