Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
882. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on Ireland's support, including financial, to the United Nations Committee on World Food Security; and if he envisages a strengthening of Ireland's support, including financial, to the committee as the foremost inclusive, international and intergovernmental platform on agriculture. [16316/22]
View answer883. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way that Ireland has supported the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation-led initiative on the Scaling Up Agroecology Initiative launched in 2018. [16317/22]
View answer884. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way that his Department is following up Ireland's commitment to food systems leadership internationally, that is, the Food Vision 2030 strategy; and his views on the actions Ireland has taken in support of participating fully in the coalition for the transformation of food systems through agroecology which Ireland joined in September 2021. [16318/22]
View answer885. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to redirect budgets and investments towards the sustainable and innovative approaches recommended in the CFS policy recommendations on agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition which Ireland endorsed in 2021. [16319/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 882 to 885, inclusive, together.
My Department leads on Ireland’s engagement with Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). These United Nations agencies along with a third, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, provide core funding equally to the multi-stakeholder Committee on World Food Security (CFS). In 2021, my Department provided funding of €25 million to WFP and €3.65 million to FAO, with similar amounts budgeted in 2022. My Department actively contributes to the work of CFS. Over a period of eighteen months, Ireland engaged with other EU member states in the drafting of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition. This was the core document underpinning the UN Food Systems Summit held in September 2021. The CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition is a framework to support the work on global food systems transformation, where Ireland is taking a leading role through the funding and technical support of a food systems transformation facility based in FAO. Currently Ireland is engaged on the drafting of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the context of Food Security and Nutrition. Agroecology is an evolving and important element of food systems transformation. Following the UN Food Systems Summit, a coalition on agroecology was established and joined by Ireland with my Department involved in the coalition sub-committees on research and on policy. Ireland’s contribution to the work of the coalition on agroecology will continue in the coming months in collaboration with UN member states and agencies. One of the innovative aspects of the new Food Vision 2030 agri-food strategy is its adoption of a food systems approach, taking a more holistic view of agri-food by ensuring an interconnectedness between it and the areas of health & nutrition and the environment. In adopting such an approach, Ireland is seeking to become a global leader of innovation for sustainable food and agriculture systems. In addition, one of its goals is to ensure Policy Coherence and Synergies in Sustainable Food Systems between Ireland’s Domestic Policy and its Development Cooperation and Foreign Policy.
