Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 June 2016
59. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his food wise 2025 strategic plan adequately addresses the issue of food insecurity; the details of any analysis his Department conducted into developing alternative sustainable sources of protein; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14500/16]
View answerFood Wise 2025 is an enabling strategy for the sustainable growth of the agrifood sector over the next decade. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market development and competitiveness; as well as specific sectoral recommendations.
Food security is defined by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as: “a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. At national level, food security is addressed through a range of Government policies providing social protection and supports for low income, disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. At international level, Ireland’s development aid programme has a strong focus on food and nutrition, including through funding from my own Department to the UN FAO and WFP (World Food Programme).
Food Wise aims to grow the Irish agrifood sector in an economic, environmental and socially sustainable manner, building on our strengths in the production of safe, healthy and nutritious food. Ireland is already one of the EU’s most efficient producers of milk and beef, in terms of carbon footprint per unit of output. But under Food Wise we are implementing measures to drive down the carbon intensity of our food production even further, resulting in both economic returns and environmental sustainability. In that regard I am satisfied that the strategy reflects food security considerations.
In terms of alternative sources of protein, Ireland’s agriculture is largely livestock based and, clearly, if we are to build on our strengths, this must be the focus of our objectives on food security. However we are developing our seafood industry and our tillage sector. In that regard, tillage accounts for 7% of agricultural land, and the opportunity to further significantly expand tillage production is limited by soil type and conditions. There is a support scheme in place to encourage production of protein crops under Pillar I of CAP.
The ambition that Ireland should be a global leader in sustainable food production, building on our natural advantages, is one that I hope is shared by all sides of the House, and Food Wise is a blueprint for how this ambition can be realised.
