Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 February 2022
155. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is developing a strategy to reward farmers for delivering environmental services as a regular source of income. [6833/22]
View answerIreland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2023-2027 will underpin the sustainable development of Ireland’s farming and food sector by supporting viable farm incomes and enhancing competitiveness, by strengthening the socio-economic fabric of rural areas, and by contributing to the achievement of environmental and climate objectives at national and EU levels.
Under the CAP Strategic Plan, farmers will be rewarded for delivering environmental services through two distinct pathways.
Firstly, the establishment of a voluntary eco-scheme incentive as part of Pillar I direct payments will financially reward farmers for providing additional environmental action.
Secondly, voluntary participation in results-based schemes established in Pillar II Rural Development Programme Schemes such as the proposed new National Agri-Environment Scheme (AECM), Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme, and Organic Farming Scheme will not only directly assist in meeting the targets outlined for a climate-neutral food system by 2050, but also assist in the financial sustainability of participating farmers.
In particular it should be recognised that the proposed new National Agri-Environment Scheme, will contain both results-based elements, i.e., that participants will have some options to be paid based on achieving measurable results, as well as delivering prescription-based actions (the payment model for the various iterations of REPS, AEOS and GLAS).
The potential to reward farmers for their carbon sequestration activities is also recognised under the recently updated All-of-Government Climate Action Plan 2021 which commits government to, “explore the development of a carbon farming model”. My Department are currently exploring how an enabling framework for carbon farming can be developed and although this work is at an early stage the potential rewards for farmers, and society in general, are clear.
It should also be noted that my Department will continue to reward both farmers and landowners for delivering environmental services through afforestation funding. Of particular relevance is funding provided under the Agroforestry Scheme and also the Woodland Environmental Fund which partners private businesses with farmers and landowners to establish native woodlands on farms with numerous environmental services occurring as a result of this activity.
