Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
64. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline Ireland’s experience in moving to sustainable food systems, as claimed at an event where he spoke in the UAE recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55786/23]
View answerWhile Ireland’s agrifood system is amongst the best and most sustainable in the world, we recognise that we must strive for further transformation. Ireland’s agri-food strategy, Food Vision 2030, was developed by the Irish agri-food sector for the sector, adopting a food systems approach, with an ambition for Ireland to be a “World Leader in Sustainable Food Systems” and sets out four high-level missions for the sector to work towards:
1. A Climate Smart, Environmentally Sustainable Agri-Food Sector2. Viable and Resilient Primary Producers with Enhanced Well-Being3. Food that is Safe, Nutritious And Appealing, Trusted And Valued at Home and Abroad4. An Innovative, Competitive & Resilient Agri-Food Sector, Driven by Technology & Talent.
Each of these missions has ambitious goals rooted in a strongly practical approach to what needs to be achieved for future environmental, economic and social sustainability.In 2021 Ireland was one of the first countries to submit a national food system transformation pathway, Food Vision 2030, to the United Nations Food Systems Summit. Since then, we have been promoting food systems transformation in Ireland and in our bilateral and multilateral engagements internationally, including COP 28 and the FAO World Food Forum in September.It is acknowledged that agriculture is a part of the solution to address urgent climate change and biodiversity loss. There is significant activity by farmers already underway in Ireland and we will do more. The Irish CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 has the highest ever available budget of €9.8 billion. The CAP objectives aim to improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the agricultural sector, and we have seen a real shift in focus towards supporting farmers for practices that benefit the climate, environment and biodiversity. In Ireland’s case, a significant element of our CAP funding is targeted towards delivering on environmental and climate objectives. At EU level we have the second highest amount of CAP funding dedicated to environmental action, almost 70% of the Pillar 2 Rural Development funding, including €1.5 billion for a new agri-environment scheme, ACRES, and a five-fold increase in funding for organic farming. Ireland’s pasture-based livestock farming and improving our overall sustainability can do a lot to contribute to climate mitigation. Irish Agriculture has many natural advantages in terms of food production, in particular, a 9-month outdoor grazing season which is very rare internationally, in what is an increasingly global food supply system, but we know we can improve even more. We are therefore at the forefront of research nationally and internationally, driving innovation, and working with farmers and food businesses to support implementation on farms and across the value chain. We recognise that we must strive for further transformation. I will continue to lead the sector in achieving its high-level missions and its Food Vision ambition to be a “World Leader in Sustainable Food Systems”.
